Pros and Cons of Living in The Lakes

Key Takeaways

• The Lakes is a master-planned community in west Las Vegas (ZIP 89117), developed by The Collins Brothers from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, spanning roughly 1,000 to 1,300 acres and more than 3,500 homes.
• Its centerpiece is the roughly 30-acre Lake Sahara, where lakefront homeowners own private shoreline and docks; boating, paddleboarding and fishing happen from the back door.
• Recent median sale figures cluster around $440,000 to $475,000 depending on source, with the community overall ranging from roughly $400,000 to $1.2 million.
• True lakefront homes commonly command premiums of 35 to 60 percent over comparable non-lakefront property, the biggest single price question in the community.
• HOA dues run through the West Sahara Community Association, commonly reported around $75 to $250 a month depending on the sub-community and property type.
• The community has no golf country club of its own; the adjacent Canyon Gate Country Club is a separate, gated golf community.
• Bordered by Sahara Avenue, Desert Inn Road, Durango Drive and Hualapai Way, with Downtown Summerlin 4 to 5 miles away, the Strip about 9 miles, and the airport roughly 11 to 16 miles depending on route.

Why The Lakes? A Neighborhood Overview

The Lakes sits in west Las Vegas, roughly bounded by Sahara Avenue, Desert Inn Road, Durango Drive and Hualapai Way, which means it borders Summerlin along its western edge. The Collins Brothers built the community from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, and the plan is built around water: the roughly 30-acre Lake Sahara anchors the center, with additional water features, parks and greenbelts woven through the neighborhoods.

What makes The Lakes genuinely different in Las Vegas is the shoreline. Lakefront homeowners own the waterfront along their property and, in many cases, private docks, so boating, paddleboarding and fishing are backyard activities rather than drive-to activities. Gated and even 24/7 guard-gated enclaves sit within the plan, along with condominiums, townhomes and estate lots, so the housing mix is wide.

The full detail lives on the The Lakes community guide, and the deeper lakefront conversation is on the Lake Sahara waterfront deep dive.

The Pros of Living in The Lakes

For the buyers it fits, the advantages are genuine:

• Waterfront living in the desert. Lake Sahara is a real water body in the middle of Las Vegas, and lakefront owners get private shoreline and often docks, boating, paddleboarding and fishing from their own backyard.
• Summerlin on the doorstep. The community borders Summerlin, and Downtown Summerlin is 4 to 5 miles away, about a 10-minute drive on Sahara Avenue, for shopping, dining and events.
• Mature, established character. Thirty-plus years of growth means big trees, settled streets, established neighbors and a finished community you can walk anytime.
• A wide product range. Condos, townhomes, single-family homes, gated enclaves and true lakefront estates mean buyers at several price points can land here.
• Guard-gated security options. Several neighborhoods inside the plan are gated, and some are 24/7 guard-gated, a meaningful draw for buyers who want secured living on the west side.
• Scarcity holds value. Lakefront lots are limited by definition, and the lakefront premium, while real, is a reflection of supply that simply does not grow.
• A respected school corridor. Christensen Elementary, Lawrence Junior High and Spring Valley High are commonly cited as the assigned CCSD schools, a stable, familiar route for west-side families.

The Cons of Living in The Lakes

And here is the honest other side:

• The lakefront premium is steep. True lakefront homes commonly carry 35 to 60 percent premiums, so the water comes with a real price tag, and the premium has to be justified by the value of the water to you, not just the appeal.
• No community golf. The Lakes has no golf or country club of its own. Canyon Gate Country Club next door is a separate, gated community, so golf is a membership decision made elsewhere.
• Housing is aging. Homes built from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s carry real update responsibility, and the renovated-versus-original gap swings the market by tens of thousands of dollars.
• Layered HOA structures. Dues run roughly $75 to $250 a month depending on the sub-association, so the exact fee depends on which community you buy into, and published figures vary by source.
• Car-dependent overall. Life outside the lakefront pocket means a drive for errands, and the strip of west-side services is spread along the surrounding corridors rather than inside the plan.
• Lake rules and dock fine print. Boating, docks and shoreline use are governed by the lake and community associations, so buyers need to read the rules before they fall for the water view.

The Lakes Real Estate: Pricing and Housing Stock

Recent median sale figures for The Lakes cluster around $440,000 to $475,000 depending on the source and time frame, with the community overall ranging from roughly $400,000 to $1.2 million. Entry points sit near the condo and townhome product, while lakefront estates and the gated enclaves carry the top of the market.

The single biggest pricing question in this community is the lakefront premium. Lakefront homes commonly sell 35 to 60 percent above comparable non-lakefront property, so buyers need to decide what the water is actually worth to their daily life, and sellers need comps that include enough true lakefront sales to support the price. That is precisely the kind of valuation question where my background as a former appraiser matters: the lake view is worth what the market evidence says it is worth, no more and no less.

If you are comparing The Lakes with Desert Shores, which trades on the same idea at a different price point, the what is a home really worth guide and a conversation about the exact home will serve you better than any portal read. The lakefront decision is a numbers conversation, not a vibe.

Walkability, Transit and Lifestyle

The Lakes is a car community with a genuinely walkable heart. The lakefront itself, the parks, trails and greenbelts along the water, is where residents actually walk, jog and sit outside, and that daily loop is a big part of the lifestyle. Everything beyond the water, errands, groceries, most dining, is a drive to the surrounding corridors.

The lifestyle here is quieter and more established than most of the newer plans: mature trees, water views, neighbors who have been there for decades in many cases, and a slow, settled pace that many buyers choose deliberately. Downtown Summerlin, 4 to 5 miles away, supplies the dining, shopping and energy, and the Strip is about 9 miles when you want it.

If your ideal day involves coffee by the water and a quiet evening at home, The Lakes delivers that as directly as any community in Las Vegas. If you need everything within walking distance, this is not that neighborhood, and it is honest about it.

Schools and Family Life in The Lakes

Area guides and property records commonly cite M.J. Christensen Elementary, Clifford J. Lawrence Junior High and Spring Valley High as the assigned Clark County School District schools for the area around The Lakes. CCSD assigns by exact address for attendance boundaries, so the district's own zoning search is the source of truth for a specific home through the Clark County School District.

Family life here is the mature-suburb version: kids grow up around the lakes, parks and greenbelts, and the established mix of families, retirees and long-term owners gives the community a stable feel. The trade is the housing age and the rulebook; families should read the lake and HOA rules for boating, docks and common areas, and budget for a home that may need updates.

Is The Lakes Right for You?

The Lakes fits the buyer who wants the closest thing Las Vegas has to waterfront living, who values Summerlin proximity, mature character and the option of gated, secured neighborhoods, and who can make peace with the lakefront premium or buy smartly just off the water. It suits families, empty nesters and anyone who wants a settled, water-adjacent way of life.

For buyers who want new construction, community golf, a specific school corridor, or the lowest possible HOA, the honest answer is that The Lakes trades away something they value. My job is to show you which market actually matches your life, even when that means pointing you elsewhere. If you want to test whether the lakefront premium makes sense in your numbers, that is exactly the conversation worth having.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Lakes

Related Sandy Margolin resources

• →The Lakes: the full community guide
• →Lake Sahara waterfront in depth
• →Canyon Gate Country Club, the gated golf community next door
• →Desert Shores, the valley's other lake community
• →Peccole Ranch, the neighboring west-side master plan
• →What is a home really worth?

Deciding whether The Lakes fits your life and, if so, whether the lakefront premium makes sense, is a conversation, not a search result. Call or text me at 702-683-3362, or send me a note through the contact form, and we will look at your numbers and your priorities together. You can also book a private strategy session right here.