Is This a Trend? Florida Retirees Moving to Las Vegas

Off to Vegas, baby! That might be something you said in your 20’s or 30’s when you wanted to get away from the cold for a little desert heat and 24/7 gambling.

But in your 60’s and beyond, should you make Sin City a permanent home? Some Floridians are saying yes!

But, and here’s the million dollar question: why? After all, you are looking at 100 plus degree days in the summer and green lawns will be a thing of the past. You’ll have to embrace the desert landscape. But for many seniors, it’s worth the trade-off, according to this Islands Magazine article:

“So why would anyone want to retire in Las Vegas? Depending on your lifestyle, the many pros might outweigh the cons. The city's livability score of 82 makes sense when you consider how much further seniors can stretch their hard-earned dollars. Nevada requires no state income tax, and the monthly cost of living with Social Security is just over $2,000 for homeowners and $1,200 for renters. While this is around 10% higher than the national average, healthcare is around 7% lower. According to RetireBetterNow.com, the number of healthcare facilities in the area has grown, and many hospitals specialize in geriatrics, which could be a significant reason why older people choose to relocate to the more peaceful suburbs of this lively city.”

Realtor Micah Bleecher says in this YouTube video that he is meeting a lot of retirees choosing Nevada, particularly the Las Vegas area instead of Florida communities because of better predictability:

Bleecher, who specializes in 55 plus communities says more and more clients choose the desert over Florida beaches due to a lower cost of living, and they are plain sick of hurricanes!

Are Home Prices Lower in Nevada than Florida?

I live in Southwest Florida, and have scoured Las Vegas real estate listings. I can’t tell for certain if prices are lower. I think it really depends on the neighborhood and what price range you are looking in.

But I did find that HOA fees are for the most part, much lower in the Vegas area. If you want to buy a house in a gated community and are concerned about fees, Las Vegas is certainly the place.

This is no scientific survey, and again it depends on the neighborhood, but I found the fees to be much lower in Vegas suburbs, largely because here in Florida, most of the gated communities I have run across take care of lawn maintenance for you, whereas in Vegas, you are responsible for your own yard.

And honestly, that desert landscape doesn’t look very hard to maintain. Here you have grass to mow and hedges to keep trimmed.

Let’s Compare Home Prices

Here is a listing for a typical home in Estero, Florida where I live. It was built in 2019 is around 2,000 square feet. Looks pretty move-in ready to me and you can pick it up for under $600,000. The community offers loads of amenities:

“Located on a charming street within Corkscrew Shores, a lakefront community with resort-style amenities in the hottest growing area of SWFL- Estero! Residents can enjoy amenities all year long – pickleball, tennis, bocce, full-service restaurant, bar, walking trails, pool & clubhouse, organized events & activites, fishing pier, kayak/canoe launch, firepits and more. No flood zone, no mandatory club fees, close to everything.”

And the HOA fees are around $600 a month, not too bad for down here. Also, you don’t have to join a club which some gated communities force you to.

Now, let’s look at a similar listing in Henderson, a lovely suburb less than 20 miles southeast of the strip.

This two story home is slightly newer, built in 2022 and is move-in ready, also under $600,000. Yet, the HOA fees are only 85 dollars a month. Though, it doesn’t look to be in a gated community and may not offer same amentities that the Estero, Florida home does.

If you are considering a move to either state, you need to spend time in both. It is not enough to search listings on line. I would get a feel for the areas and write down your priorities in retirement.

I am happy here in Southwest Florida, but am certain I could find my place in Las Vegas as well. Wouldn’t miss the hurricanes, but maybe the afternoon rains that occur almost daily in the summer here.

Then again, I do love cactuses!