Some of the highlights of this home are its…..

Nearly 3,600 square feet of living space, 3 car attached garage, quarter acre lot
4 Bedrooms + Loft (with built in desk), 4.5 Baths
Exquisite kitchen with top of the line stainless appliances
Large first floor guest suite with private bath and walk in closet
Full length rear yard covered patio with second level balcony
Full sized in-ground pool and raised spa with sheer descents
Dramatic floating spiral staircase

I have included the virtual tour for you to see for yourself.

If you would like a live tour of this home, CLICK HERE

And, you can see pictures and explore links to virtual tours of every home for sale in Las Vegas, in all price ranges. Go to http://lasvegasmove.com/searchMLSform.asp.

We are here to provide you any information you might need or want regarding
life and living in Las Vegas.

Have a great day!

David Brownell

It is warming up out there and Las Vegas residents are drinking more and more water every week. Whether it’s out by the pool or at a fine restaurant, everyone wants to stay cool and hydrated.

One of the questions we are often asked by people moving to Las Vegas or considering doing so is…. “How’s the water quality in your city? We have heard some not so good things about Las Vegas’ water.” That prompted us to do quite a bit of research regarding Las Vegas’ water supply and its quality.

To add to our library of resources on the subject, the Las Vegas Valley Water District has just published the 2008 Water Quality Report. If you would like a copy for yourself… drop us a line or email us today.

Below you will find a sampling from the questions and answers portion at the end of the report:

HOW HARD IS THE WATER IN SOUTHERN NEVADA?
Water is considered hard if the hardness is 100 parts per million (ppm) or
more. That’s equal to 5.85 grains per gallon. The average hardness of the
Las Vegas Valley Water District’s water is about 292 ppm (17.1 grains per
gallon), comparable to many Western cities’ water supplies. Our water’s
hardness is the result of dissolved calcium and magnesium from the Rocky
Mountains, where most of our water begins as snowmelt. Addressing
aesthetic issues such as hardness during treatment could be prohibitively
expensive—especially considering that most water is used outdoors.

WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR TAP WATER’S TASTE?
The taste is caused by naturally occurring minerals and by chlorine, which is
added to protect the water from bacteria. Water quality is best measured by
the number and concentration of contaminants; we have few contaminants in
our drinking water, and those that are present are well within Safe Drinking
Water Act limits.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY TAP WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK?
Both the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Nevada
have established health-based quality standards for tap water. Tap water
delivered by the Las Vegas Valley Water District meets or surpasses all standards.
The Alfred Merritt Smith Water Treatment Facility has been recognized by
the National Partnership for Safe Water for its efforts to ensure that Southern
Nevada’s municipal water meets or surpasses both state and federal water quality
standards. Additionally, nearly 30,000 water samples are collected
each year from locations in Lake Mead and throughout the treatment and
distribution systems—in neighborhoods throughout the valley.

DO I NEED TO USE A WATER-TREATMENT SYSTEM?
In general, not unless you want to change your tap water’s taste or remove
the minerals that cause it to be “hard.” While many people prefer the taste of
bottled water, tap water is subject to even more-stringent quality standards
than bottled water and is tested more frequently. Pregnant women and people
with medical conditions affecting their immune system should consult a
physician to determine whether a supplemental treatment system is appropriate.

Our thanks goes to The Las Vegas Valley Water District for making this information available.

I trust that you are having a great summer and check us out for more information about life in Las Vegas and the surrounding communities.

See you soon,

David

David Brownell here at the beginning of another wonderful weekend in Las Vegas!

It is warming up again here in town and we all will need to take a couple of steps towards protecting our most valuable investment, our home. Take a close look at the following suggestions found in VIEW BOULDER CTIY, A Las Vegas Review Journal publication.

“Be aware of fire risks in your home in summer months”

With an increase in temperatures comes an increased chance of fires in homes and businesses, according to Las Vegas Fire & Rescue. The organization has a list of past fires and ways to prevent them from happening.

REFRIGERATORS/FREEZERS
Many people have refrigerators and freezers in a garage or storage room that lacks air conditioning. In order to keep the inside cold, the compressor must work extra hard to make up for the heat difference. When the compressor is working, it gets extremely hot and can cause a fire.

Refrigerators and freezers that are kept on wood floors, carpet or near accumulated trash have caused fires in homes across the valley. Refrigerators and freezers kept in the home don’t have to work as hard.

EXTENSION CORDS
Extension cords can cause fires if used with some appliances. They shouldn’t be used with refrigerators, freezers or air-conditioning units, as extension cords are not designed to carry the required electric load.

CHEMICALS
Any chemicals left in direct sunlight can cause a fire. Paints, fuels and others can explode in some cases.

AIR CONDITIONERS AND FANS
Check equipment for frayed wires and keep them clean. Fans can accumulate dust and dirt around the motor, which can cause a fire. Vacuum the fan to keep the motor clean. Air-conditioner units should be maintained by a qualified technician at least once every two years.

ITEMS IN VEHICLES
Items in vehicles can explode or melt in some cases. Any type of aerosol can should not be left in vehicles, especially in direct sunlight. Other items, such as compact discs and DVDs, can be damaged. Small electronic devices, such as cell phones, cameras and iPods, can be damaged because of heat inside the vehicle, which can reach temperatures of 160 degrees.

Many thanks to the writers and editors at VIEW BOULDER CTIY for keeping us informed.

The David Brownell Team remains dedicated to bringing all sorts of information to the public about life and living in Las Vegas and it’s surrounding communities.

Stop back by and see us again soon… and have a great weekend!

David

Every one of us, as home buyers and property investors, has a need for experienced expert assistance in times when there are so many bank owned properties that are priced to sell fast. Conversely, as home and property owners we have to explore options when facing a changing market.

David Brownell here again, and I noticed an article in the Las Vegas Review Journal this weekend that includes some poignant figures. If you are curious how current foreclosure figures compare to last year… take a look.

This article is written by reporter John G. Edwards for the Review Journal:

“Sessions aim to help prevent foreclosures”

In Clark County, one in 96 homeowners gets notice in May

Nevada led the nation in foreclosures for the 17th consecutive month in May, according to RealtyTrac, but local leaders say they can help some homeowners dig their way out of financial quicksand and sometimes save their homes.

A group led by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., will hold its third foreclosure prevention counseling program for homeowners today and Saturday at Cashman Center.

The counseling sessions can help homeowners determine if they can avoid foreclosure and, if not, explain how homeowners can reduce the financial pain.

“This resource center cannot solve everybody’s problem,” Reid said. “But it will provide useful information.”

About 1.8 million Americans are being foreclosed, Reid said in a press conference Thursday.

“Sadly, a lot of them are in Nevada,” he said.

Statewide, one in every 118 households received a foreclosure notice last month, Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac reported Thursday.

In Clark County, the hardest-hit area of the Silver State, one out of every 96 homeowners received foreclosure notices in May. That’s a 66 percent increase from May of last year and 21 percent more than in April, RealtyTrac reported.

Foreclosure notices were filed on 7,880 houses in Clark County in May, including 4,286 notices of default, RealtyTrac reported.

While Nevada leads in home foreclosure, “we also carry the highest consumer debt load of any city in the nation, and that drives bankruptcy, where we’re number one,” Michele Johnson, president of Consumer Credit Counseling Service.

Yet, foreclosure isn’t always inevitable.

Teams of 20 lenders at the counseling sessions “are really geared to help people stay in their home,” said Kirk Clausen, regional president of Wells Fargo Bank.

Home lenders sometimes will refinance homes at lower rates, consolidate loans or freeze rates, Clausen said. He urged homeowners to contact counselors at Cashman Center or their lender as soon as they encounter financial problems, because foreclosure may be unavoidable if they wait too long.

Other advisers will help homeowners deal with the repercussions if they cannot keep their homes, Johnson said. She mentioned short sales where lenders allow an owner to sell the home for less than the amount owed, and deeds in lieu of foreclosure where the borrower turns over the house without foreclosure.

The counseling service outlines strategies homeowners can use to prepare for rental housing and reduce foreclosure-related expenses.

The free counseling is being provided by the Foreclosure Prevention Resource Center and sessions will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The program will be conducted in the first-floor conference room at Cashman Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

Thanks for stopping by my website everybody and I hope you found this information to be useful. A special thank you goes to reporter John G. Edwards @ The Las Vegas Review Journal for providing the facts and figures.

If your interested in viewing photos and information on any homes in the Las Vegas area, stop over to our website, LasVegasMove.com and try out our free MLS search. It will give you instant access to all available properties.

Get in touch with me, if the time is right for you to take action.
Have a great week everybody,

David

Hello everybody,

David Brownell here, urging you again to get out and see more of this great area where we live. Las Vegas is so much more than casinos and night clubs and we will keep showing you the best our valley has to offer.

AMANDA LLEWELLYN, VIEW STAFF WRITER, offers us the following take on a local tour business that prides itself on showing locals and visitors alike, many of the breathtaking locales that these surrounding valley and desert landscapes have to offer:

Guided tours show locals Another Side of Las Vegas, beyond

“Business explores Sin City away from Strip”

When it comes to entertainment, most locals like to think that there are options beyond the glittering allure and abandon of the Strip.

Southern Highlands resident Kenny Lippman said that he, too, has endured the frustrations of a tourist-driven entertainment industry.

That’s why the 31-year-old entrepreneur created Another Side of Las Vegas Tours, a tour-guided experience specializing in entertainment alternatives designed to incorporate the luxurious destinations and rich history of Nevada, which, according to Lippman, often are overlooked by locals.

Just a year ago, Lippman was working as a loan officer in San Diego when a seemingly unfortunate event served as the catalyst for his pursuit of a lifelong dream.

“There were massive lay-offs,” Lippman said. “While everyone around me was morose, I was so stoked, because I saw it as an opportunity to finally do what I was meant to do: start my own business and help people make memories.”

The company currently offers 14 tour-guided packages, a few of which include horseback riding through Red Rock Canyon at sunset, desert exploration and off-roading in an H2 Hummer, a round-trip helicopter tour to the Pahrump Winery with behind-the-scenes access and complimentary five-course meal on site, a scenic brunch 300 feet above the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and a limo-chartered expedition to the old Nevada ghost town at Bonnie Springs.

According to Lippman, his team is working to develop more ready-to-go experiences, but the company also offers customized tours.

“We’re here to please you, and my attitude is, there’s nothing we can’t do,” he said. “If you can imagine it, I can make it happen.”

Las Vegas resident Lucas Cutler said that being exposed to even the most impressive attractions on a daily basis can breed disenchantment, and that’s part of the problem with living in a place like Las Vegas.

“Other people come here and it’s an escape,” Cutler said. “For us, it’s everyday, nothing special. For locals, it takes something besides what you can find on the Strip to wow us, and I think that these kinds of tours are something different. If you’re going to spend your money, like even with guests from out of town, why not show them what else we have to offer?”

Lippman’s concept has exploded in similar marketplaces since last June, allowing the former journalism major to open offices in three other West Coast cities.

“We have an office in San Diego, which was actually the original,” Lippman said. “And we’re working to open offices in Orange County and Los Angeles.”

According to Lippman, clients pay him to provide the type of experience that it would take too much time, effort and money to orchestrate on their own.

“It’s all about the experience that we can create for you,” Lippman said. “I want to take your breath away, but leave you alive.”

Tour packages range from $50 to $2,600 and must be booked in advance. For more information, visit www.anothersideoflasvegastours.com.

Many thanks to AMANDA LLEWELLYN, VIEW STAFF WRITER, and the Las Vegas Review Journal. Photo credits belong to Jenna Dosch.

And here is another resource for you to make some choices about what to see and where, this weekend in Las Vegas. LasVegasMove.com is dedicated to bringning you information on real estate and living in Las Vegas.

Stop by whenever you want to know about great valued real estate or what is happening around town.

Have a great Father’s Day weekend everyone,

David

David Brownell here to clue you in on one of the lesser known Friday night activities here in Las Vegas called “FIRST FRIDAY.” Every first Friday of the month there is a large event held that hosts a wide variety of artists, collections, performers and vendors that blanket the city’s streets just north of the strip.

If you enjoy an eclectic mix of artistic styles, sights and sounds… then this is the perfect place for you to be!

Here’s what the folks @ www.firstfriday-lasvegas.org have to say about this 5 year old monthly event:

The Celebration Continues in June!

June 6, 2008

6:00 pm -10:00 pm

The air is light, the spirit festive and the drinks cold in Downtown, where, once a month the pedestrian-friendly streets transform into a huge block party during FIRST FRIDAY. Each celebration, the entertainment shifts and multiplies as ice sculptors, fire breathers and fortune tellers serve as a back-drop for this ongoing festival of art perusal and appreciation. Local bands perform throughout the evening, and the streets turn into canvasses for children (young and old) to decorate with chalk. FIRST FRIDAY is a stage for local galleries and Las Vegas’ vital Downtown cultural scene. It’s a place to meet friends new and old, and rejoice in the preservation and innovation of an historical neighborhood. In this land of suburbs and strip malls, visitors come from near and far to people-watch, sample new restaurants and revel at area bars.

Since it began in October of 2002, FIRST FRIDAY has only continued to grow. It is now considered the premier arts event in Las Vegas. From the shops and galleries on Charleston (the Arts Factory, S2, Modify and more) to the new galleries on Main Street (Dust and Godt-Cleary Projects) to the recently opened spaces on Commerce (Commerce Street Studios), down to the whimsical offerings of the Funk House antique store, and the innovative artists’ cottages at Colorado and Casino Center. While many people love to walk the neighborhood and work is underway to make the area even more foot-traffic friendly, the City of Las Vegas also kindly provides arts tour busses that make rounds throughout the area and make pick ups every 15 minutes throughout the evening.

And no matter how you decide to get around, you can always expect a diverse crowd, cool local art, live music, street performances and plenty of surprises!

MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN SUPPORTS First Friday:

Downtown’s Arts District’s event turned to the community and asked for support. Beginning in February, volunteers started asking for a $2 donation from First Friday attendees. And the community responded!

In April responding to First Friday’s call for support was our own Mayor Oscar Goodman. Whirlygig, the non-profit that produces First Friday, thanks him for donating money to keep Las Vegas’ Favorite Community Arts Event the best in the greater Las Vegas area!

As of June 6, 2008 First Friday we will all be participating by paying a minimal $2 entry fee at the gates to the outdoor festival. Because of these recent changes and community contributions Whirlygig is able to once again expand the event to a larger area and add even more artist tents. Look for more stages in coming months. It is our commitment to continually improve the programming for the event. This change also allows us to continue to pay for all of the necessary infrastructure for an event that has grown as First Friday has. Each month we pay for barricading, tents, porta-potties, stages, tables and chairs, sound and lighting equipment and technicians, power and technicians for the event, security, police, safety (ambulance, EMT’s etc.), set up and clean up crews and more! All of these things are done to enhance the experience for our visitors and to continue to give artists the opportunity to show their work to a large and diverse audience.

Live Entertainment:

The LAND ROVER STAGE features

6-6:30pm Stevenson Brooks and Son (Ballads)

7-7:30pm Tranquility Base (Classic Rock)

7:30-8:30pm Lips like Morphine (Indy Rock)

9-10pm The Billy Martini Show (Rock N Roll)

Break dancers provide more entertainment on Casino Center next to the Box Office.

A special thanks to www.firstfriday-lasvegas.org for making this information available!

The David Brownell Team remains dedicated to bringing all sorts of information to the public about life and living in LasVegas and it’s surrounding communities.

Stop back by our Blog or visit our website again soon to find out “What’s Happening” in the city that is ever evolving!

See you around town,

David

Further proof of the good news is coming in the Las Vegas housing sales stats for May. We will be posting them in the next day or so. Included will be our take on the current Las Vegas housing market. Check back soon.

We have included Jennifer Robison’s article from the Las Vegas Review Journal, June 4, 2008.

Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

“Homeowners, you can almost touch bottom”

Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

That’s not just an endless series of queries from road-weary kids on summer vacation. It’s also become the plaintive cry of local homeowners desperately seeking the bottom of a housing market that has shed more than 20 percent of its value in the last year.

Las Vegas homeowners could have their answer soon.

A Monday report, plus a few springtime indicators thrown in for good measure, hints that the city’s housing market may be at or near its nadir.

The latest House Prices in America study from Massachusetts research firm Global Insight and Ohio bank-holding company National City Corp. showed Southern Nevada’s first move toward housing-market undervaluation since the companies launched their joint report in 2004.

At $232,600 in the first quarter, the median home price in Las Vegas fell 3.1 percent below the value that historical market trends establish as sensible or healthy, the House Prices in America analysis said.

That’s compared to the 22.9 percent overvaluation the market saw in the first quarter of 2007, when the median price came in at $286,100.

It’s also down from the fourth quarter’s $258,900 median price and 9.2 percent overvaluation.

At its highest point, in the third quarter of 2006, the Las Vegas market was overvalued by 30.4 percent.

Today’s valuation statistics mean housing prices in Las Vegas have returned to their 23-year “historic norms” based on household income, population density, interest rates and other factors, said Richard DeKaser, chief economist for National City.

Las Vegas also placed well below several regional markets in its valuation ranking. Los Angeles, for example, remains 15.4 percent overvalued at its median price of $432,200.

Phoenix, with a median price of $224,900, is 20.2 percent overvalued, the report said. Salt Lake City is 16.1 percent overvalued at a median of $265,700. Reno has reached equilibrium, with its median price of $251,500 coming in at 0.2 percent below its historic norm.

“I would describe Las Vegas as a fairly valued market,” DeKaser said. “It presents fair purchasing opportunities for home buyers. And if prices are fairly valued, I would think it’s a reasonable time to buy, if you’re making your decision based on whether you find an area attractive for family, friends, employment opportunities and climate. People should not be making these (buying) decisions based on the view that they’re going to gain 20 percent a year for the next 20 years.”

Despite the Las Vegas market’s foray into negative historical-pricing territory, DeKaser stopped short of calling Las Vegas homes undervalued.

National City classifies the range between 15 percent above the pricing baseline and 15 percent below it as fairly valued, so the city has a way to go before it’s positioned for significant appreciation jumps.

But Las Vegas no longer occupies a spot on National City’s “watch list,” a roster of markets risking price declines of 10 percent or more for two years or longer.

“One thing which is clear is that the majority of Las Vegas’ price correction is now behind it,” DeKaser said.

Local observers said the Global Insight/National City analysis makes sense.

Researchers at Sullivan Group Real Estate Advisors recently assessed where local new-home prices would be if the Las Vegas market had appreciated at normal rates of 5 percent to 7 percent a year since 2002. They found prices would be around $256,000, a difference of just a few thousand dollars compared with the $260,000 median new-home price industry researcher Hanley Wood shows now, said Ken Perlman, vice president of Sullivan Group.

That indicates a return to sustainable pricing trends.

“It’s a positive sign that the market is headed in a direction where we might see some stabilization,” Perlman said. “It suggests buying a home in Las Vegas is becoming more of a reasonable proposition. I do agree the biggest price declines are behind us.”

Add local home builder Tom McCormick to the list of believers.

He comes armed with statistics: Las Vegas posted a 68 percent increase in resale closings from December to April. Median asking prices on existing homes stabilized at $230,000 in March and April. Resale inventory fell from 14 months to 11 months in April.

Such figures likely mean the faltering housing market will even out soon, he said.

“I know what it costs to build a home, and these homes can’t be replaced at the prices they’re being sold for. We builders have been arguing for a long time that we can’t build homes at the prices they’re being sold for. By definition, (the decline) can’t go farther.”

But analysts aren’t so sure the price declines have ended.

Brian Gordon, a principal in local economic-research firm Applied Analysis, said he sees potential for additional value cuts. But future pricing declines probably would be “modest,” Gordon said, and buyers who plan to live in their homes for a year or more are “less likely to be harmed by any additional devaluation.”

“We’re certainly approaching the bottom at this point.”

Gordon’s firm predicts the market will reach its low point by year’s end. It’ll “drag along the bottom” for six months to a year, with flat asking prices, and return to single-digit appreciation by late 2009 or early 2010.

Perlman said he also foresees a leisurely recovery pace. Sales could stay sluggish for several more months as buyers, spooked at the prospect of potential price drops, sit on the sidelines a little longer. And tightened credit markets for consumers looking to borrow remain a “wild card,” he said.

DeKaser said his analysis can’t forecast how much more local prices might fall, or when the valuation slide might stop.

But he did offer this general prognosis: “We’re much closer to the bottom than the top.”

Contact reporter Jennifer Robison at jrobison@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4512.

LAS VEGAS HOME PRICES
House prices in Las Vegas have fallen into undervalued territory, according to new data from research firm Global Insight and bank National City Corp. It’s the first time in five years that statistics from the first quarter have shown undervalued housing prices here:

First quarter of each year:
2004 / 2005 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008
Local median price:
$296,000 / $259,800 / $290,200 / $286,100 / $232,600
Value change from historic norm:
+3.7% / +20.7% / +29.9% / +22.9% / -3.1%

Source: Global Insight/National City Corp.

As always, if you would like to research homes for sale, including multiple photos and virtual tours, we invite you to www.LasVegasMove.com.

And, if you have any questions or would like additional information about the Las Vegas real estate market or related items, please email me at David@LasVegasMove.com or call me on our toll free real estate helpline:
(800) 321-2065

Have a great day.

My team and I are always on the lookout for excellent Las Vegas realty. We are committed to providing information and opportunity to the public through our research and expertise. When scouring the valley for the next great purchase for our clients, many times we will come across a striking landscape.

A great looking front yard can add thousands of dollars to the value of our homes. Have you considred any new ideas to increase your curb appeal lately?

Many of us are geting more environmentally conscience by the day and here are some great examples of award winning beauty, from water smart minds:

Local homeowners among finalists for landscaping contest
By JAN HOGAN
VIEW STAFF WRITER

On May 2, a caravan of three vehicles pulled up to select homes in the valley, making dogs bark and neighbors peer out their windows.

But there was no cause for alarm. The crew was there to judge the finalists in the 2008 Southern Nevada Water Authority Landscape Awards.

“People send in pictures, but they just don’t do them justice,” said Frank Rauscher, staff horticulturist at Star Nursery. “You have to see them for yourself.”

In the weeks before, residents involved in the water authority’s rebate program, which encourages residents to replace turf with xeriscaping, had entered the contest. They provided photos of their completed projects, and a committee narrowed it down to 11 finalists.

A team of judges, most of them employees of the water authority, then went to the homes to determine the winners, which will be announced on June 12.

The judging parameters included overall aesthetics, curb appeal, proportion, repetition, balance, plant groupings and focal points and flow.

The front yard of Cary McDermott’s house in Anthem offered a professionally designed use of desert plants and boulders. Palm trees on either side of the yard anchored the effect, while red and pink carpet roses provided areas of bright color. All the elements used only drip system irrigation or bubblers.

Rauscher said the lawn was well-planned.

“It’s on a considerable slope, so by adding the boulders and ledges, it (made for) a natural look,” he said.

McDermott is a physician who studied in Arizona and spends a lot of time in Baja, Mexico, “so I brought those influences to the design,” he said.

The ultra-modern architecture of the house included an arched gateway to the courtyard, where a boxed carob tree held center place.

“There’s a crepe myrtle tree, which is not an easy plant to irrigate,” said Doug Bennett, conservation manager for the water authority. “It’s all set off with the pebble finish driveway, which works nicely with this.”

At 18 Starbrook Drive, Kathy Gillespie, who owns a printing and mailing company, and Barbara Allen, a photographer, changed their front yard last year. It’s now anchored by saguaro cactus with yellow bells and Atacama plants. The yard was further enhanced by using only decorative rock as islands, allowing natural desert soil to offer its own texture.

“It’s ridiculous to ever put turf on this slope,” Allen said. “But they required it when we moved in … We live in a desert, so it should be like this. It shouldn’t look like a lawn in the Northeast.”

She added that the yard is now easy to maintain.

The water authority uses the contest winners as shining examples to encourage others and give them ideas. Its Web site contains suggestions, as does a CD, titled “Simply Beautiful.” The CD is available at no charge at the Las Vegas Valley Water District, 1001 S. Valley View Blvd.

For more information, visit snwa.com or call 702-258-7283.

Many thanks goes to the Las Vegas Review Journal for this community news!

To take a look at some spectacular properties in what are regarded as the best communities that Las Vegas has to offer here!

We are having some great gardening weather lately with Spring breezes o’ plenty… go on out and enjoy the outdoors everyone,

David

With all the moving and shaking going on in this town, we should all be primed up to cut loose to a little feel good music, right? And here is another resource for you to make some choices about who and what to see this summer in Las Vegas.

Concert List 1: As written by Spencer Patterson appearing in The Las Vegas Weekly

Eight concerts worth your hard-earned money …

The Police with Elvis Costello
MGM Grand Garden Arena, May 23
Admittedly, the last time Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland played town (June 15), the results were decidedly mixed. And no, the set list hasn’t changed much (at all?) since then. But we’ve got full confidence this Police action will be far from brutal, in part because the guys have been working out the kinks for a year now, and in part because even if they stink, Elvis Costello will be in the building. And Elvis always delivers.

White Rabbits
Beauty Bar, May 29
Cool new band alert! Okay, so the name seems a bit generic, but this Missouri-bred, Brooklyn-based six-piece’s breezy indie sound sure doesn’t. Think The Walkmen with harmonies (the Rabbits have three singers) and more percussion (they have two drummers). Stream a free in-studio set at daytrotter.com/daytrotterSessions/891/free-songs-white-rabbits.

Sex Pistols
The Joint, June 7
So apparently, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is too commercial for Johnny Rotten and the boys, but performing cuts off their one studio albums some 30 years after its release is … art? Never mind the hypocrisy. Pistols shows are still fun as hell, and where else can you shout out lyrics to “God Save the Queen” and “Anarchy in the U.K.” without feeling like a total poseur?

Peter Murphy
House of Blues, June 8
Get out your studded chokers and eyeliner. You too, girls. The sometime frontman for Bauhaus is headed to town, and that can only mean gothic gloom and doom are on the horizon. We’re not exactly sure what his solo sets are like these days, but anyone who helped write “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” “God in an Alcove” and “She’s in Parties” is a frighteningly welcome sight anytime.

Stone Temple Pilots
The Pearl, June 12 and 14
We know, we know, reunions blow as often as not. But when said band’s original run ended with two members (allegedly) coming to blows onstage, we’re suckers for the comeback, especially if it means getting to hear “Sex Type Thing,” “Creep” and “Interstate Love Song” again. Besides, anything that gets Army of Anyone off the road for good can’t be all bad, right?

Erykah Badu
House of Blues, June 13
Even if Badu didn’t have a killer new disc in tow, her gig would be marked on our calendar. Call it past experience, with a live show that ranges from pretty damn solid to heart-stoppingly thrilling. Given the funky-soul blend of February’s urban-riffic New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), hopefully someone in the building will bring a defibrillator.

Panic at the Disco
The Pearl, June 13
Cover subjects in the house! Maybe you loved A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, maybe you hated it. Either way, you owe it to yourself—and your hometown—to see Panic, Act II. New album Pretty. Odd. does indeed sound prettier and odder than its predecessor, and we’re curious to see how it translates to a live stage. Plus, if you don’t make it this time, we’re only gonna reserve you a spot on the list for Panic III: Revenge of the Exclamation Point.

George Michael
MGM Grand Garden Arena, June 21
Stop snickering. Back in the day, Michael was Justin Timberlake, serving as the embodiment of 1980s dance-pop. You know tons of his songs, even if you only sing “Careless Whisper,” “Faith” and “I Want Your Sex” in the shower when no one’s around. Catch this stop on Michael’s first North American tour in 17 years, or risk waiting two more decades to belt out “Father Figure” in public.

Others of note: My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult (Beauty Bar, May 30); Hatebreed and Type O Negative (House of Blues, May 31); Kenny Chesney (MGM Grand Garden Arena, June 6); Broken Spindles (Beauty Bar, June 20); Tim McGraw (Mandalay Bay Events Center, June 21); Ani DiFranco (The Joint, June 24); Mark Knopfler (The Joint, June 26); Rancid (House of Blues, July 3); De La Soul (Hard Rock pool, July 18); Mötley Crüe (Mandalay Bay Events Center, August 1).

Have some good times out there in our fair city. Las Vegas has some world famous concert venues as well as some beautiful neighborhoods filled with prime real estate. There is so much life to experience in Nevada! Get in touch with us and let my team show you the properties worth seeing or to give us any feed back on the shows!

Have a great week end everybody,

David Brownell

The David Brownell Team’s very own, Rob Mork, attended Game Two on Tuesday at the Orleans Arena and gives the following account: “What a ripping victory with Utah tying up the game with LESS THAN ONE SECOND remaining on the clock! The Las Vegas Wrangles scored the game winning goal 1 min 36 sec into Sudden Death. This was AA hockey suspense at it’s finest.”

The Las Vegas Wranglers® website gives an account of Monday’s game written by Josh Fisher

The Las Vegas Wranglers® defeated the Utah Grizzlies 5-2 in Game One of the National Conference Finals on Monday night in front of 4,299 fans at the Orleans Arena. Left wing Shawn Limpright scored a goal and added an assist as Las Vegas claimed a 1-0 series lead. Goalie Kevin Lalande turned aside 31 Utah shots for the playoff victory. Left wing Kelly Czuy dished out two assists in the team’s first game in ten days. Defenseman Jason Jozsa, forwards Tyler Mosienko, Adam Cracknell and Curtis Fraser also scored in the win.

Game Two was Tuesday, May 13 at 7:05 pm at the Orleans Arena. What a ripping victory with Utah tying up the game with LESS THAN ONE SECOND remaining on the clock! The Las Vegas Wrangles® scored the game winning goal 1 min 36 sec into Sudden Death.

The Las Vegas Sun offers a great angle by Ron Kantowski:

BEARDED LOOK CUTS NO ICE
In most cases, on these faces, it produces anything but the ‘meaner and tougher’ image that’s desired

During their five-year existence the Las Vegas Wranglers® have found themselves in any number of hairy predicaments.
But none so literal as the one right now.

For the first time, the Wranglers have made it to the third round of the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs, which means the beards they began growing in homage to playoff hockey tradition when the postseason began three weeks ago have fully sprouted.

More or less.
It’s not a pretty sight.

Wherever you turn, be it on the blue line, at center ice or in the attacking zone, there is stubble. There are whiskers in the crease; unused cans of Edge in the slot. The team barber has been traded to the Florida Everblades for Don Rickles and a bag of hockey pucks.

Playoff beards began to take form — some more slowly than others — in the National Hockey League during the early 1980s. The New York Islanders supposedly are to blame — er, started the tradition. At first, it used to be just a few players. Now, even guys who play air hockey send their razors and Lectric Shave to the penalty box once the puck is dropped in the postseason.

Every member of the Wranglers has grown a beard. Or at least is trying. Even Billy Johnson, the club president, had one until a week ago. He said it looked like “H-E Double Hockey Sticks,” so he shaved it off. The consensus among the players is that it was only a slight improvement.

Glen Gulutzan, the Wranglers’ coach and general manager, is the team’s only beardless wonder. During his playing days, that wasn’t the case. He said if his playoff beard were judged like plus-minus, his would have been a zero. Just good enough not to be considered bad and just bad enough not to be considered good.

Before Monday, it had been 16 days since Wranglers fans last saw the team. They must have been amazed Monday night when Gulutzan sent out a checking line made up of Grizzly Adams, Frank Serpico and Tom “Castaway” Hanks.

“It makes us look meaner and tougher and that’s what playoff hockey is all about,” Wranglers center Bruce Mulherin said. “The longer, the better.”
The wives and girlfriends might beg to differ.

Thanks goes out to all who contributed to to this look into hockey here in the Vegas valley.

Professional hockey is more than buying a ticket, grabbing a hot dog and a beer or soda and waiting for a fight to break out. If you do not know enough about hockey, but would like to know more, here is a great place to learn the basic rules and strategy of the game, Everything You Wanted to Know About Hockey. It is also a great place for those of you who already are fans and connoisseurs of the game to brush up on your knowledge just in time to cheer the home team through the playoffs.

The David Brownell Team is committed to illustrating the rich number of diverse activities and lifestyles that the Las Vegas valley is offering to families and individuals everyday.
Drop us a line requesting us to show you a lifestyle worth living, in Las Vegas.

Have fun out there,

David