"I really love the southwest area of Las Vegas and was seeking a home that would reflect my high standards," she said. "At Esplanade, I found a beautifully designed home, a terrific gated community, proximity to the Strip, and a neighborhood I am really proud to live in. For me, this is an ideal second home with so many fabulous recreational, retail and community facilities right outside my front door."

The project incorporates a resident-exclusive clubhouse with resort-style pool and spa and state-of-the-art fitness center that offers cardiovascular equipment, multi-station weight-training machine and TV.

"I especially appreciated the amount of options and room configurations that I had to choose from," Malasoma said. "With my background in interior design, I really enjoyed being able to customize my home and add my special touches with the various options and upgrades that are available."

Per plan, the units may include formal living and dining rooms and kitchens that showcase contemporary design features.

It also includes a Whirlpool appliance package with self-cleaning slide-in gas range, microwave hood and multi-cycle dishwasher. Other included items are ceramic tile flooring entries, custom beech cabinetry, solid surface kitchen countertops, secondary bedrooms, mini-blinds on most windows and vertical blinds on sliding glass doors.

Interior laundry areas and master suites with soaking tub and separate shower enclosure are also available, per plan.

Malasoma purchased the largest plan in The Plaza Collection -- a 1,700-square-foot Plan Two-Upper. This home includes two bedrooms, loft, two baths and a two-car garage.

"I love the open floor plan of the Plan Two and the way it beautifully utilized the space to create a free-flowing pattern that is light-filled and very inviting," Malasoma said.

The Metro Collection offers a selection of residences that measure 894 to 1,381 square feet with one to three bedrooms and up to two baths.

Each Metro home includes an interior entry, assigned parking space, covered patios and/or balconies and living and dining rooms.

"Having had the previous experience of purchasing several new and custom homes, I was incredibly impressed by how well organized the Esplanade team was and felt that this was by far my best home buying experience yet," she said.

"I could always count on a quick response time and the team was extremely accommodating to my customer service needs, especially since many of my requests were made long-distance while living in my Seattle residence. The professionals at Esplanade truly made the whole process smooth and enjoyable."

More detailed information is available online at warmingtonhomesnv.com.Home shoppers can preview floor plans, architecture and a list of included features. They also can register to receive more information about future new home neighborhoods.

To tour the professionally decorated models at Esplanade, from Interstate 215, the Las Vegas Beltway, exit south on South Durango and travel west on Maule Avenue. The complex is on the left.

For more information or further directions, visit the Web site or call 597-0330.

Sales representatives are on-site noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday and open at 10 a.m. Thursday through Tuesday.

Company officials encourage home buyers at Esplanade to use Bayport Mortgage Co., Warmington's, the builder's preferred mortgage broker, to receive a closing costs allowance and access to a wide variety of loan programs.