Trilogy by Shea Homes Again Ranks Highest in
Satisfaction for Active Adult Communities
Del Webb in Las Vegas, Sacrament; Shea Trilogy
Phoenix honored in J.D. Power study; active adult home buyers report
a slightly greater number of problems
Sept. 10, 2008 - Trilogy by Shea Homes ranks
highest in customer satisfaction among the largest active adult
community home builders for a second consecutive year, according to the
J.D. Power and Associates 2008 New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction
Study released today.
The study includes satisfaction rankings of
builders in 33 of the largest U.S. home-building markets and measures
buyer satisfaction in active adult communities by examining the
following key factors (listed in order of importance):
1. workmanship/materials;
2. builder’s warranty/customer service;
3. price/value;
4. home readiness;
5. construction manager;
6. builder’s sales staff;
7. recreational facilities;
8. builder’s design center; and
9. location.
The study finds that overall customer satisfaction
with active adult new-home builders averages 808 in 2008—32 points
higher than satisfaction among average new-home buyers (776).
Trilogy by Shea Homes receives a score of 872 on a
1,000-point scale and performs particularly well in seven of nine
factors: workmanship/materials; builder’s warranty/customer service;
price/value; home readiness; construction manager; builder’s sales
staff; and builder’s design center.
Following Trilogy by Shea in the active adult brand
rankings are Centex Homes (852); Del Webb (812); and Meritage Homes
(811). Centex performs particularly well in the location factor, while
Del Webb performs well in the recreational facilities factor.
“Nearly three in four active adult home buyers
report that they are moving from a newly constructed home into another
newly constructed home, which indicates that an opportunity exists for
home builders to create a lasting relationship with owners as their
lifestyles change,” said Paula Sonkin, executive vice president of the
real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and
Associates.
“Builder brand reputation is particularly important
among active adult home buyers, so providing high levels of customer
satisfaction among typical home buyers can potentially result in future
active adult home sales.”
The study finds that active adult home buyers
report experiencing a slightly greater number of problems with their new
home than the average new home buyer (1,173 problems per 100 homes vs.
1,152 problems per 100 homes).
However, problem resolution rates tend to be
slightly higher among active adult owners, compared with rates of the
general new-home population. Approximately 41 percent of active adult
buyers report that all of their construction problems were ultimately
resolved, compared with 39 percent of all home buyers.
The study also highlights select active adult
communities that perform within the top 10 percent of qualifying
communities with their respective markets.
These Active Adult Communities of Distinction are:
● Glenbrooke, Sacramento, Calif. (Del Webb)
● Sun City Mesquite, Las Vegas, Nev. (Del Webb)
● Vistancia, Phoenix, Ariz., (Trilogy by Shea
Homes)
More than one-half of active adult buyers are
located in five markets: Phoenix (17%); Las Vegas (9%); Northern New
Jersey (9%); Chicago (8%); and Inland Empire, Calif. (7%).
“Active adult home-buyers are increasingly choosing
to retire ‘in place’ and to stay closer to their children and
grandchildren than to relocate to a completely new area,” said Sonkin.
“As this trend endures and as the baby boomer
generation continues to age, active adult home builders will have
greater opportunities to expand into markets outside more traditional
retirement areas.”
The 2008 New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction
Study is based on responses from 50,837 buyers of newly built
single-family homes who provided feedback after living in their homes an
average of four to 18 months.
The study includes responses from 4,966 active
adult home buyers. For more comprehensive builder rankings for all 33
U.S. markets, visit
www.jdpower.com
NOTE: To be included in the active
adult brank ranking, brands must be represented in at least
two of the 33 markets surveyed and must receeive a minimum
number of surveysw completed by active adult home buyers.
Source: J.D. Power and Associates
2008 New-Home Builder Satisfaction Study
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