Sweltering Stop at Stallion’s Solera

We were almost to the Vegas Strip when we turned east and drove about eight miles to the gated community of Stallion Mountain.  When we passed the Del E. Webb Medical Center we knew we must be getting close.  My husband called the area “seedy” but not as “seedy as the areas behind the Vegas Strip.”  More of an industrial feel with lots of billboards advertising some of Vegas’ more adult entertainment.

Once you were in the community, it was very beautiful, but hot.  Our car’s exterior thermometer said it was 120, though the weather report was saying it was “only” 117.  We passed the private golf course and several neighborhoods while following the signs to Del Webb Solera.  We opened the windows to better experience the heat and heard cicadas buzzing everywhere.

Several handicapped parking spaces welcomed us to Solera’s marketing office.  The young sales representative rushed us out to the models and said she’d chat with us when we returned.  My husband and I thought that was odd and unprofessional, but whatever.

Outside, some cottontail rabbits were surprised by our presence and hopped away.  The cicadas had stopped and it was absolutely silent in the heat.  Living in Orange County, California, and behind a somewhat busy street, the silence was mesmerizing.

I already knew the model I wanted to visit – the one with the kitchen sink on the counter overlooking the great room, so we went right to the Clydesdale. (All the homes have horse names since it is Stallion Mountain.)  The house was very nice but didn’t quite seem to be of the same quality of the Del Webb Sun City Apple Valley houses we had recently visited.  Nothing we could put a finger on, just a feeling.

They had used the den as an energy exhibit, showing all their different layers of energy efficiency.  None of the automated displays were working, so that may have lent itself to the feeling of low quality.  At the front door, each home showed the expected monthly energy bill which was nice.  I’m going to look for this rating on all future houses.   The house was nice, the closets were HUGE, and the air conditioning was working, so we left with a positive feeling.

We visited the other larger model, the Clydesdale.  This model had an interesting pony wall (more horse talk) that separated the dining room and kitchen from the living room.  The oversize décor on the dining room table made the large floorplan seem cluttered.  They should have consulted with my daughter, an interior design soon-to-be graduate of George Fox University.  The pony wall was a nice idea, but I think I like an open floorplan better – it gives you more layout choices.

We returned to the showroom, and asked our typical questions.  Unfortunately, the sales representative didn’t seem to have any answers as I discussed in an earlier blog.  The oddest feature was the lack of any fencing unless you chose a house which was on the edge of the development.  You were allowed to build your own yard fence, but none of the houses came with fencing.

Our other big negative was that the Solera neighborhood had no parks except for a few common areas in the larger Stallion Mountain development.  I guess when the summer weather is 120, why would anyone go outside?