Should I buy a home now, or wait?

It’s one of the most common questions that mortgage lenders and Realtors in Las Vegas get: “Are you sure I shouldn’t wait to see if prices go down before I buy a home?”

For those who work in either industry, the answer to that question is this: “No — because this is the time to buy.

For many reasons, one being the home you love today will be probably worth more in the next six, 12 or 24 months or more. So, the time to begin building equity is today.”

That’s precisely the answer that Rick Piette, owner of Premier Mortgage Lending, offers his clients daily.

“Perhaps, it’s because I’ve been a mortgage lender in Las Vegas for so long,” Piette said. “I’ve been witness to this housing market for over four decades now, and while there have been periods of time I might have agreed with that concern, this isn’t one of them. “This city is experiencing huge growth — in construction, industry, gaming and entertainment — and that will be going on for some time to come. Right now, waiting isn’t the answer,” he added. “At least, not if you want to save money.”

For decades, Las Vegas was known as one of the fastest-growing housing markets in the country. Then came the crash. While the market was hit hard, it bounced back faster and more fully than anyone (who wasn’t a local, anyway) expected. During the past five to six years, it’s slowly and steadily made gains until once again, Nevada is the fastest-growing state in the nation, and Las Vegas one of the fastest-growing cities.

“We all know bad headlines get far more attention than good news,” Piette said. “And those headlines about Las Vegas from 2008 were real attention-getters. But look at what’s been happening since then.”

What Piette is referring to is the more than $15 billion in new construction underway in Las Vegas. These include the new Raiders Stadium, Resort World, The Drew, the MSG Sphere, Project Neon, Circa, the expansions of the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Downtown Grand, and the list goes on. In addition, the newest interstate in the country, I-11, has already opened its first 22 miles running from the Arizona state line to Henderson, and is planned eventually to stretch from Phoenix to Reno.

“Along with all that growth, of course, come people. That’s one reason that Nevada leads the nation in job creation — because the jobs are here, and people are coming to town to fill them,” Piette said.

“Plus, the news in housing is just as good and continues to be optimistic. In January of this year, the number of single-family residence listings increased once again to 7,254, with the median price of single-family resale homes hitting $300,000. In short, this is the moment in time that many people may look back at and say, “I should have bought back then,” Piette said.

Helping people realize their dream of homeownership is what the mortgage brokers at Premier Mortgage Lending have been doing for years. Because just as important as finding the right home at the right price — is getting a mortgage loan that doesn’t cost you a cent more than it should.

While many lenders like to use sleight of hand to bring you in the door for one loan, only to tell you what you qualify for will cost a lot more — the team at Premier Mortgage does things differently, and in a good way. Buyers come in to fill out one application, and as a mortgage broker, Premier shops around until it finds the best deal for the least amount of money out of your pocket.

“The only ‘tricky’ thing about mortgage loans,” according to Rick Piette, “is knowing what to look for. For example, at Premier we offer a true No Fee Loan. And buyers can see that on the loan estimate we provide. It literally shows “$0” for the loan origination, underwriting, document and prep fees. Then once you compare the fees and the interest rates between lenders, you pretty much have all the information you need to know. Choose the one that saves you money — which can add up to thousands of dollars — and suddenly that new home you’re buying becomes an even better deal.”

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to discuss the true “No Fee” mortgage loans available through Premier Mortgage Lending, call 702-485-6600. Or, apply at premiermortgagelending.com. To discover facts on how much a mortgage loan should cost you, visit KnowBeforeYouOweNevada.com.

Premier Mortgage Lending, NMLS No. 393282, is at 701 N. Green Valley Parkway, Suite 125 in Henderson. The full-service lender is a member of the Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City chambers of commerce, Better Business Bureau and Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, as well as an affiliate member of the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors.