Single-level courtyard homes designed around how life changes
Epcon builds single-level homes wrapped around a private garden courtyard, and eight of its communities sit within roughly half an hour of Raleigh. Four are selling or opening soon. Four are established neighborhoods where homes become available only when a current owner sells.
This page explains what these homes are actually like, the structural-choice deadline that catches many new-construction buyers off guard, how to evaluate a home site, and where each local community stands.
The courtyard is the whole idea
Instead of putting the outdoor space behind the house and simply calling it a yard, the floor plan wraps around an enclosed garden courtyard in the middle. Nearly every window except the front-facing ones looks into it. The homes sit close to their neighbors, and the private courtyard is what makes that arrangement work.
Everything used daily is on the ground floor, including the owner’s suite. Some plans offer a second-floor bonus suite with a bedroom, full bath, and sitting area. It may begin as guest space and later become an office, hobby room, or flexible retreat. Stairs remain a choice rather than a daily requirement.
Some layouts also offer features that may matter more in year fifteen than year one: wider doorways and hallways, lever handles, level thresholds, and walk-in showers without a curb. The design does not need to feel clinical. Many buyers simply prefer the convenience.
The lifestyle tradeoff should feel right before the model-home tour
The association handles landscaping and maintains shared amenities through homeowner dues. That arrangement feels liberating to some buyers and restrictive to others.
It may fit well if you value:
- Less time spent mowing, trimming, and coordinating routine yard care
- The ability to lock the door and travel without arranging exterior maintenance
- Clubhouse, pool, fitness, walking, and other shared amenities
- Main-level living that can continue to work as needs change
- A private courtyard without maintaining a conventional large yard
Consider carefully whether you are comfortable with:
- Ongoing association dues and possible changes after homeowner turnover
- Architectural rules affecting exterior paint, plantings, and alterations
- Paying for shared amenities whether you use them frequently or not
- Closer home placement than in many conventional subdivisions
- Less freedom to redesign the exterior environment independently
Your choices arrive in two batches with very different rules
Structural decisions affect the foundation and framing. Finish selections affect the surfaces and materials installed later. Confusing the two can close off an option permanently.
Structural choices
These change how the house is built and are generally locked before the purchase agreement is signed.
- Screened porch off the owner’s suite
- Second-floor bonus suite
- Kitchen-layout changes
- Fireplace and adjacent window configuration
- Shower layout and accessibility features
Finish selections
These are typically chosen at a later design appointment within the selection period stated in the contract.
- Cabinets and hardware
- Countertops and backsplash
- Flooring
- Paint
- Fixtures and decorative finishes
Choose the plan and lot together, not in sequence
Bigger plans and certain structural options may require larger home sites. A lot that looks ideal can quietly rule out the porch, bonus suite, or exterior configuration you wanted.
Earlier buyers usually have the widest choice of lots, plans, and exterior colors. Builders also limit how many identical plans and colors can sit together, so later buyers choose from what remains.
Plan, lot, and structural decisions
Confirm compatibility and price structural options before signing.
Purchase agreement and deposits
Review builder-specific terms, deadlines, delays, and change-order rules.
Permitting and early scheduling
The earliest weeks can look quiet while permits, trades, and materials are coordinated.
Construction and pre-drywall inspection
Hire an independent inspector while the walls remain open.
Final inspection, walkthrough, and closing
The last portion often feels slower; verify punch-list and warranty procedures before closing.
Mostly no—design and legal restriction are different things
Epcon positions itself as an alternative to age-restricted communities, and most of its neighborhoods carry no age restriction on the deed. Locally, The Courtyards at Wimberly in Apex is the one designated 55+ community.
A community designed with older buyers in mind is not automatically a legally age-restricted community. The first is a design and lifestyle choice. The second is a recorded restriction in the governing documents.
Four current or upcoming communities and four established neighborhoods
Opening dates, pricing, incentives, inventory, and amenities can change. Request current details before relying on any published status.
See where the eight Epcon communities sit across the Triangle
Gold markers identify communities selling now or opening soon. Blue markers identify established neighborhoods where homes are available through resale.
Map locations are provided for general orientation. Questions about a community? Call or text Carolyn at 919-500-6159.
Selling now and opening soon
Explore community pages and current updatesThe Courtyards at Oak Grove
DurhamThe current local community offering both single-family homes and townhomes, with clubhouse, fitness, pool, pavilion, dog park, community garden, trails, pickleball, and bocce. Some quicker-move-in opportunities may be available.
View Community Page →The Courtyards at Holly Grove
Holly SpringsPlanned on Avent Ferry Road with a mix of single-family homes and townhomes featuring first-floor owner’s suites. Clubhouse, fitness center, and pool are planned.
View Community Page →The Courtyards at Wimberly
Apex · Green Level areaThe locally designated 55+ Epcon community, with clubhouse, fitness center, and pool planned. Verify the recorded restriction and current release schedule before making a decision.
Dedicated community page coming soonThe Courtyards at Jacobs Creek
Apex · Green Level RoadPlanned with ranch homes and townhomes, together with clubhouse, fitness center, pool, and walking trails. Availability and home-site releases should be confirmed directly.
Explore Jacobs Creek →Established neighborhoods · resale only
Homes become available when a current owner sellsThe Courtyards at West Cary
CaryEvaluate the existing courtyard orientation, bonus-suite configuration, shower design, HOA history, reserves, and any prior special assessments.
View Community Page →Courtyards at O’Kelly Chapel
CaryResale availability can be limited, making early awareness and a property-specific review especially important when a home is listed.
Dedicated community page coming soonThe Courtyards at Heritage Grove
Wake ForestA completed community with an established association history. Review current dues, reserves, assessments, amenities, and the original owner’s selected options.
The Courtyards at Andrews Chapel
DurhamEstablished-home evaluation replaces builder selections: condition, courtyard orientation, floor-plan options, HOA records, and current market position matter most.
View Community Page →The Courtyards at Heritage Grove
The Courtyards at Heritage Grove sits in Wake Forest, where Epcon began building in 2014 and finished out at 83 single-level ranch homes. Floor plans run roughly 1,519 to 2,769 square feet, with two or three bedrooms, a two-and-a-half-car garage, an optional second-floor bonus suite, and the private garden courtyard that anchors every Epcon design. Residents share a clubhouse with a fitness room and an outdoor pool, along with walking paths and ponds threaded through the neighborhood. Epcon sold out here, so every home that comes to market now is a resale.
Want to know what is available at Heritage Grove? Schedule a no-pressure consultation at calendly.com/carolyn-cteliving, or call or text 919-500-6159.
The Courtyards at Jacobs Creek
The Courtyards at Jacobs Creek is Epcon’s newest Apex community, planned for 168 homes off Green Level Road and scheduled to open in winter 2026. The mix here is broader than most Epcon neighborhoods, pairing single-level ranch homes with a townhome series rather than offering ranch homes alone. Plans call for a clubhouse with a fitness center, a pool, and walking trails. Nothing has released yet, which makes this the one to watch if you would rather have first choice of home site than whatever is left at the end of a phase.
Thinking about Jacobs Creek? Schedule a no-pressure consultation at calendly.com/carolyn-cteliving, or call or text 919-500-6159.
The model home is the easy part
Representation, contract terms, real HOA costs, incentives, and decision deadlines are where careful preparation changes the outcome.
Bring your agent to the first visit
Builder registration rules can affect whether an agent may represent you after the first walk-in.
Read the builder’s contract carefully
Deposit terms, delays, change orders, deadlines, and remedies differ from standard resale forms.
Ask what the dues will really be
Review the projected budget, coverage, capital contributions, and what may change after turnover.
Treat builder marketing as marketing
Learn the process, but separate useful information from pressure to make a faster decision.
Compare financing honestly
Count rates, lender fees, credits, upgrades, and the cost of losing incentives—not only the headline offer.
Take 47 questions to your first Epcon appointment.
Request the complete checklist covering pricing, structural choices, home sites, HOA costs, amenities, inspections, construction, financing, warranty service, and representation.
- The download button appears immediately after submission.
- The same download link is sent to your email for later reference.
- No consultation or representation agreement is required.
Epcon communities and new-construction buying
Are Epcon communities age restricted?
Most are not. Epcon markets itself as an alternative to age-restricted communities, and the majority of its neighborhoods carry no age restriction. Locally, The Courtyards at Wimberly in Apex is the one designated 55+.
Who builds Epcon homes in the Raleigh area?
The local communities are built under the Epcon name by a builder operating as Epcon Communities Raleigh, using Epcon’s floor plans and designs. Worth asking at the sales office who specifically signs your contract and who handles warranty work after you close.
What is the difference between a structural option and a finish selection?
Structural options change how the house is built, such as a screened porch or the bonus suite, and are chosen before you sign the purchase agreement. Finish selections cover cabinets, counters, flooring, and paint, and are chosen afterward within the window your contract sets.
What do the HOA dues cover?
Landscape maintenance is handled by the association, and dues generally fund the shared amenities as well. Amounts vary by community, and in the newer neighborhoods the figure comes from the sales office along with the projected budget.
How long does it take to build an Epcon home?
Plan on roughly a year from contract to closing, with permitting, weather, and materials all capable of moving that. The builder is the only reliable source for a current estimate on a specific home.
Can I use my own agent when buying new construction?
Yes, and the timing matters. Most builders want your agent with you on the first visit or registered in advance. The on-site sales consultant is knowledgeable and genuinely helpful, and also works for the builder rather than for you.
Should I get my own inspection on a brand-new home?
Yes. City inspections confirm the home meets code; they are not a workmanship review done on your behalf. An inspection before drywall and another before closing is money well spent.
What is a bonus suite in an Epcon floor plan?
An optional second-floor space with a bedroom, full bath, and sitting area, and on some plans a kitchenette. Because everything you need is already downstairs, it works as flexible space for guests, an office, or a hobby room rather than as part of daily living.
Know what locks at signing before you fall in love with the model.
Touring a model home is straightforward. Understanding which decisions close early, how the lot affects the plan, what the builder contract says, and which costs continue after closing is where having someone in your corner changes the process.
Information and non-affiliation disclaimer
Information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. Community details, builder offerings, pricing, incentives, availability, construction timelines, homeowners association fees, amenities, age restrictions, school assignments, zoning, taxes, floor plans, and other property-related information may change without notice.
Buyers and sellers should independently verify all information with the appropriate builder, developer, homeowners association, school district, government agency, lender, attorney, inspector, or other qualified professional before making a real estate decision. Nothing on this website constitutes legal, tax, financial, lending, inspection, engineering, or construction advice. Any real estate representation is established only through a separate written agreement.
Carolina Triangle Estates and Carolyn Graven are not affiliated with, employed by, sponsored by, or endorsed by Epcon Communities or any related builder or developer entity. Builder and community names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Carolina Triangle Estates
Carolyn Graven, NC License #319609
Keller Williams Elite Realty
245 NC-54, Ste 101, Unit-01, Durham, NC 27713
919-500-6159
cteliving.com
