Promotion to give away Centex home

Centex Homes, which operates under the name Real Homes in Las Vegas, said it has received more entries than last year for its Summer of Fun Home Giveaway. The winner of this contest, which is in its second year, receives a new home.

"Last year more than 6,000 contestants signed up to win," sales and marketing executive Scott Worrall said. Centex Homes, dba Real Homes, is one of several sponsors of the contest.

The grand prize home, valued at more than $230,000, is located in the Pearl Cove Two neighborhood. The Tahitian model selected as the contest prize is a single-story, 1,396-square-foot home with three bedrooms, two baths, and a two-car garage on a 6,000-square-foot lot.

The neighborhood opened in November 2003, offering home sites measuring at least 6,000 square feet. Five one- and two-story floor plans range from 1,285 to 1,986 square feet with prices starting in the $160,000s. Homes offer two to four bedrooms, two to three baths, walk-in closets and Roman tubs in master suites, oak kitchen cabinets, pantries, soft-water loops, gas stubs for barbecues, and finished two-car garages.

All of the builder's homes meet the Environmental Protection Agency's guidelines for energy efficiency under the Energy Star program, saving home buyers on heating and cooling costs.

One of the ways of entering the contest is by visiting any of the builder's sales offices. The contest began on May 31 and will run through Sept. 4, 2004, the date of the drawing. See complete rules for details, restrictions and other ways of entering the contest.

Those who purchase a home from the builder at any of its eight neighborhoods during the promotion will also receive a free refrigerator, washer and dryer, as well as $1,500 off closing costs when they use the builder's preferred lender.

Centex Homes offers several local neighborhoods, starting from the mid-$200,000s to more than $400,000.

Dallas-based Centex Homes is one of the nation's largest home builders, operating in more than 90 U.S. markets in 26 states. Centex Homes delivered 30,358 homes in the United States in its most recent fiscal year. The company is a subsidiary of Centex Corp.

Real Estate home