Select floor plans feature stone exteriors, three-car garages and a variety of outdoor living areas, including courtyards, loggias and miradors.

"Outdoor living areas are popular in Summerlin's western neighborhoods, including The Mesa Village, given its close proximity to the Spring Mountains," said Julie Cleaver, director of design and planning for The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin.

"The neighboring mountains offer village residents a sense of exclusivity as well as a picturesque backdrop."

According to Cleaver, the scenic views and exterior living areas are only a few reasons Ladera residents enjoy the outdoors.

"Residents are also beckoned outside by the private neighborhood park and pool area, which serves as a popular social and recreational gathering spot for neighbors," she said.

The Mesa Village is a new development, located in southern Summerlin. Upon completion, the 500-acre village will be home to several neighborhoods, dozens of parks, educational facilities and a house of worship.

The village is already home to the 35-acre Bishop Gorman High School, a Catholic college preparatory school that opened for the 2007-2008 school year.

Village milestones planned for 2008 include the completion of The Mesa Park, a 19-acre village park with three Little League baseball fields (one with a concession stand), lighted tennis and basketball courts, a tot lot area and picnic ramadas; and the opening of the village's second neighborhood, Prada Del Sol by Pageantry Homes.

Additional milestones also are planned for 2009, including the groundbreaking of The Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

"There are several significant projects planned in The Mesa Village," Cleaver said. "We expect to see a lot of growth during the next few years."

Developed by The Howard Hughes Corp., an affiliate of General Growth Properties Inc., Summerlin began to take shape in 1990, carved mostly out of raw desert.

Located along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley, Summerlin encompasses 22,500 acres with about 9,000 acres still remaining to accommodate future growth within the master plan, including the community's urban core of Summerlin Centre.

The community is home to more than 95,000 residents. These include more than 100 neighborhood and village parks, more than 150 completed miles of the Summerlin trail system, nine golf courses, a dozen houses of worship, shopping centers, medical and cultural facilities, business parks, 22 public and private schools and more than 100 actively selling floor plans.

Homes are available in a variety of styles -- from single-family homes to townhomes, condominiums and lofts -- priced from the mid-$200,000s to more than $2 million.

Custom home sites in The Ridges are priced from the $500,000s. Luxury apartment homes offer monthly rents starting from the $900s.

For more information on Summerlin, visit summerlin.com or call 888-898-5015.