Search ends at HeatherRidge for lucky couple

Darrell Randle's and his fiancée Lisa Franklin's eight-month home search took them to dozens of new neighborhoods until they found their ideal home at HeatherRidge, a Wexford Homes neighborhood in North Las Vegas. As a bonus, they won a personal computer in a drawing that was open to all visitors of the neighborhood.

"We were ready to buy a new computer so winning this drawing could not have happened at a better time," said Randle, a 13-year valley resident who is employed by the city of Las Vegas.

"At first, most of the homes we looked at were in the south valley. We couldn't find anything that had the combination of features we were looking for, so we began visiting neighborhoods in the northwest as well. Once we found HeatherRidge, we knew our search was over. The homes are spacious, the designs are very flexible, the neighborhood is gated, and the pricing and financing options are very competitive."

Priced from the mid-$180,000s, the neighborhood features one- and two-story designs that range from 1,831 to 3,248 feet. Several financing programs are available to qualified buyers, including VA $1 move-in.

The couple chose the 480 design, a two-story home that measures up to 3,248 square feet. The plan offers several room variations, including a master sitting room; family room; wet bar; dual master suites; and fifth and sixth bedrooms, or a bonus room.

"With a household of three and another baby arriving soon, we wanted a spacious home that offered the room we need to live and grow comfortably as a family," Randle said. "We felt that the 480 plan was perfect for us. It's a large, open design that has very comfortable living areas, a huge kitchen, good-sized bedrooms and plenty of baths. We also appreciated all of the opportunities we had to modify and personalize the home."

Buyers may view dozens of floor-plan variations through a computerized design system.

"In our case, we used the model home as a reference and then made a few of our own modifications," he said. "We chose a design that includes a downstairs `mini-master suite,' an upstairs master suite sitting area, a bonus room, five bedrooms and five baths. We also had a custom wiring package installed, and added a few upgraded design features."

Other options include casitas, dens, a second master suite, additional bedrooms, formal dining room, wet bars, tandem garages, Corian or granite counter tops, fireplaces in owner suites, skylights, custom paint, appliance packages, upgraded cabinetry and electrical packages, and security alarm systems.

Each home includes concrete-tile roofs; lighted entries; front-yard landscaping with irrigation; block walls; rounded corners; owner suites with dual vanities, garden tubs and walk-in closets in selected plans; and prewiring for cable and telephone. Each home comes with a 10-year warranty.

The neighborhood also offers parks, play areas and walking trails.

To visit, take Interstate 15 to Craig Road, exit west to Kings Hill Road, and then turn south, following the signs. The sales center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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