Semi-Custom New Construction Homes Starting at $700K | Clayton, NC
If you have been searching for new construction homes with space to breathe, Copper Branch in Clayton, NC might be exactly what you are looking for. Trish recently toured this community by Drees Homes, and it checks a lot of boxes for buyers who want quality, flexibility, and value without compromising on land.
Drees Homes
Drees Homes is a family-owned builder with nearly 100 years in the industry, building around 2,000 homes per year across a handful of states, including the Raleigh area. That kind of longevity matters when you are making one of the biggest purchases of your life. What sets Drees apart from other builders is their semi-custom approach. Buyers are not locked into preset packages. Instead, they have real flexibility to customize the home to fit their lifestyle, giving you the feel of a custom home without the custom builder price tag.
Copper Branch Community
Copper Branch is a smaller, more intimate community with just 25 home sites, and only 10 remain. What makes it stand out is the lot size. Home sites are close to an acre, with some even larger, which is genuinely hard to find in new construction communities today. Most lots are flat with wooded options available. The homes feature open floor plans, 3-car garages, home offices or flex spaces, and plenty of outdoor room to add a patio, outdoor kitchen, or whatever fits your vision.
Clayton, NC & Johnston County
Located just southeast of Raleigh, Clayton sits within Johnston County, one of the fastest-growing areas in the Triangle. Buyers are drawn here for the larger homes, more land, and new construction options that come at a lower price point than Wake County. The location is also practical: about 25 minutes to Raleigh, 35 to 40 minutes to RDU Airport, and more accessible than ever with the completion of 540. Trish has had buyers who started their search in Wake County and ended up choosing Clayton once they toured the area and saw what their money could actually get them.
Knoll B Floor Plan
The Knoll B is the model home at Copper Branch, and it is impressive. It comes in at over 3,200 square feet across two floors with a 3-car garage and sits on about an acre. The home is loaded with upgrade options, including 10-foot ceilings, an electric fireplace, an expanded dining area, a screened porch, extended kitchen cabinetry, a tiled guest shower, a flex room, and even an optional third floor. The primary suite alone has several upgrade paths for both the bedroom and bathroom.
Most people who walk through assume this home is well over a million dollars. The base price for the Knoll B in Copper Branch starts around $700,000 depending on selections, and even with upgrades, it tops out around $840,000 to $850,000. For a semi-custom home with a 3-car garage, 3,000-plus square feet, and an acre lot, that is a level of value that is simply hard to find anywhere closer to Raleigh.