Pulte looks for northern exposure Apr. 07, 2006 One of the nation's biggest builders is about to make itself at home in one of Southern Nevada's smallest towns. Pulte Homes will break ground today on Anthem Mesquite, a 2,014-acre master plan about 80 miles north of Las Vegas in the city of Mesquite. When the master plan is completed in 2013, it will have added 10,000 residents to Mesquite's current population of 20,000. Anthem Mesquite will include an 812-acre Sun City Mesquite -- an age-qualified community from Pulte's well-known Del Webb brand -- and 167 acres of conventional homes without age qualifications. An 18-hole golf course by Gary Panks Associates will provide Anthem Mesquite's central feature, though the community will also reserve land for parks, walking trails, shopping centers and an elementary school. That roster of amenities will ring a bell to those familiar with Pulte's other Southern Nevada master plans, which include the 5,000-acre Anthem in Henderson, the 650-acre Silverstone Ranch in northwest Las Vegas and the 1,900-acre Aliante, which the Michigan builder is developing in North Las Vegas with American Nevada Co. In 2005, Pulte and its Del Webb subsidiary delivered nearly 4,000 homes in the Las Vegas Valley -- almost 10 percent of the company's nationwide total of 45,630 closings. "From an amenity and lifestyle perspective, Anthem Mesquite will be very similar to Anthem (in Henderson)," said Steve Wethor, president of Pulte's Las Vegas North division. "The difference is that Mesquite offers a smaller-town feel than you experience in the greater Las Vegas area, yet it's still accessible to all of the great things Las Vegas has to offer." Upon its completion, Anthem Mesquite will have 4,600 homes, including 3,400 homes in Sun City Mesquite. Models will open in late 2007, and the first homeowners should take up residence in spring 2008. Pulte's journey to Mesquite began about two years ago, when land prices in Las Vegas began their meteoric rise. The builder's executives began crunching numbers on prospective development sites outside the valley, looking for a combination of lower land costs and solid future demand. After considering Pahrump and northern Arizona, company officials settled on the Mesquite acreage. Wethor declined to disclose the sale price and the seller of the land. But a search of records at the Clark County Assessor's office showed that Pulte, operating as an entity called PN II, bought the land in several chunks from Mesquite Investors for a total of $79 million in a deal that closed on March 1. That purchase amount gives Pulte a price per acre of about $40,000 -- well below the $700,000 to $1 million per acre many builders pay for developable residential land in the Las Vegas Valley. Todd Hahn, vice president of sales for Pulte's Las Vegas North division, said the company hasn't pinned down price points for the homes in Anthem Mesquite. However, he said the community would be "a value in comparison" to home prices in Las Vegas, where the median new home sells for more than $300,000. The affordability issue wasn't the only hook that pulled Pulte into Mesquite. Wethor said Mesquite's "unparalleled topography" of craggy canyons, combined with the ability to find a large tract of contiguous land, helped clinch the company's decision to head to Mesquite. Also, the city's officials are highly developer-friendly, he said. Finally, nearby amenities, including Mesa View Regional Hospital and a Wal-Mart Supercenter, also drew Pulte to the area. It's those amenities that Hahn said will lure consumers to Anthem Mesquite. Hahn said he expects a mix of buyers from around the country, including Las Vegans who've grown weary of battling heavy traffic but still want fairly convenient access to the Strip and McCarran International Airport. Pulte will market the property through e-mails to a 50,000-person database that includes all Sun City residents nationwide. Billboards and ad buys in magazines such as Golfer's Digest will also help get the word out about Anthem Mesquite. Mesquite officials say they believe that national marketing campaign will help boost awareness of the entire city. "Anthem Mesquite is going to be huge for us," said Mesquite Mayor Bill Nicholes. "It brings in a nationwide builder with a proven track record that builds quality homes and quality communities. It will spur other development and raise the national profile of Mesquite." Councilman Bill Wells said Anthem Mesquite would add significantly to the city's existing housing stock. About 6,000 homes dot the city north of Interstate 15; with 4,600 homes, Anthem Mesquite would nearly double the number of units on the community's north side. "We think Anthem Mesquite will have a very big effect on the city," Wells said. "It will offer a great opportunity for retirees to come in and find homes." Pulte is one of several companies either planning or building communities in Mesquite. City officials estimate that as many as 14,000 new homes will come online in Mesquite in the next 10 years. Among the larger projects: the mostly age-restricted Highland Vistas, by Illinois-based RFMS, and Mesquite Estates, a project of Mesquite Real Estate Partners. Wells said both communities have around 1,000 homes each. Anthem Mesquite may also make additional contributions to the Mesquite development scene. Pulte officials are talking with a landowner in Lincoln County, just to the north of Anthem Mesquite, about the possibility of acquiring additional property for future subdivisions. "We're in constant talks (with the property owner)," Wethor said. "It's one of those things where you have to walk before you run. We have our eyes open for possible expansion efforts, but we want to determine what the demand equation is in Mesquite first." If you are planning to relocate in the Las Vegas area, contact us for a prompt response to any questions you have about the Las Vegas real estate market. We invite you to visit our website to view updated daily listings of Las Vegas homes at Free Las Vegas Homes MLS Search |
  |