Clayton

Clayton is a little hideaway neighborhood to the east of Concord. It skirts the northern edge of Mt. Diablo—for those who are not familiar with Contra Costa County, this is the large mountain that you see to the east when you coming into Contra Costa County on Highway 24. You can actually see if from as far away as Stockton, I’m told and if you care to you can hike up to its summit and see over the Contra Costas to the Golden Gate Bridge. (On a clear day, anyway.)

People—those who live in the area and know about it—generally like Clayton, because of its slightly off the beaten track location, nice views of Mount Diablo and nice neighborhoods.

Clayton is actually made up of multiple neighborhoods: Seeno Hill area on the northern end (mixed in with the Oakhurst Golf Course and Country Club); Peacock Creek, to the hilly east, made up of nice, 80’s style Contemporary homes; Briarwood, Dana Ridge, and Bridlewood with there really nice variations on the Ranch home neighborhood that is a staple of Cali; Easely Estates’s 70’s version of Contemporary homes; Regency Woods with its very nice red tiled roofs and Contemporaries.

Seeno Hill, btw, is named after Albert Seeno of the Seeno family whose many real estate development and construction firms have made his family fortunes by putting up many such neighborhoods. (Seeno himself lives on Seeno Hill in a giant mansion in the old William Randal Hearst style—though, of course, nowhere near as lavish.)

Seeno is a bit of a controversial figure, having been accused of destroying frog habitat and that sort of thing. He is definitely one of those old style, hardnosed businessman who knows how to build homes and make his money, no denying that.
(There is also a famous “creepy oak tree” up on one side of his property that has its own Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/creepytree. Okay, not that creepy, but nice photos if you like that sort of thing.)

The median home price is just over $500 K. With prices ranging from around $350 K to $765 K, roughly.)

To the south of this is the center of Clayton, where you will find the Post Office and the usual things that you would expect, including a couple of restaurants, La Veranda and Ed’s Mudville Grill and a Skipolini’s Pizza. There really isn’t much to it.

As to schools and crime, it is exactly what you expect in an affluent neighborhood like this: great schools and virtually no violence.

It is a pretty nice spot, and will no doubt continue to expand once the real estate market picks up again.

Clayton is an absolutely beautiful town located at the base of Mt. Diablo.
Some of the best hiking and biking trails, outstanding schools, and one of the safest cities in America is reason enough to consider Clayton as a good place to establish family roots.But it is the people of Clayton and their involvement in their community that make it so special.From the extra programs offered in the schools to the Old Fashioned 4th of July Parade and Carnival, to the Art and Wine Festival,Oktoberfest,and free concerts in the park during summer months there is always something going on in this very social town.
The one drawback are the home prices...high even by California standards.For those who are in the position of purchasing in this buyers market,it would be very hard to beat Clayton's lifestyle.