Home buyers remain loyal to Christopher Homes

When John and Marilyn Fogarty were ready to build their dream home, they were already familiar with Christopher Homes. The couple had owned one of the builder's homes in Summerlin for six years.

"We were happy with the quality and the service we received from Christopher Homes when we bought our first home in Las Vegas. For that reason, we feel comfortable about working with Christopher Homes in designing and building our custom home," said Marilyn Fogarty, a cruise specialist in the travel industry.

"This company offers a complete range of services, from help with selecting the appropriate home site, through the architectural and interior design and the actual construction process. It is much more convenient than trying to do it on your own, as everything is handled through one company and one primary contact."

The Fogartys selected a home site at the builder's Bellacere neighborhood in Summerlin. Their one-half acre lot overlooks the 14th fairway of the TPC at The Canyons golf course and offers mountain views. The inspiration for their future 7,000-square-foot custom home came from design features they had seen while vacationing in southern Spain.

"We also liked the Old World design features we saw in the Michelangelo model at Christopher Homes' Palisades neighborhood. We loved the design of the model, but we wanted to make a number of structural modifications," she said. "Working with Christopher Homes' design director, Mario Mendez, was a pleasure as he took the concepts we had in mind and implemented them perfectly into the design of our custom home.

"We were easily able to make more than 25 modifications. Our home will have a wine cellar, a separate casita, a home office, and double French doors that open onto a balcony with a fireplace and wet bar. The home will have many European-style features such as a gated motor court, lots of wrought-iron accents, a courtyard with a gas fireplace, and a total of eight fireplaces throughout the home."

The guard-gated neighborhood is designed for custom homes valued from about $650,000 to more than $3 million. Home sites measure about one-half acre and back onto the golf course or a linear park. Two lots may be combined to create lots as large as 1 acre.

The neighborhood is highlighted by entry monuments, a park, tennis court, and landscaped open spaces.

Financing options include a program that requires a single loan application process for the purchase of both the lot and home. Clients can also opt to purchase their home site, procure a construction loan, and then convert to a permanent loan upon completion of the home.

To visit, take Summerlin Parkway to Town Center Drive, head south to Alta Drive, then go east. The sales office is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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