Would you believe that among the glitz, glitter and neon of the Las Vegas Strip you can find one of the most outstanding marine aquariums in the entire country? In fact, Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay is the only North American aquarium that is specifically predator-based in focus and design. As you might expect, Shark Reef features sharks of all kinds but you’ll also see sawfish, giant rays, endangered green sea turtles, piranha, moon jellies and the rare golden crocodiles. In all, there are over 2,000 sea animals to experience in elaborate natural settings with stunning imitation coral reefs. The facility is especially well-suited for educational outings and the Shark Reef education team is very knowledgeable. Conservation is a central part of the Shark Reef mission and the 1.6 million gallons of seawater used by the facility is constantly recycled. Technologically speaking, Shark Reef is absolutely cutting-edge and staffed by marine biologists from all over the globe.

Rare Komodo Dragon Arrives at Shark Reef Aquarium

The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay will welcome the Komodo Dragon on June 20th. Known as the most deadly of all lizards and having no known predators in the world, the Komodo Dragon lives on the Southeast islands of Indonesia and can weigh up to 200 pounds. Shark Reef is open daily from 10am until 11pm with the last admission at 10pm. Surprised that the facility stays open until 11pm? Hey, this is Vegas and (if you’re doing it right) you don’t even wake up until one in the afternoon!

Opportunity continues to present itself in the Las Vegas real estate market! Home prices continue to fall and properties owned by banks and lenders accounted for more than half of the homes sold in April.

We are seeing many banks purposely pricing under market value in order to entice Buyers to take action. It seems to be working. It appears that if a home is in a decent area, in good condition and under-priced it will sell in a matter of days and there will be multiple offers. These types of properties are not staying on the market long!

In addition to very aggressive pricing by the banks, interest rates have moved to the down side this week as well. 30-year fixed rates today were between 5.5% and 5.8%.

The combination of prices reminiscent of 2003-2004 and very favorable interest rates absolutely make a strong case for purchasing a Las Vegas home right now!

Tradeshow Week magazine recently released the 2007 Tradeshow Week 200 list of largest trade shows in North America, which showed that Las Vegas once again hosted the largest number of shows at 44. Following Las Vegas were Orlando with 24 and Chicago with 20. This marks the 14th consecutive year that Las Vegas has topped the list. Is it any wonder that Wynn Resorts has just announced plans to build a 1.8 million square foot exhibition hall? Las Vegas completely dominates the Tradeshow business and the location of Wynn Las Vegas, combined with the opulence of the property, make it a perfect venue for convention-size business functions.

On a related note, The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that in January 2008, visitation to the United States, as well as spending by those visitors, continued to rise, with 3.4 million international visitors, an increase of 11 percent over January 2007. Travel and tourism is a $1.3 trillion industry in the United States and Las Vegas, Nevada is at the heart of the action. We are far and away a top destination for international leisure travel from every corner of the globe. The weak US Dollar is a boon for Las Vegas, no question about it.

Let’s assume that we just previewed Las Vegas real estate all week and you found the property you want to make an offer on. Now what? What do you need to have with you in order to be prepared to submit your offer?

• Checkbook – For Earnest Money Deposit (Foreign Nationals or Sight Unseen Buyers may wire transfer within 24 hours of accepted offer)

• Getting a loan? Pre-Approval letter from a local lender.

• Purchasing with cash? Proof of funds, either a letter from the bank printed on bank letterhead or a print-out of your bank statement with the account number blocked out.

Also - it’s critically important to understand your financial overview realistically. What monthly payment fits into your budget? Don’t forget to include extra items such as taxes, homeowners insurance, homeowner association dues, etc.

Additionally - it’s important to be clear about how much money is needed for closing (down payment, escrow fees, etc).

It’s also prudent to start thinking about the logistics associated with an accepted contract. Consider these issues as you move forward towards the purchase of your new Las Vegas home.

• Recommended – A home inspection
• Recommended – An insurance quote from your insurance agent (request a copy of the CLUE report)
• Recommended – A home protection plan
• Final Walk Through
• Closing and Settlement Appointment
• Moving Dates