9758 Lenox Hill

There are houses that get built, and then there are homes that get crafted. This is the latter. Sitting behind the controlled-access gates of Cantera Hills, this brand-new single-story home represents everything Japhet Builders puts into a custom build. The hand-crafted ceiling beams that anchor the interior are not a design choice made from a catalog - they are the work of craftsmen, shaped and fitted the way finish work used to be done before speed became the priority. At 1.6 acres on a quiet cul-de-sac with bluff views, the setting earns its price of admission. Four bedrooms - all on one level - surround a central layout built around two anchors: a great room and a double-island kitchen that's a destination in itself. That's not a kitchen where people take turns. It's where multiple people cook, kids do homework at the breakfast bar, and someone is always hovering because something smells good. It opens to the family room, which opens to the covered patio, which looks out over the kind of backyard that makes guests put down their phones. A lot of this size makes a pool and spa an easy addition. The primary suite is a proper retreat - separate closets, dual vanities, freestanding tub, and walk-through shower, quiet on its own end of the home. The 3 secondary bedrooms are opposite the primary, and each has its own bathroom and walk-in closet. The dedicated study can convert to a fifth bedroom if needed. A formal dining room with a custom wine closet, oversized utility room, and a three-car side-entry garage round out a floor plan designed by people who have actually lived in homes and know what gets used. Construction finished this month. Move-in ready, close in 30 days or less. It's done - and it's exactly what a custom home from Japhet Builders should be.