Summerlin - Las Vegas Hot Spot
Summerlin is one of the most well-known communities in the United States and is considered by many as the Number 1 Master Planned Community in the country. In fact, Summerlin has been America's best selling MPC for ten of the past eleven years.
Located along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley in the shadow of the Spring Mountain Range and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Summerlin is renowned for the splendor of its natural surroundings as well as it is for the beauty of its streets, parks and neighborhoods. This community is situated higher than the Las Vegas Valley and consequently, provides beautiful views.
A suburb of Las Vegas, this area is just minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip, Downtown Las Vegas/the Fremont Street Experience and Lake Mead. Development of this community began in 1990 by the Howard Hughes Corporation and is expected to be completed by the year 2020.
A Master Planned Community (MPC) is composed mainly of homes but the distinguishing characteristic of a major MPC is the mix of commercial land uses or the mix of housing styles, prices and densities within the master plan. The main idea of the development is to create a particular type of environment. MPCs typically include homes and jobs as well as a number of amenities such as golf courses, green space, parks, bike trails and recreational facilities. In addition, MPCs stress social and local community services which include schools, libraries, houses of worship, community centers and other public land uses.
Summerlin residents are offered a higher range of educational choices than any other community in Las Vegas with nine public schools and eight private schools. The area provides a full range of neighborhood educational choices within its borders ranging from pre-school/kindergarten through high school. The public elementary schools are located in the Crossing, the Pueblo, the Hills and the Arbors Villages. The middle schools are located in the Hills and the Arbors Villages and there are two public high schools - one of which is located in the Arbors Village and the other located right outside the boundaries of the Summerlin area.
Summerlin also offers high quality shopping. Even those stores considered "discount" sell high end of discount products and are well set up and aesthetically pleasing. The area provides a great variety of grocery and drug stores, retail stores, restaurants and medical facilities. Additionally, the Rampart and Suncoast Hotels/Casinos - while providing services to tourists - cater mainly to local residents.
Buyers who were unable to meet the prices of previous years can now afford to move into this lovely area. Interest rates are still near historical lows and the real estate market has a surplus of homes available. It is reported that home listings are being re-priced three to four times before selling - all in favor of the buyer. Consequently, this is a great time to be buying a home in Summerlin!
Regarding the Summerlin demographics, the median household income is $77,717 while the median income for Clark County (Las Vegas) is $53,523 and the median household income for the United States is $49,418. Median resident's age is 36 and 70% of the Summerlin population are families as opposed to single home dwellers. The median home price in Summerlin is in the mid $450,000s for 2.008 square feet.
Desert Shores
Desert Shores is a unique community, a beautiful oasis in the desert. Located near Summerlin in northwest Las Vegas, this magnificent Master-Planned Community is built around five manmade lakes, which offer a variety of outdoor activities. There is a lagoon in the center of the community that offers residents a sandy beach to swim in with clubhouse and boat house. The beach is complete with lifeguards on duty in addition to picnic facilities, volleyball courts and basketball courts. The community also offers facilities for tennis as well as 8-1/2 miles of paths for jogging, bicycling and roller blading.
Residents can use rowboats, paddle boats, sculls or electric boats on the lakes and some homes situated on the lake have their own docks, which allows for easy access to the water. Fishing enthusiasts will enjoy the well-stocked lakes which are also home to ducks and swans.
Situated about twelve miles from the exciting Las Vegas Strip and twenty miles from McCarran International Airport, this community contains approximately 3,500 homes. Most homes in Desert Shores are single family residences with only a few town homes in the gated Desert Shores Racquet Club. Houses are available by resale only and many are lake front property.
Typical homes in the Desert Shores area are made of stucco in pastel colors with tile roofs. The homes range in price from $225,000 to $900,000 - and up.
A survey was recently taken among real estate agents in the Las Vegas area asking for local communities to be ranked in area of desirability. Desert Shores was ranked first as far as where Las Vegas real estate agents would choose to live.
Desert Shores demographics:
- Total population: 75,226
- Median age: 33
- Average household income: $70,472
- Median household income: $64,577
- Average home sale price: $298,618
- Educational level of residents - Some college 13,928; Associates Degree 3,012; Bachelor's Degree 8,824; Graduate Degree 3,415
- Employment - White collar 7,252; Blue collar 1,910
- Temperature - Average January high 57.10 degrees; Average January low 36.80 degrees; Average July high 104.10 degrees, Average July low 78.20 degrees
- Annual precipitation: 4.49 inches
If you are seeking an unusual type of community that is in close proximity to all that Las Vegas has to offer such as the fabulous entertainment of the Strip, the elegant shopping malls, the many popular golf courses and the skiing on Mt. Charleston which is only one half hour's drive from Desert Shores, consider moving into this unique and delightful area and you will be happy with the quality of your daily life.
