Summerlin's amenities appeal to family

Monique, Marisa and Marielle Carrera are among Summerlin's famous faces as stars of a national television commercial for Wonder Bread. The auburn-haired sisters live in The Canyons village with their parents, Ginette and Eladio Carrera.

The commercial, which began airing last year, is designed to make viewers think they are watching one girl at different stages of her life. Its conclusion reveals that the three girls are actually sisters.

All three are pupils at The Meadows School, one of nine private schools within the master-planned community.

"The schools are a big reason we chose to move to Summerlin more than two years ago. Being close to one of the best private schools in the Las Vegas Valley is a real plus for our family," Ginette Carrera said.

Monique, 12, said living next to a park is what she loves most about Summerlin. Marisa, 8, said she enjoys being close to the park's tennis courts, as does their mother, who plays tennis weekly with women from her neighborhood.

"We cherish the friendliness of our neighbors," said Ginette Carrera, referring to the monthly ladies' "salad bowl lunches" and couples' socials organized by their neighborhood. "We feel part of a real community."

The Carreras also participate in several community events and activities, including the family's favorite, the All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival.

"The girls love the festival atmosphere and the opportunity to consume all the ice cream they can eat," Ginette Carrera said.

Marielle, 6, is a fan of Summerlin's appearance.

"Our neighborhood is real clean. We even have special trash cans for dog poop," she said about the DogiPots that line trails throughout the community.

The girls said they love their dog, Wonder, who joined the family when they were filming the bread commercial.

Developed by The Howard Hughes Corp., Summerlin has ranked as the nation's best-selling master-planned community for 10 of the past 11 years, according to independent surveys.

Located along the valley's western rim, the community is being developed in villages. It is home to eight golf courses, 105 parks, more than 100 miles of trails, 18 schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical facilities, cultural facilities and business parks.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000 and showcased by nearly 165 models.

Custom-home sites are priced from the $500,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $2.1 million.

Apartments offer monthly rents starting from the high $700s.

To visit the home finding center, travel west on Sahara Avenue past Hualapai Way to Town Center Drive and turn north. Or, take Interstate 215 to Sahara and head east to Town Center. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Real Estate home