October 13th, 2025
So here in Vegas, we spent Monday through Thursday mornings this week viewing apartments in the city of Henderson (south east of the Vegas airport), checking out amenities, investigating the neighbourhood around properties. We are looking for 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, hot tub/pool, gym, parking for the trailer, a decent size balcony and proximity to walk-able shopping. The very first one we saw fit the bill but we didn’t want to just take the first one although they gave us an offer for a December 3rd move in for the unit we would prefer.
We did look at a couple of 55+ buildings but they didn’t seem to offer much in the way of community that we’d hoped; more things like card games, get together’s and book clubs – no active things. So we decided to go for a regular apartment and use the gym and join a rec centre for activities and opportunities to meet people.
Most of the ones we saw we didn’t really care for as they were dated, hot tub not open in winter (WTH?) or nothing available within a reasonable distance to the hot tub area. By Wednesday we saw contender number 2 but the drawback was that it was on the second floor not the ground. (Note: most of the places we saw were two story buildings, the odd three but no big high rises.) It was just as nice inside, with a better floor plan and with the bonus of a long balcony with access from both the master bedroom and the living room and a garage as well as open parking and a place to park the trailer.
Tuesday, we received the spare tire carrier we had ordered for the back of the trailer. Specifications said it should fit and it didn’t quite AND one of the bolts was bent at the top:
After dealing with Customer Service at Vevor, they sent us a new one quite quickly and we did not have to return the old one and while it also didn’t quite fit – bolts are a tad thick on our bumper – Doug went over to Lowes and got two skinnier bolts and that worked by using them on the bottom and the original fatter ones on top and that worked. Then we sold the old one with some of the spare new bolts Doug bought.
Now we have one less thing in the trailer pass through storage.
After Thursday’s viewings we returned to the second place contender as it had now become first place in our minds due to the balcony and the neighbourhood as well as nearly $200 less rent and closer to the city as well as 300’ feet lower in elevation (this makes the winter warmer and running easier for Doug!).
We asked to view the model suite again, see the location of the available unit, confirm the hot tub was hot, (there are actually two pools and two hot tubs here) and confirm where we could park the trailer and for how much extra (only $35!). The view from the balcony is NOT just the parking area but an treed area between buildings and the area seems quiet (with no highway noise but as in almost anyway in Vegas, you do hear planes as it’s busy airport with planes flying in every direction (one of the reason we chose Vegas after all).
We discussed terms again and were advised we had to apply online with all necessary documentation, like two ID’s, banking and income information so they could do credit and criminal background checks. If we did this before October 22nd, we could move in October 31st and get a free month’s rent on a fourteen month lease. The rent is reasonable, includes basics like trash, club house and all amenities (including two pools with hot tubs, gym, dry sauna, beach volleyball court, tennis court and our own garage) and it’s a secure community with gates that close when the office is closed. THEN they told us the application process can take 3-10 business days! WTH? We could lose a different apartment by that time. As we have not rented in years, things have changed. You each have to pay an “application fee” as well as a hold fee so they take it “off the market” till you are processed and you confirm you want it. However, if you are rejected, you only get the hold fee back and by that time you could have lost your opportunity to get a different apartment somewhere else. This was concerning but after Fran received a call from the first place we’d like, she asked and was told their process is the same but usually only takes 3-5 days (3 normally) depending on your credit score and criminal check. This made us feel better.
So Friday morning, Doug applied online, then Fran had to get on and add her info. A little later, the lady we’d been dealing with at the office, emailed for a bit more info and by 4:30 she said all looked good pending the criminal background. We’re crossing our fingers as this place ticked the almost all the boxes. Then the fun begins, renting a truck, driving to Fallon to empty our storage unit and then actually moving in. Should feel like Christmas when we open all the boxes we’ve had in storage since 2014!!!! The only furniture we need to purchase is a new bed and frame, otherwise we think we have everything we need.
So that morning Doug went to get the truck washed including the bed (it was pretty dusty after our time in Utah), Fran cleaned the boxes that had been in the bed, and finished cleaning the inside of the truck and it all felt good to be clean and tidy once again.
Now we wanted to de-stress so around 3:30 we headed to the Strip for a couple of hours – it was not super busy but not empty, slot machines were okay to us but not as good as last time, we did get offered drinks this time and decided to go for dinner off strip. We have been drinking less alcohol lately and being on the Strip is too tempting!
The city is getting ready for the F1 race in about a month and the set up has begun:
We also saw that the new Hard Rock Hotel that is replacing the Mirage has made progress:
this is a photo we took in June:
and today:
Here is what it is supposed to look like when complete:
Fran was craving good fries so we hit Five Guys on our way home and had okay sandwiches and great fries which they serve with malt vinegar if you choose – a rarity in the US.
Saturday was pretty chill; Doug went for his long run as tomorrow morning we have a KEGS meeting and it was his best in a long time; he was very happy. We decided to check out a movie that night so we went to see One Battle after Another – the story line is a bit all over the place but the acting was exceptional – wouldn’t be surprised if it’s gets nominated for Oscars.
On Monday afternoon, we heard that we had been approved for the apartment (just need to pay a larger than normal deposit due to lack of recent rental history but no big deal and not unexpected) and celebrated with a happy hour drink. So we will be moving into Palm Villas in the Whitney Ranch suburb of Henderson.
Doug did one of his marathon walks on Tuesday and purposely went to our new neighbourhood: Whitney Ranch to check out the neighbourhood around what will be our new “home” more closely. He was very happy, lots of different kinds of shops and services all within a mile and pleasant enough to walk around – not right on busy freeway and the main drag while busy is not unbearable. The rec centre is about a mile away, Costco, Walmart, and much more is all very close.
Tuesday, we got renter’s insurance and got the one way rental truck booked; Wednesday, Fran got the power, gas and internet accounts set up, Doug found someone to help us unload the truck once we come back from Fallon (the husband of the Venezuelan cleaning lady here at the campground) and we enjoyed another sunny day of 28 C / 80 F. We had a tiny bit of rain in the morning with lots of thunder and some lightning but nothing serious.
We went out before brunch to get COVID boosters and flu shots and when we got in the truck we saw that one of the chips in the windshield (there are a couple of biggish ones and lots of small ones) had begun to crack.
After our shots, Fran walked back to the campground and Doug rushed back in the truck to arrange for a new windshield installed before we head to Reno this weekend. That night we slept like crap and both had headaches and the COVID arm was sore.
Fran has been going down the rabbit hole of mattress buying the past few days and we’ve decided to buy from Costco online for convenience. We will get a queen hybrid from them and a wooden bed frame from Amazon. We will arrange for delivery for the day after we move in – the bed frame with arrive the day of the move; we can always sleep in the trailer as we will have paid for the site till Sunday, the 2nd before we move it over to the RV parking site at Palm Villas.
On Thursday, the windshield got replaced by a mobile operator and at less than half the price of using a big name company – we didn’t go through insurance as our deductible is $1000 and that’s about what those big places charge.
It continues to be rather warm (28C / 82F – nicely in fact but the trailer gets hot quickly. We’ve been using the AC in the afternoons and by sunset turning it off as it cools down to 13C / 55F
Friday was a chill day after the windshield was replaced. We did some packing for our trip up to Reno and Fallon tomorrow and otherwise enjoyed another warm sunny day.
Here are some views from the campground:
And the rec hall near where we’re camped:
