Meritage draws Jersey homeowner

It was acre upon acre of conservation land with mountain views encompassing an already intimate neighborhood setting that drew a New Jersey native to Meritage Homes' Summer Trail at Mountain's Edge, in the southwestern portion of the Las Vegas Valley.

"I house hunted for two years," said Marc Di Lorenzo, a former Wall Street broker for more than three decades. "I would fly in from Mahwah, New Jersey and my Realtor would greet me at the airport. She knows her builders. Just when I was about to give up, she brought me to Summer Trail. I was already familiar with Meritage and, by reputation alone, I felt confident in the quality of their homes. But it was coming into the quiet and the serenity of Mountain's Edge and this neighborhood that sealed it. Along with the open layout of my floor plan and a backyard I can live in, this is the home I wanted."

Priced from the low $300,000s, the gated development's two-story floor plans offer flexible room configurations with a master suite and bath combination.

Di Lorenzo's Suncreek Plan Two is a four-bedroom, three-bath home centered on a great-room layout with fireplace and media niche. The 2,567-square-foot design includes a three-car tandem garage. Additional features include the option of a fifth bedroom, covered patio and master retreat. Di Lorenzo took advantage of the builder's option for a Paragon pool package.

Interiors include architecturally rounded corners, open mission-style stair rails, upgraded base molding and Merillat cider oak flat panel kitchen cabinetry.

Di Lorenzo's 17-year-old daughter Lisa and his partner Nicole Sturgis, spend leisure hours in their backyard, "pleasantly stuck between two worlds," according to Di Lorenzo. "I can look toward the mountains and the Desert Tortoise Preserve from my back porch then move a few steps over here and I'm looking down at the Strip."

Di Lorenzo said the downstairs bedroom and bath will be ideal for entertaining guests from back East and will suit his son Marc Jr. on his trips home from Arizona State.

"I'm looking forward to experiencing the change of seasons here," said Di Lorenzo, a 20-year New Jersey Devils season ticket holder. "All we need out here now is a hockey team."

In addition to the Suncreek Plan Two, the neighborhood features the Sweetwater and Westfalls floor plans.

Measuring from 2,318 square feet, Sweetwater Plan One opens from a covered front porch entry to a tiled foyer leading to a great-room layout.

Westfalls Plan Three is the neighborhood's largest floor plan and measures 2,641 square feet. The semi-split level design leads to an elevated dining room area overlooking an island-kitchen with nook. Stairs off the kitchen lead down to a separate family/great-room with fireplace.

Each home is constructed with the ComfortWise Energy Program by ConSol and includes a 50-gallon hot water heater and programmable dual zone thermostat. Low-emittance, dual-pane windows and security system prewiring are standard features. Each floor plan offers three exterior elevations in Spanish Colonial, Tuscan or Southern Italian design.

The gated enclave has 119 homes. The neighborhood is located at the southernmost portion of Mountain's Edge, a new master-planned community in the southwestern portion of the Las Vegas Valley.

The builder is offering $50,000 in buyer's incentives for closing costs, options and/or to buy down interest, according to company officials.

To visit, take Interstate 15 south, exit at Blue Diamond Road and travel west to Buffalo Drive. Turn south on Buffalo Road and proceed past Mountain's Edge Parkway. Follow the signs to the community.

Model homes are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, except Monday when they open at 11 a.m. For more information, call the sales gallery at 643-1800 or visit meritagehomes-nv.com.