Is Buying Property Near a Casino a Good Bet?

A house is probably the biggest single financial commitment that most people make in their lifetimes. So, when they do commit to a property, there are many questions that they need to ask themselves.

The first is whether the price is fair for the property and, more to the point, whether the appraiser is going to agree with the market price that the sellers and buyers have agreed upon. This is especially important if the buyer is using a mortgage. If the appraiser’s valuation comes in lower, they’re going to have to make up the shortfall themselves, possibly from savings.

The second is whether it is really in an area in which they can see themselves living. Does it have all the facilities that they need like stores, schools and transport links? And is it a peaceful place where they can quietly enjoy their lives?

The third consideration is whether that property is going to appreciate over time and how easy it might be to sell when the time comes to move on.

One type of building that can influence all three of these considerations is a casino complex. So, anyone thinking about buying in the vicinity of one needs to be aware of the effect that it may have.

There have been several studies on the economic effects of the arrival of a new casino in a region and these can all feed into a property’s desirability as well as the popularity of a particular area.

New casinos – Ask yourself if it will still be a good move in five years’ time.

Anyone thinking about buying property in an area where a new casino is under construction will have to think long and hard about it. This is partly because it’s very hard to predict exactly what the long-term effects will be, and any immediate effects can help to distort property prices in the area.

This is because the construction phase of any project is going to involve a large and temporary workforce heading into the area. Many will want to live near the site, at least for as long as it takes to build.

The increase in demand is likely to put pressure on the market, resulting in inflated prices that may well not be that long-lasting. So, it’s very possible that potential buyers intending to stay in an area for some time might find themselves having to buy at a price that has been inflated by temporary demand.

Another key consideration is the amount of disruption that is going to occur thanks to the construction. There’s going to be noise, dirt in the air and even the likelihood of travel disruption with streets closed off at times to allow for deliveries and other construction traffic, not a great introduction to a new area.

Of course, there’s also the question of whether there’s even a need for new casinos to be built in the first place. If you’re an avid gamer, living so close to a casino may seem ideal. However, online casinos are on the rise in the US, making land-based casinos a distinct second choice for many players. This means there’s no longer a need to travel to the casino floor when you can play all your favorite casino games at premium sites like 888 Casino, without having to leave the couch.

Existing casinos – Property prices hold firm in Vegas

Where a casino has already been built and is influencing your decision, there are a couple of factors to think about:

• How close is the property to the casino?
• What effect is this likely to have?

This is because, typically, casinos are late night businesses, so players are likely to be turning up and going home even into the small hours of the morning. With cars coming and going, noisy people celebrating their wins and other disturbances, it may not make for a very peaceful life.

On the plus side, casinos do undoubtedly bring some income and employment to the area. So, there is always going to be a likely group of people – employees of the casino – who will be looking for property in its vicinity. One example of this is Las Vegas, whose property market has always continued to rise compared with the rest of the country.

On the other hand, Atlantic City has shown that casinos are not always successful, with a number closing down in recent years. However, again this is likely to be a result of the rise of online casino sites.

Anyone with a property in an area where this has happened will find that it has an immediate detrimental effect on the area’s economy, making it a less desirable place to live and bringing down property prices at the same time.

Buy to rent?

One way to safeguard against the perils of buying a property in an area with a casino would be to have it as a rental property, for example on Airbnb. While the casino is thriving, there would be plenty of visitors wanting to stay and, if the casino were to fail, it would still be popular as a more long-term rental prospect for local people needing somewhere to live but without the finances to buy for themselves.

It’s important to remember, however, that the taxes charged on rental properties does mean that it’s an investment that might not start paying for itself for quite some time.

In conclusion

So, as to whether having a casino nearby would affect the market appraisal of a property, it’s open to debate.