Brothers pick Sierra Valley

First-time home buyers Miro and Tony Merhi reckoned when they set out to purchase new homes that they would end up on opposite sides of town. As it turned out, the Las Vegas natives will both live on the same street in Richmond American Homes' Sierra Valley neighborhood.

The brothers are delighted.

"We ... never anticipated to find homes we both enjoyed in the same community," Miro Merhi said. "It will be nice to have family close, it doesn't happen all too often."

Tony Merhi agreed.

"With my brother right down the street, I am never going to run out of anything again," he said. "I will just hop on down to Miro's house and see if he has what I need."

Of the five two-story floor plans available in the southwestern valley neighborhood, Tony Merhi chose the Windam model, the largest at 1,638 square feet. Priced from the $300,000s, the three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home features a living room, separate family room, kitchen nook, and a loft that can be converted to a fourth bedroom.

Miro Merhi opted for the 1,415-square-foot Pembroke plan, a three-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath design with a living room, and a kitchen with a nook, pantry and built-in desk. It is priced from the $260,000s.

"My favorite characteristic of the Pembroke is the nook," Merhi said. "It's situated at the front of the house, away from the living room. For me, it is more fitting. The master bedroom has a walk-in closet with the master bath including dual cultured-marble sinks at a vanity, and a separate wash closet."

Also priced from the $260,000s is the Hampton model, which measures 1,443 square feet with two bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, a loft, living room and kitchen nook.

At 1,384 square feet, the Concord provides two bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, a family room and kitchen nook. The den can be converted to a third bedroom. The price starts from the $240,000s.

The two-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath Amherst measures 1,195 square feet and is priced from the $220,000s. It contains dual master suites, a laundry room and computer niche upstairs. Downstairs is the living room, kitchen with a nook, and powder room.

All homes feature a one-car garage.

To visit, take Interstate 215 to Jones Boulevard, head south to Eldorado Lane then go west.

Richmond American offers more than 30 neighborhoods valleywide. Sales offices are open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except Monday and Friday, when they open at noon.

For more information, visit www.reviewjournal.com/real estate and click on the Richmond American Homes link.

The company is a subsidiary of MDC Holdings, a regional home builder.

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