Living in Sin! You Bet!

Actually we’re talking Sin City. Desert heat, but desert cool. Las Vegas, baby.

And living here makes a lot of sense right now.

We’ve examined Caymans and Curacao for you – places outside the US that require investigation, research, and soul searching.

Not Las Vegas. Hanging you hat in Sin City, for most of you, would be like knowing what the dealer's next card is. It's a no-brainer.

Trust us, we both know from living there and being there a lot.

Here is a Sip of Las Vegas where we discuss what we've experienced there. Take a look and then we will get into more details for you.

Let's go deeper into this Las Vegas boom. The state bird, as the joke goes, is the crane. And right now, the flocks should descend for another booming two years.

So if you had any thought of planting roots in the desert, now’s the time. Cost of living and housing are very low. But supply and demand won’t keep it that way.

From our research, you’ll need about $2500 a month as a single to live adequately; $5000 as a couple.

Cam McLemore is sales manager for three Las Vegas golf courses after leaving North Carolina only nine months ago. (He was friend I mentioned in the video segment.)

“I’ve never been to a place where there is so much to do,” Cam tells us. “But Vegas is so much more as far as culture and natural adventure off the Strip.”

Businesses – including high tech and marijuana – have moved there and are thriving. Even bigger resort projects like Resorts World are going to bring even more tourists from around the world accelerating boomtime.

Las Vegas slowly recovered from the Great Recession. But the town (if you can still call it a town) learned its lessons. Banks and mortgages are not overleveraged like 2005 to 2007. This report goes into economic detail for you.

There is no income tax and any politician who suggests it won’t even be on the ballot. What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas can also be said for tourist dollars. They keep the cost of living low for locals.

For those of you who are still leery, let’s hit you with the reality.

Hugh Anderson is a financial adviser for High Tower Las Vegas. He’s been in Las Vegas for more than 25 years.

What confirmed his belief in Las Vegas decades ago still holds true today. He saw “so many retired military from Nellis Air Force Base who were stationed here and all over the world. And when they reviewed where they wanted to retire, so many of them chose Las Vegas. Las Vegas checks off all the boxes.”

What are those boxes? We check off 10 of them:

1. Living in Las Vegas has little to do with casinos or dealing with the Strip – unless you work there. Neighborhoods in Las Vegas are similar to Phoenix or Palm Springs. Locals only go to the Strip for two reasons: a job; or family visiting. In most neighborhoods, you see the mountains, hear the birds -- and no clanging of coins in slot machines.

2. The weather is perfect almost year round. But it’s 110 degrees in the summer! But it's dry. The truth is after living in the Southern Nevada desert for a year, you will most likely adapt to the dry heat and never want to leave it. Sal Mentasana, a former college basketball coach, spent a week visiting in the dry heat and told us, “My arthritis was far less painful and I had more movement when I was there.

3. The Las Vegas desert might seem stark, but it is peaceful and beautiful in a rugged way. And because the Las Vegas Valley is surrounded by mountains, thousands of homes have incredible views.

4. The lifestyle is fabulous and healthy. You can enjoy the outdoors year round. There are tons of parks, golf courses, restaurants and public areas that are in your neighborhood area. You could go snow skiing in the morning at Mt. Charleston and then play golf that afternoon. It’s no longer a cultural backwater; the Smith Center is one of the nation’s top performing arts centers. The top chefs in the world have an address somewhere in the Las Vegas valley. Retirees always have something to engage their minds.

5. Vegas is a 24-hour town. You can grocery shop at 3 a.m. if you wish. Old Blue Eyes got it wrong when he only described the Big Apple that way.

6. Transportation is superb. The local bus service can get you where you want to go. Plus, Uber and Lyft are all over the place now. And, if you want to drive for one of the rideshare companies you can make between $600 to $1000 a week, we are told. Think about that for retirees who either want some more spending money or want to get around easily.

7. You have easy access to other US cities. You’re only a few hours’ drive to Los Angeles, Palm Springs or even Southern Utah. Hour-long flights can land you in San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, and San Francisco. As Cam says, “Las Vegas opens you up to the rest of the world.”

8. Vegas is a great sports town. Hit any sports bar or sportsbook and your team will be there. Now the NHL has landed the Knights on the Strip. And soon the NFL’s Oakland Raiders will be making their home in the Las Vegas Valley, not far from the Strip.

9. Vegas also caters to locals more than you think. Cam tells us that he and his fiancé "have been to 51 shows for less than $200." In 9 months! He recommends these sites for great deals and all you need is a Nevada driver’s license. Show Tickets for Locals House Seats.com Fill A Seat and Plug In Vegas

10. People are so freaking friendly and community minded. Why? They’re happy to be there. They also worry about the typical outsider view of Vegas as Sin City. It is not. In fact, it is quite religious and conservative. Look at the aftermath of the Las Vegas massacre. Locals rolled up their sleeves and helped the victims and their families. Lines of locals were turned away from blood banks because they had given so much blood. There is an incredible sense of community – even if you have only been there for a short time.

Getting acclimated to Las Vegas will take a few months. The key, long-time residents tell us, is to move there and stay there for a year; don’t go back to your old home for 12 months. But when you visit the old home, you will beg to get home to Vegas.

Are there drawbacks? Yes.

• If you thrive in winter and snow, then this might not be the best spot for you.

• Do you crave the ocean so much you have to see the sea everyday? Then maybe Vegas isn't for you.

• If you have a gambling or addiction problem, then you may want to stay away. This is a fun-fueled town for folks who can moderate themselves.

• Kids will need monitoring since there are plenty of adult attractions like boobs on billboards for the many topless clubs.

• If you’re coming from the east coast or California, then salaries in Vegas will seem quite a bit smaller.

• And finding a job might be more difficult at first – especially if you don’t know anyone in town. Las Vegas is still a “Who you know” town because of the transient nature of the town. Does that mean you won’t work? No, but you might have to start lower and work your way up. Find a friend who lives there and get “the skinny,” as we say in Vegas.

Here’s one more annoyance.

Once you are there, everyone who knew you throughout your life will want to visit you and stay with you -- including people you never liked.

We'll help. Send them here to get a room.