Perfect landing: Bird's-eye view

Pardee Homes is delighted to include airline pilots among its buyers at Renaissance, a gated neighborhood of terraced home sites within the Seven Hills community in Henderson.

"They can live practically anywhere they want in this country, but they choose to live at Renaissance in Seven Hills," sales executive Ray Landry said. "The location is not only close to the nation's seventh largest airport, but it would also be difficult to get a better view of the Las Vegas Valley unless it was from the cockpit of an airplane."

Among the resident pilots are John Cummins, who is based out of Oakland, Calif.; Frank Umbro, who is based out of St. Louis; and Mark Lindstrom, who is based out of Memphis, Tenn.

Cummins and his wife, Anita, who are longtime Las Vegas Valley residents, purchased a single-story Plan Two Picasso model.

"Pilots learn to depend on quality and to recognize quality," John Cummins said. "We believe our home is top quality, a good value and it fits our needs perfectly."

Frank and Susan Umbro also were impressed by the Picasso plan.

"We were looking for a bigger house and a single-story house with a good design," said Susan Umbro, a decorator. "The Picasso (is) a terrific palette for me."

Frank Umbro was sold on the neighborhood immediately.

"As soon as I walked into the first home, I said `This is it.'"

The couple share their home with Frank Umbro Sr., whom Susan Umbro describes as "a 90-year-old, not-yet-retired accordionist who played for former President Ronald Reagan."

Mark Lindstrom chose the DaVinci Plan Three for his family because it was "the exact house we were looking for, and only 20 minutes from work," he said.

Previously stationed at Nellis Air Force Base as a stealth F-117 pilot, Lindstrom shares his home with his wife, Anne-Marie, and 10-year-old daughter, Margo.

"We ... feel fortunate to have landed in such a great neighborhood," he said.

All homes in the neighborhood feature rotunda and courtyard entries, butler's pantries, sculptured fireplaces, high ceilings and arched doorways.

Kitchens provide granite counter tops, oak cabinetry, pantries, and an appliance package that includes a five-burner cook top, built-in microwave/oven combination, vent hood and dishwasher. Options include expanded space to accommodate commercial-grade appliances such as a 48-inch range and a 48-inch refrigerator.

Each home has earned the Energy Star label from the Environmental Protection Agency, which means it is certified to be 30 percent more energy efficient than a standard home.

The two single-story plans measure from 2,726 to 2,938 square feet with as many as four bedrooms, while the three two-story homes range from 3,756 to 4,620 square feet with as many as seven bedrooms.

Homes are priced from $308,750 to $396,250.

Seven Hills is a 1,300-acre community in the foothills of Black Mountain. Amenities include four city parks, as well as numerous neighborhood parks and miles of trails and walkways.

To visit Renaissance, take Eastern Avenue south to Grand Hills Drive, turn right and follow the signs. The sales office is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Monday, when it opens at 11 a.m.

Pardee has built more than 25,000 homes in Southern Nevada since 1952.

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