Nevada Homes Being Built Fastest In The Country

Las Vegas residents have witnessed a massive growth of new housing in the Southern Nevada area over the last few years. And a new report shows we're not imagining it when we say that Nevada homes seem to be multiplying. Driving on one of our Las Vegas freeways recently had me thinking that we are starting to look like Los Angeles.

What was, for years, an empty landscape on our Nevada mountainsides is now an ongoing construction zone for hillside homes. There is also a new abundance of tri-level homes around the inner parts of the city. These homes are built tall and thin, so as to take up a smaller footprint than their wider predecessors. Which means more of them can fit in the same space as those built in past years.

Those of us who have been in Southern Nevada for more than a few years keep saying we are running out of room for more housing. Well, that thought has been corrected over and over again in the last few years. New Nevada homes have found a way to exist in the Las Vegas Valley. And with them are coming a lot of new residents.

A team of experts at MarketWatch Guides recently did a study about the growth of housing around the country. They reported that Nevada issued 1,368 construction permits between 2023-2024, which was a 128% increase from the year before. Between 2022 and 2023 only 600 were issued. That lands us at first in the country when it comes to rate of change by state.

The average increase of construction permits for single-family homes in other states was 43% between 2023 and 2024. This is according to the study's look at the U.S. Census Bureau data for the time. That puts Nevada at a mind-boggling 85% above the rest of the country in our growth rate.

And Arizona is right behind us with a growth rate of 126% last year, according to ThisOldHouse.com. They issued 3,602 construction permits on single-family homes between 2023 and 2024, compared to the 1,592 issued the year before.

The good news is that there will be more homes available for aspiring Nevada homeowners. Which could be a needed alternate to those renting, considering the latest report on rent increases outpacing the income of residents.

The bad news is that the rate of inflation and the current mortgage rates are factors making it difficult for the average family to afford a new home. Still, construction of new Nevada homes is expected to increase even more in 2024. So what does this mean for Nevada real estate? Hard to say. There could be a lot of empty new houses for a while. Or those new Nevada homes could be bought up by out-of-towners. More of the same of what we’ve seen since the pandemic.

Either way, whether the homes are being bought up quickly or not, the construction will keep going. And growth is projected to happen across the nation in most states. The only places seeing a decline in construction permits this year over last are Alaska, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and Washington D.C.

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Many Nevada homeowners know all too well what can happen if a tree in their yard isn't cared for properly. But there are some myths surrounding how to properly care for our tall nature friends. It's especially important to have a healthy tree during our rough seasons. Spring and summer months in Nevada are infamously a time when unhealthy trees are at risk of damage or falling.

March through June are typically our windiest months, bringing wind gusts of at least 58 mph, lasvegasnevada.gov reports. And monsoon season comes right after, from June to October. So making sure your trees are healthy and stable before these seasons is vital.

When some people think of Southern Nevada topography, they see the desert. Cacti, Joshua and Yucca trees. And we do have our share of those around the Mojave.

But we also have a lot more variety of trees than just the typical desert dwellers. With Mount Charleston nearby, we have a lot of pine trees as well. I've lived in my current house in Las Vegas for over 10 years. And even though I could move closer to where I work, I wouldn't dream of it. Because my backyard landscaping makes it feel like I'm on vacation in those nearby mountains.

I have such beautiful trees in my backyard that it's hard some days to remember I live in the desert. Two pine trees flank the back wall near my garden. And the side wall is decorated with pomegranate, lemon and mandarin trees. I also have at least three other varieties of trees in the side and front yards that I couldn't even name if I wanted to.

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With all these trees to care for, it's hard to know which tree needs what. Nevada homeowners who don't get a newly-built home usually end up taking over the care for whatever tree was in the yard before. I am certainly someone in that boat. And when you aren't the one who planted the tree, like me, you might not know its variety or the kind of care it needs.

Often, when a tree is unhealthy, there will be visible signs that indicate it. Like severed or raised roots, mushrooms or other fungi, peeling bark or discolored leaves. This video from the Davey Tree Expert Company gives more visible signs Nevada homeowners should look out for, as well as instruction on how to inspect your trees.

Like many homeowners, especially those of us who didn't pick out or oversee the planting of our trees, I'm not very well-educated when it comes to tree care. But I do check my trees from time to time, to the best of my ability, to look for signs of decay.

What I don't do is wait until one of my trees is leaning over or otherwise showing signs of an issue. Because with our windy months, having a strong tree that can withstand those gusts could be the difference between me having a hole in my my roof or not.

That pine tree in my backyard could do some serious damage if it ever decided to fall over. And not just to my house. It's tall enough that it could reach at least two of my neighbor's houses, depending on the direction it fell. That's a law suit I'm really okay not having to deal with.

To keep our trees healthy and happy, we don't have to be tree experts. But we also shouldn't assume things about trees that could hurt them in the long run.

The Davey Tree Expert Company is a knowledgeable resource for all things tree-related. And they have expert arborists throughout North America. Ken Busse is the expert in the Las Vegas area, and he reached out to debunk some myths about trees that Nevada homeowners ought to know.

One of the pine trees in my backyard is so tall that it towers over my roof. Which is nice on those sunny summer days. But on the windy days, it can get a little rough. With the pine needles brushing against my patio awning, like an angry neighbor coming to yell at me for blocking his driveway.

I would be worried on those days if I was the person who pruned those pine giants. But I'm not. I hire guys to come in and do it for me. Because I know pruning isn't as easy as it seems. Sure, anyone can use a ladder and pruning shears. But knowing how to prune properly is the important thing.

The Davey experts say that pruning is different for each breed of tree. And unless you're a professional arborist, or someone with an tree obsession and endless hours to watch YouTube, you might not know what your specific tree needs. Even the proper way to remove a branch or how much tree to cut depends on the type of tree you have.

Okay, it's a tree. Not a camel. Though even camels need water once in a while. A tree's age does determine how much water it needs, but even the oldest of them need watering during a long dry spell. Knowing how and where to water is important too. Those very old pines in my backyard are about 40 or so feet from my patio door. But the roots are much closer because the tree's root system has really spread out over the years.

In fact, when I was laying flagstone just around the patio, I ran into some huge roots just a few inches below the surface. And I'm sure they belonged to that pine that was far from where I was sitting.

The Davey experts advise that less frequent, deep watering is the key to keeping our trees hydrated during the droughts we often encounter in the desert. They recommend a drip irrigation or soaker hose, and a two-inch layer of mulch around the tree to keep the soil moist. Just make sure the mulch doesn't pile up against the root flare (where the first main roots attach to the trunk) where excess soil can actually damage.

When trees live in the forest, there are plenty of nutrients available to it. The Davey experts say that's not the case in our backyards, especially when our grasses are fighting our trees for nutrients. Plus, when we rake up those leaves (or use the leaf blower, in my case), we're taking away the very things that break down and recycle and give some nutrients back to our trees.

The Davey experts say that a slow-release fertilizer is essential for a tree's vitality. And throughout their life. Not just when they're young.

If this one were true, I'd be in trouble. Remember that tree branch that hangs over my house? Well it might be a hazard if it wasn't pruned correctly or the tree or branch weren't healthy. But since I have professionals who make sure both are so, I'm in the clear.

The Davey experts confirm this and say that not having a professional prune your trees actually could prevent the branches from properly healing. That's where the real threat comes in. An unhealed tree could become unstable and dangerous.

Another myth I'd be in trouble for if it were actually true. Fortunately, it's not. Like all pines, the tall trees in my backyard are highly susceptible to our high winds. The Davey experts say it's the structure of the tree, and how healthy it is, that really determines safety more than the species of the tree itself.

If you are a Nevada homeowner and you'd like a pine tree in your yard, just make sure you work with an expert to ensure you've considered all safety precautions. I can tell you from experience that the extra effort to have a pine tree in your yard is worth the benefits. Just make sure you have some sort of craft book on hand about what to do with all the pinecones you're going to collect.

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