Native Las Vegan happy to call Summerlin home

Native Las Vegan Raquel Speers feels right at home in Summerlin, despite the fact she has only lived in the master-planned community since October 2001.

Speers, who has west-side Las Vegas roots and recently appeared in an advertisement for the community, selected Summerlin for its proximity to her family and equestrian areas, where she rides her horse, Echo.

"I also appreciate the community's well manicured appearance. Summerlin was the only logical choice for me," said Speers, a 1996 graduate of the University Nevada, Las Vegas. "Upon returning to Las Vegas after launching my career out of state, I was ready to settle down and buy a home. To me, quality of life was equally as important home selection. Summerlin won hands-down in both categories."

She also enjoys walking and exercising on the Summerlin Trail, which runs near her home in The Arbors village, with her Doberman pinscher, Boulder.

"Summerlin's thought of everything,"said Speers of the "dogi-pots" that line the trails throughout the community. "A community that provides dog owners with a clean and convenient place for dog waste is a community that cares."

Developed by The Howard Hughes Corp., Summerlin is unfolding in villages and features eight golf courses, nearly 100 parks, nearly 100 completed miles of trails, and 16 schools.

Nearly 100 model homes are featured and are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000. Custom lots ranging from one-half acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the high $300,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $500,000 to more than $1 million. Apartments offer monthly rents from the high $700s.

To visit the community's home finding center, travel west on Sahara Avenue, past Hualapai Way, to Town Center Drive. Or, take Interstate 215 to the Sahara exit. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

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