New Homes in Northwest Las Vegas: Why You Want Your Own Agent
The sales rep works for the builder
This is the part people don't expect. You walk into a model, the sales consultant is warm and helpful and knows every floor plan cold. They're also paid by the builder, and their job is to sell the builder's homes on the builder's terms. That's fine. It just means nobody in that building is working for you.
We are. When you buy new with us, we:
- Go to the sales office with you, starting with the first visit.
- Go to the design center with you. This is where budgets go sideways. We help you sort the upgrades you'll love from the ones you'll never notice, and flag the ones that are cheaper to add later.
- Read the purchase agreement with you. Builder contracts are written by the builder's lawyers. They're not the standard Nevada resale forms, and the deposit, cancellation and closing-date terms can surprise you.
- Keep track of the build. We watch the timeline, go to the walk-throughs and push when something slips.
- Help you through the warranty. When the first-year punch list comes up, you'll want someone who has done it before.
Register us on your first visit
Many builders have a rule about agents: your agent has to come with you, or register you, on your very first visit. If you walk in alone and fill out the guest card, some builders won't let an agent represent you on that community afterward. The rules differ by builder and change from time to time. So before you stop by a model "just to look," call or text us. We'll either meet you there or register you ahead of time.
Decide these before the plans lock
Most of what we do at the design center is ordinary: flooring, cabinets, which counters hold up. But three decisions are much easier and cheaper to make before construction starts, and hardly anyone asks about them. We know them from the pool side. Before real estate, Marc sold pools and was the number one salesman doing it, and he has designed hundreds of them.
- The pool electrical package. If you think you'll ever put in a pool or spa, ask the builder for the electrical rough-in for it. Running that power later means trenching through a finished yard.
- A gas line to the backyard. For a pool heater, a spa, a fire pit or an outdoor kitchen. A gas stub run during the build is simple. A gas line added after the pavers go in is not.
- Power at the back of the house. Extra outlets and circuits where your patio, lighting, misters and backyard kitchen will go.
Ask for each one by name, get the price and make sure it's written into your selections. Then read our page on pool design before you pick a lot, because lot size and orientation decide what fits. One rule to know in advance: the Southern Nevada Water Authority caps new residential pools at 600 square feet, and new homes can't have grass in the front or back yard.
Picking the lot
The lot matters as much as the floor plan, and it's the one thing you can't upgrade later.
- Which way the backyard faces. In Las Vegas the afternoon sun is brutal from May to September. A backyard that gets shade in the late afternoon is a yard you'll actually use. Ask for the plot map with north marked on it.
- The lot premium. Corner lots, bigger lots, view lots and lots with no rear neighbor often carry a premium on top of the base price. Ask for the premium on every lot you're considering, in writing.
- The side yard. If you want an RV gate, a boat pad or even a wide side gate for pool equipment, the side yard has to be wide enough, and the air conditioners can't be sitting in the way. Check where the builder puts them on that plan.
- What's behind the wall. A lot backing onto a main road, a future school site or an empty parcel can feel very different a few years from now. Ask the sales office what's planned, then we'll check it against the city's maps.
- Room for a pool. A deep lot with a pool in mind is easier than a wide, shallow one. If a pool is part of the plan, pick the lot with it in mind.
Builders active in the northwest
These builders have communities on their own websites in the northwest right now (September 2026). Builders open and close phases often, so treat this as a starting point and ask us what's current.
- Lennar. Communities including Axel townhomes at Sunstone and single-story estate homes at Ann at The Estates in 89149. Lennar is known for its Next Gen plans with a private attached suite; some come with an RV garage. See our Lennar NextGen page.
- Woodside Homes. Lyra and Capella at Sunstone.
- Richmond American. Solstice at Sunstone.
- Shea Homes. Trilogy at Sunstone, a 55-plus community.
- KB Home. Arete at Kyle Canyon.
- Tri Pointe Homes. Kyle Pointe.
- Toll Brothers. Toll Brothers at Skye Canyon, with its Paloma and Valera collections.
For the master plans themselves, read our guides to Sunstone, Skye Canyon and the Kyle Canyon builder communities. Each one covers the HOA, the parks and what to ask at the sales office.
Single story
Single-story plans are some of the most asked-about homes we get. Lennar's homes at Ann at The Estates are all single story, and other builders mix one-level plans into their communities. If you want one level, tell us early and we'll watch the release dates for new phases.
Incentives and preferred lenders
Builders often advertise incentives: help with closing costs, a lower interest rate, upgrades or a price cut on a home that's already built. Most of the time the best incentives are tied to using the builder's own mortgage company or a lender the builder picks.
That can be a good deal. It can also be a wash. How we look at it with you:
- Compare the whole loan, not the headline. Get a written Loan Estimate from the builder's lender and one from a lender you pick, and compare rate, fees and points line by line.
- Ask what the incentive is worth if you use your own lender. Sometimes part of it still applies.
- Watch for rate buydowns that expire. A temporary buydown lowers your payment for the first year or two, then it goes up. Know the permanent rate.
- Ask about inventory homes. A home that's already built or close to done sometimes comes with bigger incentives than a to-be-built lot, because the builder wants it closed.
We won't quote you incentive amounts here because they change month to month and phase to phase. We'll get the current numbers from the sales office when you're ready.
Inspections on a new build
Yes, get one. New doesn't mean perfect. Every home is built by a lot of different crews, and things get missed.
Pre-drywall inspection. Before the walls are closed up, a private inspector looks at framing, plumbing, electrical, insulation and anything else that'll be hidden forever once the drywall goes on. Ask the builder in writing, early, whether they allow a pre-drywall inspection and how much notice they need. Some builders set their own rules for when and how inspectors can come on site.
Final inspection. Before your final walk-through with the builder, have your inspector go through the finished house. Bring the inspector's list to the walk-through so the builder can fix items before closing, not after.
Before your warranty runs out. Builders give you a written warranty. Read how long each part lasts, and schedule an inspection before the first-year coverage ends so you can file everything at once.
How buyer-agent pay works now
Rules for how buyers' agents are paid changed nationally in 2024. Now, before an agent shows you homes, you sign a written agreement that spells out what the agent will do and how they're paid.
On new construction, many builders pay the buyer's agent at closing. How much, and under what conditions, varies by builder, and some change their policy from community to community. So we don't promise you anything up front. We'll explain exactly how we're paid on your build, in plain words, before you sign anything with us or the builder.
Do you need a realtor for new construction?
You don't have to have one. You'll probably want one. The builder has a sales team, a lender, a title company and lawyers who wrote the contract. You're the only one at the table without help unless you bring it.
New or resale?
A new build gets you a warranty, new systems and a floor plan nobody's lived in. A resale in the northwest often gets you a bigger lot, mature trees, an existing pool, RV parking and no waiting. We sell both, and we'll tell you which one fits you better. Our new build vs resale guide goes through it side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a realtor for new construction?
You don't have to, but it helps. The builder's sales consultant works for the builder. Your own agent can read the builder's contract with you, guide the design center, compare lender incentives and go to the walk-throughs. Many builders require your agent to register you on your first visit, so bring us before you sign the guest card.
What are the best new home builders in Vegas?
It depends what you're after. In northwest Las Vegas, Lennar, Woodside, Richmond American, Shea, KB Home, Tri Pointe and Toll Brothers all have communities on their websites as of September 2026. The better question is which builder has the lot, plan and price that fit you right now, and we'll compare them with you.
How much does it cost to build a new house in Las Vegas?
It depends on the builder, plan, lot and upgrades, and prices change by phase. Builders post "from" prices on their websites; the final price adds lot premiums and design center choices, which can add up quickly. We'll help you set a budget for upgrades before your design appointment so the total doesn't surprise you.
Should I get a home inspection on a new build?
Yes. Get a pre-drywall inspection before the walls are closed, if the builder allows it, and a final inspection before your walk-through. Schedule another before your first-year warranty coverage ends. New homes are built by many crews, and a private inspector often finds items the builder can fix before closing.
Are builder incentives worth it if I use their lender?
Sometimes. Compare a written Loan Estimate from the builder's lender with one from a lender you choose, and look at rate, fees and points as well as the incentive. Ask whether the rate is permanent or a temporary buydown, and whether part of the incentive still applies if you use your own lender.
Thinking about a new build?
Call us before your first model visit. Call or text Michelle at 702-250-7224 or Marc at 702-768-9670.