June 15, 2026
There are plenty of reasons to live in a one-story home. When that home overlooks a lake, the advantages are even greater. Experience all the value of single-level living in a waterfront home near Raleigh, NC, when you choose to move to Cattail Lake.
Also known as ranch style, the one-story home has gained popularity among a full range of homebuyers—from young families to 55+.
The single-level floor plan eliminates stairs, which is one of the greatest draws for homebuyers. People who are planning to age in place eliminate the hassle of navigating stairs. Families with young children don’t have the safety concerns associated with going up and down the stairs. And you no longer need to put up with the inconvenience of carrying loads of laundry up and down, or having to head downstairs to the kitchen when you’re relaxing in your bedroom. Everything you need is steps away, without the climb.
The open floor plan on a single level appeals to parents who want to monitor their family’s activity. You don’t have to wonder what they’re doing upstairs! You can keep an eye on your children more easily when everyone is on the same level.
How often do you do maintenance tasks like washing your windows or cleaning the gutters (which should be done twice a year to avoid damage)? When you take on those chores, you need to climb a tall ladder to reach the second level. With a single-story home, the upper reaches aren’t so tough to reach. You can wash your windows without a ladder, plus you won’t need to haul a vacuum up and down the stairs.
Conserving energy is good for the planet and great for your utility budget! The airflow in a single-level floor plan—particularly with an open concept—is more contained when it’s all on one level, making the heating and cooling more efficient. For example, heat isn’t rising to the second level, so you’re not trying to manage that flow, and the HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard to push air throughout the multiple stories.
In the event of an emergency, evacuating a one-story home is quicker, making it safer as well. No one needs to maneuver the stairs to make a hasty escape, and it’s easier to take what you need without carrying your personal treasures down the stairs in a hurry.
How much square footage does a staircase require? Be sure to add in the area around the stairs, like the hallway and walls. Unless you have built-ins added under the stairs, you’re paying for wasted space. When you eliminate stairs from your floor plan, your square footage is put to other use.
Next, think about the ceilings in the home. With a multi-story floor plan, you have limits. If you want a vaulted ceiling in the family room, you sacrifice living space on the floor above. That’s not the case with a ranch-style home. Raise the roof and enjoy the feel of more open space inside your home.
With all these benefits, why not make it even better? Explore single-level living in a waterfront home near Raleigh, NC, at Cattail in Clayton.
New Home Inc. is a local builder, and one of just four who have been selected to build the homes in Cattail, a waterfront community of luxury homes in Clayton. Cattail has recently begun development of the first phase of 51 homes.
One of the advantages of choosing a home at Cattail is the spacious yards that have been planned—as large as two acres. It’s a rare opportunity to own a new construction home on the waterfront that happens to also be built on a generous lot!
Here are more reasons to consider The Clayton’s single-level floor plan.
Flexible design
The Clayton ranch home was designed by New Home Inc. This versatile floor plan can be easily transformed to your choice of architectural styles, including Craftsman, French Country, and Low Country. You choose the details, like brushstrokes on a canvas, to design the home exactly as you want.
The layout is equally accommodating. New Home Inc. designed The Clayton with 1,871 to 2,674 square feet of interior living space, three to four bedrooms, two baths, and your choice of a two- or three-car garage.
This floor plan incorporates flex space and has been designed to make it simple to personalize the interior. Add a pocket office or butler’s pantry, change the layout of the owner’s bath, expand the patio, move the garage door to create a side-loaded entry, or extend the walk-in closet—among other options. The interactive floor plan feature allows you to choose your options and see how they look in the layout.
New Home Inc. designs all of their homes to support the way people live in their homes today. In the past six years, so much has changed, and home design needs to keep up.
The transition to remote working requires a dedicated office at home, not just squeezing into a corner somewhere. The Clayton—and all of New Home Inc.’s designs—provides two options for a home office. Choose the flex room by the foyer as your new workspace. You’ll welcome the natural light from the front windows. Add French doors to your office entry and you’ll have more daylight as well as the privacy that a closed door adds.
The Clayton offers a second office space option, too,with the pocket office. This room is also situated at the front of the house, but slightly smaller than the flex room. This smaller workspace allows you to allocate more room to your kitchen.
Either home office gives you the privacy you need to work productively from home.
Another result from the COVID months was the massive increase in home deliveries. From groceries to meals to home repair supplies, families began to rely on the convenience of these deliveries—so much so that what started as a trend has become a way of life.
New Home Inc.’s award-winning innovation removes the worry of protecting your home deliveries. The Smart Door Delivery Center is an enclosed area between the exterior and interior front doors. Access to this “zone” requires a code for the smart lock, which opens only the exterior door. You provide the code for the delivery; the driver uses it to open the door and place the package inside the Smart Door Delivery Center. After the delivery is complete, the door automatically locks. Your package is protected from the weather and passersby. It’s a smart feature, in more ways than one.
You might not need a bigger kitchen, just one that is more thoughtfully designed to fit the way you work there. The Clayton floor plan showcases a kitchen that gives you more of what you need and want.
Start with the workspace. The Clayton offers an oversized kitchen island, which expands your countertop work area. In addition, the island is extended on three sides to allow for more seating—without bumping knees on the island’s base.
Next, think about what makes serving, storage, and entertaining easier. How about an expanded walk-in pantry and a second one that functions as a service pantry? New Home Inc. calls these two spaces “the power pantry” and “the messy kitchen”, respectively. The power pantry is outfitted with custom wood shelves that are so much more pleasing than the wire alternatives. The messy kitchen can include a variety of features: cabinets, countertops, open shelving, sink, dishwasher, mini fridge, and wine chiller, for example. Perfect for setting up your food for entertaining and stashing the dirty dishes afterwards, the messy kitchen protects the main kitchen from becoming an unsightly mess!
Lifestyle changes from the pandemic expanded the number of adult household members. Adult children returned home indefinitely or aging parents moved in…or both.
This change in the family dynamic sparked an important revision to home design. Floor plans needed to accommodate more independent living under one roof. In other words, an extra suite. More than a bedroom with a full bath, the suite should provide more living space, a walk-in closet, and, ideally, privacy. The Clayton can be expanded to a second level, adding 803 more square feet. Design this upper level with one or two bedrooms, storage, and a game room that’s big enough to serve several purposes, like a family room with workout space, library, sitting area, hobby studio, or office. While this option turns single-level living into a two-story home, it’s a great way to incorporate two living areas.
Technology is an integral part of our lives. So, it must be an equally integral component in our homes. Today’s new homes must recognize that families require a reliable network connection throughout the home. With more people using more devices, the strain on an outdated network leads to buffering and dead zones. The Clayton uses CAT6 cabling, an upgrade from CAT5, which is acceptable for some people, but certainly not powerful enough to keep up with all your devices’ needs. Be sure to know the potential for a home’s connectivity before committing to the purchase, because you might be frustrated in the long run.
Years after people stopped sheltering in place, they’re still relishing the freedom of open spaces. Homebuyers are looking for a more rural lifestyle where they can escape crowded urban living. They want more than pretty landscapes with trees and greenery. Homes with large yards offer particular appeal. Cattail’s developers have nearly 600 acres, but chose to build fewer homes and give the families big yards, rather than crowd more homes onto smaller lots.
The Clayton’s elegance—no matter what architectural style you choose—brings eye-catching curb appeal that’s accentuated by the large yard that frames it. The clean lines, front porch, and exterior details distinguish this single-level home.
Once inside—passing through the Smart Door Delivery Center—you’re welcomed with a sunny foyer that leads directly to the open floor plan. You’ll first step into the gourmet kitchen, with all the design details that New Home Inc. includes. The kitchen blends seamlessly with the dining area in the center of the open plan, and then to the family room. The gas fireplace can be viewed from anywhere in the main living area, cozying up your home on a chilly day and adding an appealing focal point for decorating.
The home’s three bedrooms occupy the opposite side of The Clayton floor plan. The design provides for vestibule entries, giving more privacy. The two secondary bedrooms are comparable in size and closet space. Your family members share a full bath just outside their doors.
The owner’s suite, in the back corner of the floor plan, presents the kind of haven you need—and deserve. Like the other bedrooms, the entry is set off by a vestibule, with the laundry room on on your right and the bedroom straight ahead. The owner’s bedroom is large enough to accommodate a sitting area. You can add to the openness with the optional tray ceiling, finished with crown molding. The custom walk-in closet gives you more than storage; it’s a dressing room. And you’ll welcome the spa style of the owner’s bath, with dual sinks, private water closet, and super shower, or the choice of a shower and tub. You decide the details and make this essential space to your liking!
You’ll have plenty of room to add your furniture and accents on the rear patio, but you can extend it, too. Finish off the outdoor living space with a fireplace. Then, sit back and enjoy the view of your large backyard.
Cattail is growing in the town of Clayton, NC, which is just 14 miles southeast of Raleigh, making it a great location for heading into the city when you want. The town itself has become a popular Raleigh suburb, rapidly growing because of the appeal of small-town life with a lively and close knit community. Living in Clayton also means you have the lower tax rate of Johnston County—another plus of moving away from the city.
With the ongoing calendar of events throughout the town and the opportunities for recreation, living in Clayton, NC, will always give you as much activity as you want. Meanwhile, living at Cattail balances your life with lakefront serenity, natural surroundings, and the pleasure of a home that’s a custom fit for you.
Construction of the homes at Cattail has begun in the first two enclaves: The Peninsula at Cattail and The Preserve at Cattail. The Peninsula has just 21 lots directly on Cattail Lake, with others one street away. Contact any of the four builders to make your home here.
The Preserve sits a short walk from the lake, and is being exclusively developed by New Home Inc. The Clayton floor plan is available for you at either Cattail enclave.
If you’re ready for the benefits of single-level living in a waterfront home near Raleigh, NC, make plans now to visit Cattail. Contact a New Home Specialist to learn more about the opportunities to build here. Also take the time to browse quick move-in homes that are already under construction, expediting your move to Cattail!
You have many choices of new homes for sale near Raleigh, NC. When you know that a single-level home is right for you, look just beyond Raleigh, at Cattail in Clayton, NC.