Boomers keep adult living booming in valley

Southern Nevada’s lack of state income tax and balmy winters have long made it a place for baby boomers to kick up their heels and retire. Sprouting up to lure this niche home-buying market are “age-qualified communities,” where at least one owner must be of a minimum age of 55.

Communities where children only visit and amenities are profound

Construction of new age-qualified communities lulled with the housing market crash, but it has now come back with new options for folks seeking an active lifestyle and convenient access to amenities alongside like-minded and like-age neighbors.

Thus far this year, two long-time builders have brought their age-qualified divisions to Las Vegas. Toll Brothers is prepping for its April 23 weekend grand opening of Regency and Lennar celebrated its grand opening of Heritage at Cadence in January, joining Del Webb and Shea Homes in this niche market. Eying a 2017 opening is Latitude by Newport Pacific Land Co.

Entering the Las Vegas age-qualified market in 2016

Toll Brothers, an established luxury-style builder, will celebrate the grand opening of its first Southern Nevada age-qualified community called Regency on April 23. The 458-home Regency neighborhood will become Summerlin’s only actively selling age-qualified community (for the time being anyway) and the first neighborhood within The Cliffs village.

“Toll Brothers has an active-living brand that builds 55-plus communities across the country, and Las Vegas is one of the few regions where we had not yet built an active-living community. We opened our Regency at Damonte Ranch in Reno this year and it has seen tremendous success, and we have known for some time that we want to bring an active-living community to Las Vegas,” Toll Brothers Marketing Manager Lisa Kaplan said.

“We build amenity spaces in all of our communities, but in an active-living community we have an onsite active lifestyle director. We have been working with our lifestyle team at our other communities and are incorporating the most sought-after amenities in Regency.”

Among the planned amenities are a 16,669-square-foot community clubhouse with an indoor lap pool, fitness center and game rooms; pickleball courts; bocce ball courts; and tennis courts.

An interest list for the community near the intersection of West Sunset Road and South Grand Canyon Drive, is forming. The builder began accepting reservations March 19, with 12 home sites reserved the first weekend. The gated neighborhood will feature three collections of homes measuring from 1,665 to 2,424 square feet and priced from the $420,000s. For information, visit www.tollbrothers.com.

Likewise, Lennar has built age-qualified communities in other states and decided to open its first such community in Southern Nevada in 2016 called Heritage.

“Heritage is the first active-adult community for Lennar in Las Vegas, however, Lennar is an award-winning homebuilder for active-adult communities is many other cities across the country,” said Joy Broddle, division president for Lennar. Since its Jan. 30 grand opening, 23 homes have been sold.

“Why did we decide to enter the active-adult market? Ten thousand baby boomers a day turn 65. … There was a rising need for quality and affordable active-adult homes in Las Vegas. As the baby boomer generation is reaching ages of 55-plus, the need for active-adult housing is increasing. This generation is independent, active and often even still working, so they are searching for a community where they can do all of those things with the bonus of having all the modern features of a new home and the added benefits of a community recreation center for all of their hobbies and the things they enjoy most.”

Located near East Lake Mead Parkway and Boulder Highway, Heritage will be the only guard-gated community within the 2,200-acre Cadence community in Henderson.

Heritage comprises four collections of single-story floor plans that range from 1,800 to 3,200 square feet and are priced from $300,000s. Among the amenities is a 22,713-square-foot recreation center with an indoor lap pool, outdoor pool, craft room, billiards room, game room, ballroom, multipurpose room, pickleball courts, aerobics studio and café. For information, visit www.lennar.com.

Current age-qualified communities by Del Webb, Shea Homes

Regency and Heritage join the ranks of Del Webb, which has long been known for its age-qualified Sun City communities in Aliante, Anthem, MacDonald Ranch and Summerlin and is developing Sun City Mesquite.

“There are a variety of reasons people choose age-qualified, but Del Webb is not just age-qualified, it is the standard for active-adult. A Sun City Del Webb homeowner is looking for a social experience filled with clubs, activities and events with like-minded neighbors to share their golden years,” said Jason DeMuth, director of marketing for the Las Vegas Division of PulteGroup, of which Del Webb is a subsidiary.

The rural community, located approximately 80 miles north of Las Vegas off Interstate 15, offers amenities for which its other Southern Nevada Sun City communities are known for: golf, a clubhouse, pools, fitness center, clubs and planned activities.

Ten single-story floor plans are offered, ranging from 1,241 to 2,514 square feet and priced from the $170,000s. At least one homeowner needs to be 55 or older.

“Sun City Mesquite has been selling since 2007 and has sold very consistently ever since, even through the housing downturn. Our homeowners at Sun City Mesquite come from all over the country,” DeMuth said. “In Sun City Mesquite, 1,150 homes have been built since 2007. We are about a quarter of the way through the master plan. Total number of Las Vegas Del Webb homes: thousands.”

For information and directions, visit www.delwebb.com.

The other actively selling-new-home community — Ardiente by Shea Homes — also focuses on amenities and uses the phrase “active lifestyle community” on its website to describe its gated North Las Vegas community, where at least one of the home’s owners needs to be 55.

“We believe in building communities for those who enjoy an active lifestyle of health, wellness and connectivity,” said Shea Homes Sales Manager Maria Salviati, explaining the community is part of the Shea Homes Active Lifestyles Community division.

Located near the intersection of East Tropical Parkway and Walnut Road, Ardiente features single-story homes measuring from 1,218 to 2,444 square feet and priced from the $210,000s.

Thus far, Ardiente has sold more than 690 of its 788 homes, and if that pace continues, may sell out this year. Salviati attributes its appeal to the amenities and home designs.

“We offer the ability for members to move in and immediately enjoy the resort amenities. We also have seven parks within our guard-gated community for members to enjoy neighborhood barbecues, take their dogs for a walk or just relax and read a book. We also offer an amazing design experience for members to select their finishes at our onsite design studio to build their home to their desire, style and budget,” Salviati said.

For information about Ardiente, visit www.trilogylife.com.

Sights set on 2017: Latitude

Looking to join this growing market in 2017 is Latitude by Newport Pacific Land Co.

This community will be built at the site of the previously planned Montechiaro condominium development near the southwest corner of Town Center Drive and West Flamingo Road in Summerlin.

The 55-plus development will feature one- and two-story attached homes that are mostly duplexes. A total of 354 attached homes are planned, offering 1,550 to 2,600 square feet and starting prices from the mid-$300,000s.

Planned amenities include Club 45, a 14,000-square-foot gathering spot with a fitness center, indoor pool and sauna. An events lawn, cabanas and fire pits are also planned. Sales are expected to begin in early 2017. For details, visit LatitudeLV.com.