The building activity in Portofino  in Clayton has stepped into high gear with three pre-sale homes under construction  two more pre- sales about to get started and two spec homes under construction.

We will have at least six more spec homes coming out of the ground within the next month in all three neighborhoods, Churchill, Belmont and Saratoga. In Churchill we are building homes in the high $200,000 and we have a selection of ranch style homes where everything is on the main floor and some two story homes with more bedroom options.
In Belmont we should have homes starting in the $375,000 range up to $550,000 and in Saratoga we will have a home at $540,000.
The Churchill neighborhood has three homes started, and we have already sold the first one and had an offer on the second and the third home in there at 22 Persano Lane will be in the Johnston County Parade of Homes.

The community is buzzing now with work being done to finish the 22 stall barn, get the show rings ready, jumps were being painted today. On the bridal front there has been a huge amount of interest in renting the magnificent clubhouse for weddings, the proceeds of which will go to the HOA for maintenance and to keep the dues low. There are ten or more weddings booked for this year 2012.

There is also a new wedding ceremony area under construction where guests will be able to stroll back to the clubhouse after the ceremony. It is a sunny plateau where they just planted thirty big holly bushes and the plan is to add a rose trellis, like everything at Portofino it will be spectacular.

 

Norwood Thompson, the developer of Portofino in Clayton bought 200 seedlings from the NC Forestry Service to plant in the neighborhood and give to the residents.

They are now planted all throughout the neighborhood, there is a long row near the equestrian center that leads to the walking trails that go behind the Churchill neighborhood. There are two rows along the trails in Churchill. There are seedlings planted on Sicily Drive in the Belmont neighborhood.

Just in time for Arbor Day which in North Carolina is the first Friday after March 15TH. Portofino is in the Audubon Signature Program which provides environmental planning assistance to new developments. The neighborhood has been planned to protect as much of the natural setting as possible. The 400 acre property that borders the Neuse River has been relatively untouched for years and most recently was used to hide moonshine. The land has wonderful topography with steep banks that descend to the river, rolling hills, rocky outcrops and flat pastures.

There are two creeks that wind their way through the heavily wooded property to the river. There is plenty of wildlife from the minnows and crawdads in the streams to the hawks and deer and the occasional Bald Eagle!

There are hundred plus year old live oaks which have been preserved and protected, there are benches and picnic areas throughout so the residents can enjoy the natural beauty of Portofino.  The homes are situated as much as possible along riparian buffers, creeks, trails or wooded areas to provide the homeowners with privacy.There are fewer than 200 home sites in Portofino which is very low density for a property this size.

The common area’s are irrigated by the fishing pond, and the landscaping features drought resistant grasses and shrubs.

Norwood purchased all kinds of trees among them Dogwoods, Southern Red Oaks, Persimmon, Yellow Poplar, Crabapple and Black Walnut, it will be nice to watch them mature and add to the beauty of Portofino.

There are 6 miles of trails and you can do the two mile jaunt which is nice and easy or if you feel like a work out take the Spider Pint Trail and go up to the barn where you can take a rest under the viewing stand at the main arena.

Almost without fail the first purchase for new residents is a golf cart, some even get the golf cart first, then the house. This is one of the coolest golf carts I have seen, a pair of Fuzzy Dice and the Reilly’s will be all set.

There are none! Well none like Portofino Equestrian Community in Clayton

But twenty minutes away in Clayton there is the best equestrian community in the Raleigh area. Portofino in Clayton has been getting rave reviews from the residents (human and equine), from the visitors and from the builders who have some of the best lots and land to build their custom homes on.Portofino is a 400 acre property on the Neuse River which has beautiful topography ranging from heavily wooded lots, river frontage, equestrian lots, flat and basement lots. The smallest lot in Portofino is a half an acre, the largest is five plus acres…..currently!

We have custom built homes in the Churchill Section right now that are in the low $300′s, we have larger homes in the Belmont Section right now in the high $400′s. These homes are built by the finest builders in the area, builders like Corker Enterprises, JordanBuilt Homes, Kirkwood Builders, Jarman Homes, Royalty Homes, NC Custom Homes, all capable of building you a dream home.

Come out and experience it yourself, take a walk on the six miles of trails or have David take you around on the Mule (Kawasaki). Walk through the beautiful homes and compare the price with what you would get in Cary, North Raleigh, Apex or Chapel Hill and you will be amazed and there won’t be another house sitting on top of you. Take a look in the breathtaking 22 stall barn, walk around the pastures and the riding rings, the covered viewing stand. Go fishing in the pond, catch and release of course!

Jordan Built homes is moving along nicely with the three homes they have going in the Churchill section of Portofino.  A combination of three and four bedroom homes, all built to the custom standards you can expect at Portofino in Clayton,NC. The homes all have low maintenance fiber-cement siding, there are brick and stone exteriors, large lots, landscaping.

These homes are some of the finest in Clayton, NC and Portofino which was named the North Carolina’s ” Community of the Year” in 2010 is the best community in Clayton if not the entire Triangle Area. The schools are highly rated, low county taxes, incredible amenities, like the beach entry pool, the miles and miles of walking trails,and the equestrian center.