Teacher picks La Tierra

Sky-high home prices in the Washington, D.C. area prompted school teacher Holli Ratliff's cross-country move to more affordable Southern Nevada, where she purchased a residence in William Lyon Homes' La Tierra neighborhood in North Las Vegas.

Ratliff's friends had purchased at a William Lyon Homes' community not far from La Tierra and encouraged her to consider the home builder. The fourth-grade teacher had accompanied her friends on many William Lyon Homes' model home tours and said she was impressed.

"I found La Tierra and fell in love with Plan Four, plus I couldn't get over the affordability," said Ratliff, who moved to Southern Nevada and lived with her friends until her home sold. "When I was in a position to purchase, I visited La Tierra again and the sales team remembered me. It all fell into place from there."

An all single-story community, La Tierra offers four floor plans measuring 1,718 to 2,419 square feet with as many as five bedrooms and three baths. Ratliff selected the largest design, a flexible floor plan that can be built with four to five bedrooms, two to three baths and two- or three-car garages. The front entry opens to a living and dining room area, which leads into a family room and kitchen at the rear of the home. The master suite is located adjacent to the family room, with a guest bath and hallway desk separating the suite from a cluster of secondary bedrooms at the front of the home.

Buyers can opt for a den in lieu of a secondary bedroom, a bay window off the kitchen nook and several patio cover configurations.

Ratliff said a single-story layout and pool-size backyard were her top two priorities in choosing a home. La Tierra met her requirements, she said.

"So many communities have a mix of single- and two-story homes, and I didn't want that. La Tierra is perfect because all of the homes are single story, so neighbors aren't looking down into my house," she said. "I eventually want a pool, but for now I'm still marveling at the interior. The design center staff was absolutely amazing. They made all of the elements come together and I can't imagine a better combination of features."

La Tierra's location, between Interstate 15 and U.S. Highway 95 in North Las Vegas, gives Ratliff easy access to shops, restaurants and John Tartan Elementary School, where she teaches.

"I was fortunate to be placed in a school five minutes from my home. Everything I need is right here, and it's easy to get to the Strip," she said. "I already feel so connected to my new community."

"Buying this home was a huge opportunity for me, one I wouldn't have had if I stayed back East," Ratliff said.

La Tierra's floor plans are designed to suit a wide variety of lifestyle needs, according to the builder. Home buyers can choose from residences with great rooms, traditional layouts, dens, courtyards, patio covers and fireplaces. Every floor plan includes a two-car garage with the exception of Plan Four, which can be built with a three-car garage. Prices start in the upper $200,000s.

William Lyon Homes is also selling La Tierra's floor plans at Tierra Este, a new single-story community located a few blocks from La Tierra. Tierra Este is a cul-de-sac community of 22 home sites, each measuring more than 6,700 square feet.

Homes at both communities feature 9-foot ceilings, walk-in closets, interior laundries, plant shelves and art niches. Some kitchens include a food-preparation island. Interiors are appointed with custom recessed lighting, raised-panel doors with satin chrome levers, programmable thermostats and ceramic tile entries. Every master bath features an oval garden tub with cultured marble surrounds and separate cultured marble shower stall.

William Lyon Homes offers a $5,000 flooring incentive to teachers and Clark County School District employees who qualify and use the preferred lender. Certain restrictions apply.

To tour model homes, take I-15 to Craig Road and exit west. Turn right on North 5th Street, left on Washburn Road and left on Goldfield Street, following the signs to La Tierra.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Monday when the sales center opens at noon. For more information, call 642-2574 or visit lyonhomes.com.