"Give me an independent home any day".

I was less sure of my glib statement after dropping the couple back at their hotel. The woman had asked for my opinion about a condominium after I had showed her husband and her six signature homes in some of the most sought-after residential communities of Las Vegas and Henderson. I was pretty washed out and had to negotiate some dense traffic on the Strip as she shot the question at me, so you might forgive me for an answer without too much thought! The cappuccino was hot and refreshing. It got my grey cells in to retro mode, and I began to reflect on the day's work. The man seemed pretty convinced, or exhausted by the choices I had thrown at him! At any rate, it looked as though I was well en route for a fat commission! "Why the disquiet," I asked myself. The woman's question seemed to ring in my ears. Is there a case for a condominium for a residence in the greater Las Vegas valley? We make this big thing about scenery-what if we had an apartment with a generous balcony, or even better, a terrace? Is it not worthwhile to combine the state-of-the-art security of the modern electronic world, with the feeling of space that a well-designed condominium can provide? It struck me that my clients were a double-income outfit. Would they not appreciate the convenience of common maintenance that a condominium provides? Perhaps there are some folks who want to be free to do things other than landscaping on their weekends! I recalled that the best apartment buildings of my Las Vegas realty beat offered large storage areas for customers to buy. An independent home is certainly not the only way to find place to stack all the odds and ends that we dare not throw away! "The Metropolitan even has a wine cellar!" I told myself. The kitchens are big enough to cook for an event and the swimming pool and fitness center can beat anything amateurs can maintain any day! It was inevitable: I had to call, and for the first time in my professional life, I 'undid' a sale I probably had sewn up in the bag! "Hi, I was wondering if I could show you The Metropolitan. It is one of the best apartment blocks in town, and I think that you should take a look". Fortunately for me, it was the woman who took the call, and she was delighted at the prospect of browsing some more for her dream home! The man looked as grim during the drive from their hotel as I had expected, but I could discern the change in his attitude as we parked in the ample lot, entered through the comfortingly secure system for residents and then took in the fantastic floor plan of a typical apartment. It turned out to be one of the best deals I have struck for a client, and I am a 'born-again' condo freak for ever more! Believe me; you cannot do better in the Las Vegas valley!