The results are in! Which Utah home builder was the King of the Wasatch Mountains?
Will the self-proclaimed "Utah's Number One Homebuilder," Ivory Homes, beat the stiff competition? Edge Homes, Lennar, DR Horton, and David Weekly should not be taken lightly. Who will come out on top?
Who Are The Top Utah Home Builders?
#1 Utah Home Builder Is DR Horton!
Data Source: Salt Lake Realtors Magazine. March 2023 Issue.
What To Look For In A Builder
Pro Tip: Keep Your Design Center Upgrades To A Minimum.
As a full-time Utah discount Realtor since 2006, I've closed countless real estate transactions with builders in Utah. Here's what I would look for if I were to build a house for my family.
Does The Builder Cooperate With Real Estate Agents?
Many home builders are difficult for agents to work with. Since most home buyers hire real estate agents, working with cooperative homebuilders is essential.
DOES THE BUILDER COMMUNICATE OFTEN?
Building a new home is a very stressful process. Working with a quality builder that keeps you and your agent in the loop throughout the build process will eliminate a few unnecessary gray hairs.
IS THE HOME READY FOR THEIR FINAL WALK-THROUGH?
This seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how often buyers show up for the final walk-through, and the home is not move-in ready.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE BUYER IS HAPPY THEY PURCHASED A HOME WITH THE BUILDER.
After going through the stressful process of building a home instead of buying an existing house for less money, the last thing you want is to be disappointed with your new home. You should love your new home!
Sign-In Sheets Eliminate The Buyer's Right To Have An Agent.
This is a big one. Anyone who has visited a builder's model home realizes the builder's agent immediately requests you to sign in.
Why do they do that? Well, it's for a couple of reasons. One reason is so they can follow up with you and try to sell you a new home in one of their communities. So annoying!
The other reason is if you visit a model home without your Realtor, there is a good chance they will not allow you to have an agent represent you to purchase one of their new homes.
Eliminating the buyer's agent commission does not mean the buyer will receive a lower price.
Unlike buying an existing home from a homeowner, home builders have the future value of all home prices in the community to protect.
Lowering the price because you don't have an agent will guarantee lower prices for the builder's future homes in the same community. This is one reason the builder is unlikely to lower the price because you don't have an agent.
The Builder Makes More Money.
The model home agent is the builder's team member, not your friend. They are experienced agents that work for the builder, and you should be careful about sharing too much information.
The commission rebate is another reason ($ usually thousands of reasons $) to work with an experienced discount real estate agent.
How To Get A Commission Rebate With A Builder
Register Aaron Peters as your agent when visiting builder model homes to protect your right to have an agent and receive a commission rebate. I've been awarded the "Top 500 Utah Realtor" in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. For context, there are over 15,000 licensed real estate agents in Utah.
Register Me As Your Agent
Give this info to any builder to register me as your agent.
Aaron Peters
801-243-8900
NetLogix Realty
License # 6390407-AB00
Aaron@DiscountAgent.com
- Make an offer to purchase one of the builder's new homes.
- Receive up to 50% of the commission rebate after closing or towards buyer closing costs.
- Tell all your friends how smart you are for working with a top-producing Utah discount real estate agent.
My minimum buyer's agent commission is 1.5%.
Our Top Utah Home Builder Picks
Edge Homes
EDGEhomes is experiencing explosive growth. With over 25 years of building experience, EDGEhomes has an excellent management team. They are savvy at acquiring land and streamlining the new home-buying process.
Edge offers home buyers a fantastic home for a very reasonable price. With townhomes and single-family homes in new communities in Salt Lake County and Utah County, buyers will find a house that meets their needs. On top of being one of Utah's most honest, quality builders, Edge provides their clients with a 10-year home warranty, making building with Edge the easy choice.
Edge Homes Quick Move-In Homes
Oakwood Homes
We're unsure why Oakwood Homes is not on the top 2022 list. I know they sold homes because I sold some in Saratoga Springs in 2022 and South Jordan, Stansbury Park, West Valley, and Lehi.
Oakwood Homes have perfected the art of building amazing energy-efficient homes. Oakwood includes upgrades in their base price that other builders charge handsomely for at the design center. With a custom home feel at a very reasonable price, Oakwood is one of the local home builders you can trust.
Oakwood Homes Quick Move-In Homes
DR Horton
DR Horton is by far the largest home builder in the country and Utah. They offer lower pricing than most builders in Utah, but you don't get the same quality as Oakwood or Edge.
They stand behind their product, and I've never had any issues with DR Horton over the decades I've sold new construction homes. DR Horton is an excellent fit for budget-conscious home buyers looking to buy a new home in one of Utah's up-and-coming communities.
David Weekly
New single-family homes by David Weekly can be challenging to find, but if you do, consider yourself lucky. They build exceptional houses for a great price and offer a ten-year warranty against structural defects.
David Weekly has a new community in Highland and two new build communities in Riverton(55+ community) and South Jordan.
David Weekly Quick Move-In Homes
Sage Homes (Custom Home Builder)
Sage Homes is a custom home builder based in Utah. The company prides itself on creating beautiful, high-quality homes customized to each client's needs.
Sage Homes is a top choice for anyone looking to build the home of their dreams.
CW Urban
One of Utah's newer builders, C.W. Urban, is building quality modern townhomes and single-family homes in Salt Lake City, Layton, Mountain Green, and Farmington.
They pride themselves in taking a different approach from all the other cookie-cutter home builders. They recognize that building someone's home shouldn't be a short-term process that spits out mediocre houses for a quick profit.
They pride themselves in approaching new construction as a movement that homeowners will be proud to call home.
C.W. Urban Quick Move-In Homes
FIG - Fourplex Investment Group
FIG didn't make the top 65 builders list above, either. That's not because they're not selling plenty of new construction. It's because the list is comprised of single-family home sales, not investment properties.
FIG is the only reputable builder I know that builds investment properties.
The Fourplex Investment Group (FIG) is a Utah-based home builder specializing in constructing quality multi-family rental properties, specifically fourplexes. FIG offers Utah investors the opportunity to purchase brand new units that cash flow.
Your next dream home is only 10-12 months away! Unless you're fortunate enough to avoid the building process and purchase one of their quick move-in homes.
This post was about Utah home builders. Now you should understand what to expect when working with a builder specializing in custom homes in Park City, a modern condo in Salt Lake City, a townhome in West Jordan, or an existing model home in Saratoga Springs. Do your due diligence before committing to any builder.