Everything You Need to Know About SilverLeaf: A Q&A with Riverside Homes

If you drive around St. Johns County, you will see new businesses and developments popping up on every corner. A jewel in the highly coveted area: SilverLeaf. SilverLeaf is a master-planned community that is family-friendly and features resort-style amenities with no CDD fees. SilverLeaf is zoned for 10,700 dwelling units, 2,650,000 square feet of mixed-use commercial space, and more than 3,500 acres of beautiful conservation land. Once complete, SilverLeaf will be the largest community development in Northeast Florida. We recently sat down with Riverside Homes’ New Home Sales Consultant in SilverLeaf, Brian Thurston, to find out more about why so many homebuyers are choosing to call SilverLeaf home.

How would you describe SilverLeaf?

SilverLeaf is the premier “No CDD fee”, master-planned community in the heart of northern St. Johns County. A golf cart-friendly backdrop allows residents to take advantage of convenient access to amenities, retail, restaurants, and the all-inclusive outdoor lifestyle we enjoy year-round in Northeast Florida. Whether a quick commute to Jacksonville, a nice drive to historic St. Augustine, or a trip to the beach, SilverLeaf has you positioned in one of the most accessible communities in our area.

What types of neighborhoods are within SilverLeaf?

SilverLeaf is comprised of a wide variety of different neighborhoods. From multifamily luxury apartments and townhomes to single-family estate living, SilverLeaf has it all! We are also excited about the future equestrian properties that will be developed in the coming years.

Are there perks for SilverLeaf residents?

From resort-style amenities to an ideal location, SilverLeaf is a family-friendly, new home community where you can live, work, and play. Currently, residents enjoy the use of one main amenity center. A large clubhouse is surrounded by three pool structures, a splash park, an exciting playground, two dog parks, four tennis courts, and six pickleball courts. There are a total of six amenity centers planned for future construction, one of which is just getting started. 

One of the most important features to SilverLeaf residents is the fact the community is zoned in the #1-ranked K-12 public school district in Florida, St. Johns County.

The highly anticipated new retail space, SilverLeaf Commons will also be opening soon. With 39 individual units for shops and restaurants, it will greatly advance the community vibe and bring more business opportunities just steps away from Courtney Oaks and Silver Landing neighborhoods. Baptist Health will be building a 300,000 square foot Medical office complex to host as an anchor. Future commercial space includes a 165-acre town center, dedicated grocery retail plaza, along with many acres of additional retail, mixed-use, and parks.

Where is Riverside Homes building in SilverLeaf?

As of Spring 2022, Riverside Homes is sold out in SilverLeaf Village and wrapping up construction operations. Our residents here will be enjoying a completed neighborhood very soon! Riverside Homes is also actively selling and building in Silver Landing on larger 60 and 70-foot homesites. We are expecting to open two of our most popular and award-winning model homes, the Ortega and Hamilton plans, sometime in June 2022.

This month, we are excited to release Courtney Oaks, the up-and-coming exclusive gated section of SilverLeaf. Courtney Oaks will proudly offer our newest and most compelling floor plan lineup on 70 and 80-foot estate homesites. Located close to the northern entrance of the community, this neighborhood allows for easy access to the CR-210 shops and restaurants. We are anticipating opening the door to our incredible Stella II model in the Fall of 2022.

Can you describe the popular Riverside Homes floor plans and their features?

Riverside Homes has a brilliant architect who’s always on the cutting edge of what buyers want most. Our plans are known for their tall ceilings, smooth walls, oversized windows and doors, and capture of bright, natural light. All of our plans are designed with function and style in mind. Whether it’s dueling offices for those work-from-home gurus, in-law suites, flex rooms, lofts, bonus rooms (Florida basement), or recreation rooms, there is not much we can’t offer our buyers. Of course, open floor plans great for entertaining are cooked right into all of our captivating plans. If I had a dollar for every smile I’ve seen in our model homes, I’d be retired by now!

What is the process to build a Riverside Home in SilverLeaf?

We take great pride in walking our buyers through each step of the building process. First, we begin with a deeper conversation and consultation to understand exactly what floor plan will work best to accommodate a family’s lifestyle. There are of course a variety of different factors that play into this, but we always help the buyer with insight from our experience so they can make wise design and financial choices. Then we counsel them through the structural design process, to dial in just that right fit. Now it gets exciting for buyers, as we are ready to finalize the purchase and get the property off the market!

Once we have the property under agreement, the sales counselor will begin working with the office staff, architect, and engineers to plan and permit the buyer’s new home. We take a lot of pleasure in being the builder that keeps their buyers up to date with weekly communication all the way through the planning and building phases of their new home project.

During planning, our buyers will have their interior design meeting with a dedicated designer to help them through selecting cabinets, counters, flooring, faucets, lighting, tile work, and more. Our outstanding interior design team stays at the forefront of the latest trends and most timeless design elements. During each design appointment, our designers help homebuyers navigate interior and exterior selections to ensure we design a home that perfectly suits their family’s needs, matches their vision, and turns their house into a home.

Once we have permits, we can schedule an orientation with our buyer and their project manager and begin construction. We know this is an exciting time for buyers to see their dream come alive, so we keep them engaged with weekly updates and meetings at critical stages in construction. This allows our buyers to know all of the things we know each week and can keep tabs on their home’s progress.

When our buyer’s home is completed, we go through three extensive punch list phases to fine-tune all elements of fit and finish. When we feel as though we have given the new home all of our love, we are ready for the buyer’s new home orientation walk-through so they can learn all about their home. This is also a time for us to further fine-tune fit and finish, but generally, this is a very short list since we have already completed all the heavy lifting.

A week later, it’s time for the final walk-through, closing, handing over title and deed, along with keys. New Home Day has arrived!

What makes SilverLeaf the ideal place to live?

Premium commutability, resort-style amenities, on-site retail & dining, and no CDD fees are what make St. Augustine’s SilverLeaf community the ideal place to live in Northeast Florida.

Can you give us a sneak peek at what’s to come for SilverLeaf? 

Check out the overall site plan below and you can get a sneak peek at what’s to come in SilverLeaf. To follow along with the progress on the Courtney Oaks neighborhood and to be the first to reserve a lot, please click here (link click here to https://myriversidehome.com/communities/courtney-oaks-at-silverleaf/). To stay updated on SilverLeaf Commons and view renderings, please click here (link click here to https://www.colliers.com/en/properties/silverleaf-commons/usa-218-silver-forest-drive-st-augustine-fl-32092/usa1093567).

To learn more about building with Riverside Homes in SilverLeaf please visit MyRiversideHome.com or call (904) 530-4720. If you are ready to call SilverLeaf home contact the real estate experts at Davidson Realty today at (904) 940-5000.