Sales agent set on Rhodes Ranch

Local real estate agent Michelle Smith has gotten to know the Las Vegas Valley very well, having walked through tens of thousands of properties.

When it came time to purchase a new home, however, the choice was clear. She bought a home at Rhodes Ranch in the southwestern valley.

"I am absolutely in love with my new home," said Smith, who recently purchased a residence within the golf course community. "The price was right and I know that aside from being a beautiful new home, it will also provide me with an excellent investment."

Smith's new home, a two-story model in The Lakes neighborhood, comes with four bedrooms, three baths, a bonus room and a three-car tandem garage. The home is priced at $225,000.

"I needed a place to park my boat and this was a huge selling point for me," Smith said. "My boat is too big to fit in a standard size garage, but I'll have plenty of room for the boat and two cars in my new home. That will make it much easier for me to pack up and get away to Lake Mead on the weekends."

The Lakes is a gated neighborhood within the 24-hour guard-gated community.

"Living here in Rhodes Ranch is like living in another city," Smith said. "You can hardly believe you are in Las Vegas. The palm trees and paths around here are beautiful. I love riding my bike and walking at night and this neighborhood feels so safe."

Smith also enjoys the convenience of the community's golf course.

The Links and The Lakes offer a choice from six model homes. The Links floor plans measure from 1,260 to 2,100 square feet and are priced from the mid-$100,000s. At The Lakes, floor plans range from 1,678 to 2,893 square feet and are priced from the high $100,000s.

Nearly 1,000 homes have been sold in the community since it opened in 1997. In addition to the golf course, there are miles of walking trails and bike paths, as well as waterfalls and landscaping.

Other features include a restaurant and lounge at the country club facilities. Next year, construction will begin on a community center with workout equipment, swimming pool, basketball court, picnic area and cabanas.

To visit, take Interstate 215 to the Durango Drive exit and go south, following the signs.

Rhodes Homes, founded in 1985, has built thousands of homes in the Las Vegas Valley.

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