4 Communities to Be Added in Las Vegas

Four major planned communities will add more than 70,000 housing units in the booming west side of Las Vegas, according to a study conducted by a Laguna Niguel research and brokerage firm.

Three of the four are already in the grading stages, according to Penelope May of Eaton Development Services Inc. The biggest is the 24,700-acre Summerlin development, with about 58,000 houses, followed by Sun City, with 6,000, Desert Shores, with 4,930 and Peccole Ranch, with 1,129 dwelling units.

The West Side of the gaming and convention mecca accounted for 617 single-family houses sold in the past three months, averaging 1,600 square feet and in the $80,000-$110,000 price range. In addition, 2,645 houses--in the same price range--have been approved for construction but are yet to be built in existing developments.

“The developers are able to offer homes at a lower price due in part to the tremendous tax advantages offered by the state of Nevada,” May said.