Meritage Homes’ Club at Northern Terrace to host event

Meritage Homes' The Club at Northern Terrace in Providence, a new master-planned community in the valley's northwest, will host its first Halloween Open House today from 2 to 5 p.m. The event will feature free refreshments, games and a residents' costume contest at 4 p.m.

"Like our homes, gatherings at The Club are made for families," said Chet Obidzinski, director of activities. "From our yoga classes to our seasonal events, our goal here is to continue to build a community. Our parties, movie screenings and resident events are all a part of living here in Northern Terrace."

Upcoming seasonal events will include a residents' Thanksgiving gathering in November, followed by a December holiday screening of "The Polar Express."

"We might have all the amenities of a country club," activities assistant Jasmine Herbert said, "but we want to build relationships with our residents that are warm and genuine. We want to celebrate getting to know your neighbors."

Located within the 1,200-acre, American-themed Providence, Northern Terrace features four villages with 15 varieties of single- and two-story designs. Pricing begins from the low $200,000s.

The village of Concord includes two-story floor plans from 1,320 to 1,652 square feet. The homes include three to four bedrooms, living room/dining room areas, master suite with bath and two-car garage.

Andover is a gated village of all one-story homes ranging from 1,579 to 2,124 square feet. The three-bedroom designs feature two to three baths, fireplace and media niches, plus separate tub and shower with dual vanities in master suites. Pricing begins from the low $300,000s.

The villages of Salem and Brookline feature two-story homes with two-car garages. In addition, Brookline also features a three-car tandem garage. Priced from the low $200,000s, Salem offers four floor plans measuring from 1,615 to 2,027 square feet with three to four bedrooms, 21/2 to three baths and options.

Priced from the mid-$300,000s, Brookline features three floor plans ranging from 2,319 to 3,028 square feet with up to six bedrooms and four baths.

The Club at Northern Terrace features three swimming pools with spa, fitness center, outdoor barbecue area, full kitchen, party room, big screen television and children's indoor and outdoor play areas.

The surrounding master plan complements Northern Terrace with an extensive network of neighborhood and community parks, trails and paseos.

"The Club becomes a lifestyle," Herbert said.

"Residents can think of us as their own personal party planners. There is virtually nowhere else in the valley where residents can truly participate in community-wide, fun seasonal events right in their own backyard. Our families at Northern Terrace keep busy and entertained without having to leave their neighborhood," she said.

To visit Northern Terrace, take Interstate 215, the Las Vegas Beltway, and exit Hualapai Way north. Turn left on Farm Road and follow the signs. For more information on the builder and its communities, visit meritagehomes-nv.com.

Mark S. Henry of the Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics at Clemson University in South Carolina found that excellent landscaping added 4 to 5 percent to the value of a good home.

In addition, homes with poor landscaping in the same neighborhoods as those with excellent landscaping sold for 8 to 10 percent less.

To get some ideas, ask a friend who has landscaping experience, visit your local nursery to discover what is popular in your area and look around your neighborhood to determine its style.

Some common things to do are fertilize your lawn, clean up debris, cut down and remove tall weeds, trim trees and shrubs and remove dead branches.

If you plant new trees and shrubs, make sure they fit the property and don't cover windows. Pick plants that are low-maintenance and native to the area.

For more information and useful tips on sprucing up the front or backyard to help sell your home or keeping your landscape environmentally friendly and "in the green," visit Milorganite fertilizers at milorganite.com.