According to a recent report published by the Brown Blankfeld Group, “while pricing remains stable, inventories have grown since the removal of the federal tax credit. We are still selling to those that were not eligible to those that were not eligible for the tax credit but the demand has decreased. Short sales are dominating our market. More buyers are willing to wait the extended periods it takes to close. Investors are still seeking great deals.”
There hasn’t been all that much new development in the area of real estate recently due to economic troubles. This probably isn’t such good news for anyone in that field. But the future might not be looking so gruesome. Word on the street is that a “resurgence could come from green building.” Predictions are that growth in this field could be up to 900% around the world in the next decade. This could be really good news.
More than one in five U.S. cities with 50,000 residents or more has a policy to promote green building, an American Institute of Architects survey shows. Some 138 cities have green building programs, or 50 percent more than three year ago. Three years ago, Las Vegas started a citywide green building program calling for new building projects to meet a minimum silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification standard, as outlined by the U.S. Green Building Council. Kirk Sanford is the chairman and CEO of Sightline Acquisition Corp. (an investment fund which acquires distressed properties and other assets) in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is not just about gambling and the nightlife. It is also a great place to raise a family and have fun. Perhaps this is why businessman and CEO of Sightline Acquisition Corp Kirk Sanford lives there with his wife and three children. There is much to do and see and kids can have a great time. It’s just that because of the nightlife the city is known for, these activities are often put on the back burner and not publicized as much.
Enjoying Nature in Las Vegas
For example, there is the Red Rock Canyon jeep tour, which offers a wonderful escape to nature, where you will see fossilised sand dunes at Calico Hills, juniper tree woodland area, willow springs and more. Or, for something a bit more exciting that might cause your heart to race, why not check out the city’s Titanic artifact 2,500 square foot exhibition? This can make you feel like you are on the Titanic, hearing the ship’s whistles, seeing the unopened bottle of champagne with a 1900 vintage and more. These real artifacts were recovered two and a half miles below the North Atlantic surface and “tell the story behind the legendary Titanic’s short journey from construction and destruction to eventual recovery.” These are just a couple of the awesome things to do with families and perhaps show a little bit about why Las Vegas is such a great place to buy a home and raise a family, which is what a guy like Kirk Sanford and a company like Sightline Acquisition Corp. would say as well.
Sightline Payments is a privately owned firm making its headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada. The principal founder, CEO, and President, Kirk Sanford, has been involved in the gaming industry for many years. Until 2007 Kirk Sanford was the Director, President and CEO of Global Cash Access Inc. Now he has established a new endeavor, Sightline Payments, which promises to be a customer, focused business offering solutions for quicker and more efficient ticket redemption and cash access.
Kirk Sanford has brought results to hundreds of millions of customers undertaking almost one trillion dollars’ worth of transactions. The goal at Sightline Payments is to deliver zero downtime with incredibly fast transactions which are also secure. Pricing and reporting are both transparent, and the nationwide service is quite responsive to the needs of clients.
Kirk Sanford is the CEO and President of Sightline Payments. As the principal founder, Kirk Sanford has been able to develop a company with is highly customer focused and assures the best possible and most efficient ticket redemption process and access to cash which is so critical to the gaming marketplace.
Kirk Sanford is not new to the world of cash access, and is a veteran innovator in the casino industry. Until his retirement in 2007 Kirk Sanford was the CEO as well as the President and Director of Global Cash Access Inc.
The goal of Sightline Payments is to become the company to turn to for solutions to the issues of cash access and redemption of tickets which is so vital to the
efficiency and functioning of the gaming industry. Kirk Sanford and Sightline Payments is constantly striving to bring excellent value, constant innovation, superb guest satisfaction and a constant fulfillment of the promise to be customer focused.
Anyone who is interested in the real estate market in the Las Vegas area will want to know about the various communities. Such potential investors, including Sightline Acquisition with Kirk Sanford, certainly want to have their pulse on the real estate news.
North Las Vegas is one area that is growing at the moment and that offers many benefits to potential buyers. With 300 days of sunshine a year and low property taxes, this is certainly an area of interest. People can enjoy skiing, fishing, hiking, swimming, biking and camping virtually all year round in North Las Vegas and can enjoy the two recreational centers and 28 parks.
One unique offering in North Las Vegas is their safekey program. This is a recreational enrichment program offered to children of working parents where kids can play games, receive homework help, enjoy nourishing snacks and more after school and during vacations.
The good news is that Las Vegas area sales rose 33% during February. The Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors reported that there were 3,175 sales of single-family homes in Southern Nevada in March; they continued to explain that this figure was 6.5% higher than the figures for March 2009.
The bad news is the end of the homebuyers tax credit at the end of April. Realtors and others are nervous that the tax credit has been boosting sales, and that those sales numbers will slow considerably come May 1.
The homebuyers tax credit requires that buyers have contracts signed by the end of April for homes that must close by the end of June. They will receive a tax credit, worth $8000 for first time buyers and $6500 for repeat buyers under these rules.
GLVAR President Rick Shelton is, however, optimistic about future sales. He thinks that “consumer confidence is coming back as more buyers believe the local housing market is either at or past its lowest point.”
Certainly, investment funds like Sightline Acquisition, LLC, started by Kirk Sanford, and real estate agents will have their eyes set on the coming months to see how the real estate market does.
In 2011, Las Vegas will be hosting a prominent tourism conference that will see the arrival of prestigious businesspeople and influential government officials. This will be the summit’s 11th annual meeting, and will take place at CityCenter’s Aria resort in May. It is only the second time the event has taken place in North America. The other time was four years ago, and was held in Washington, attracting participants from Bush’s cabinet.
Such a convention is likely to be good for business for many in Vegas, including individuals such as Kirk Sanford, chairman and CEO of Sightline Acquisition. Many are likely to be glad to hear this news since it is estimated the convention will hugely add to Southern Nevada’s $30 billion tourism industry.
It seems like everyone is getting in on the act. When the announcement was made, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor authority board pledged to put $1.5m toward the event, which they expect to make back through anticipated event sponsorship.
What makes this summit so positive for Vegas as a city, is not the quantity of attendees, (it’s estimated that around 1,000 individuals will be participating) but rather the caliber of the delegation.
Sightline Payments offers a streamlined approach to delivering their cash access and ticket redemption solutions. They use “Integrated SmartBox” software for the ATM and ticket redemption devices and they have SmartStation for cage cashier personnel. This helps to streamline the entire process.
In addition, Sightline Payments, with founder, CEO and President Kirk Sanford, has as their goal zero downtime. They have account management coverage around the country, and a customer service center that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means that questions are always answered in a timely fashion and that problems are solved quickly and efficiently.
If you’re looking to invest in a piece of real estate, either for your own enjoyment or as an investment like Sightline Acquisition and Kirk Sanford do, it’s important to pay attention to certain features. There are a number of key home features today that make the difference in the home value and in its comfort.
Today, kitchens have become the new gathering spot. Finding a kitchen that is conducive to entertaining and inviting makes a big difference. Look for a center island, great lighting, granite countertops, a large eat-in area, and access to an outdoor space.
Most new homes today have a great room that opens up to the kitchen. This is a family room that allows for overflow from the kitchen gathering, and that also helps with the flow of the home. You can finish the food preparations while still being part of the party or family gathering.
Finally, look for a walk-in pantry and extra storage in the kitchen. A butler’s pantry, a walk-in pantry, and other key storage locations help with organization and kitchen management. Larger refrigerator spaces, wine chillers, pizza ovens and more also add to the value of the kitchen and the home overall.