Desert Shores & The Lakes

Two lake neighborhoods in the middle of the desert

Most people who move here have no idea these exist. Desert Shores, in northwest Las Vegas (89128) next to Summerlin, and The Lakes, on the west side off Sahara Avenue (89117), were both built around man-made lakes in the 1980s and 1990s. Homes on the water have their own docks, back patios that step down to the lake, and views you would expect in Southern California, not twenty minutes from the Strip.

Not every home in either neighborhood is on the water. That is the most important thing to understand when you shop here: a waterfront lot and a home two streets back can share a zip code and an HOA and still be priced like different neighborhoods. I tell you which is which before you ever drive over.

On video

Homes I have walked in both neighborhoods — and dinner on the water at Americana, right on the Desert Shores lake.

Desert Shores vs. The Lakes

Desert Shores (89128). A master-planned community in northwest Las Vegas, near Lake Mead Boulevard and Buffalo Drive, with several lakes and gated pockets on the water. Homes are mostly 1990s one- and two-story, and the neighborhood has its own lakeside restaurants — Americana sits right on the water. Close to Summerlin shopping and the 95.

The Lakes (89117). On the west side between Sahara and Desert Inn, built around Lake Sahara. It runs from modest homes a few streets back to some of the largest custom estates in the valley on the water, and it sits minutes from Summerlin, Spring Valley and the 215.

What they cost right now

On September 28, 2026, the MLS showed about 21 single-family homes for sale in the Desert Shores subdivisions, from $420,000 up to the high $800,000s — 12 between $400,000 and $600,000 and 9 between $600,000 and $1 million. In The Lakes subdivisions of 89117 there were about 25, starting at $399,999 — 15 between $400,000 and $600,000, 7 between $600,000 and $1 million, and 2 over $1 million, including one lakefront estate listed at $28 million.

Those counts include homes that are not on the water. True waterfront homes are a small share of each list and carry the premium — I pull the waterfront ones for you by name.

Counts from the MLS by subdivision name, pulled September 28, 2026; single-family only, auctions and bank-owned excluded. They move every week.

What to check before you buy on the water

• The HOA and the lake rules. Lake maintenance is paid through the association, and the rules for boats, docks and water use are in the HOA documents. You receive the resale package in escrow, and Nevada gives you five days from receipt to review it and cancel if it is not right for you.
• The dock and seawall. Who owns and maintains them — you or the association — is spelled out in the documents. I have the inspector look at both.
• Water-facing direction. A west-facing backyard gets hard afternoon sun on the water. It matters more here than almost anywhere else in Las Vegas.
• Insurance. Get a homeowner's insurance quote early in escrow for any waterfront home.

Drive times, honestly

• Desert Shores → Summerlin (Downtown Summerlin): about 10–15 minutes
• Desert Shores → the Strip: about 20–25 minutes outside of rush hour
• The Lakes → the Strip: about 15–20 minutes via Sahara or the 215
• The Lakes → Harry Reid International Airport: about 20 minutes

Who these neighborhoods are right for

• Buyers relocating from coastal California or Florida who want water without leaving Las Vegas
• Buyers who want a resort feel at home — paddle boarding, kayaking, sunsets off the dock
• Buyers who want an established, central west-side neighborhood rather than new construction on the edge of the valley

Questions I get about Desert Shores