In May, KB Home, the No. 7 company on the 2026 Builder 100 list, expanded operations into Atlanta, one of the nation’s largest new-home markets. The company acquired 100 homesites in Atlanta and plans to open its first Atlanta community, Whitley Meadows, in early 2027.
For a builder with top-five market shares in several Western metros, including Tucson, Arizona; Seattle; Las Vegas; and Sacramento, Riverside, and Los Angeles in California, the Atlanta expansion is part of a concerted effort to scale in the Southeast.
“Expanding into Atlanta also strengthens our growing presence across the Southeast alongside our Charlotte and Raleigh divisions,” says Atlanta division president Bill Schmidt. “We believe our focus on high-quality, customizable homes and affordable prices will resonate with home buyers in the area.”
As part of the Atlanta expansion, KB Home tapped industry veteran Schmidt as the Atlanta division president. Schmidt has three and a half decades of experience, including over 25 years in the Atlanta market with local and national builders. He joined KB Home in 2025, helping establish the builder’s strategy in Atlanta and positioning the division for future growth. The company said his experience, familiarity with local leadership, and market knowledge will help KB Home identify the right opportunities and deliver homes that resonate with Atlanta buyers.
BUILDER spoke with Schmidt to discuss KB Home’s entrance plan into Atlanta and growth strategy for the market.
What was the process of evaluating Atlanta, identifying land parcels, and standing up a division to operate in the new market?
Expanding into a new market is a thoughtful process, and for us, it starts with having the right team in place. As we evaluated the opportunity in Atlanta, we were able to bring on veteran leadership with extensive local experience in home building and land acquisition. That combination of strong market fundamentals, our disciplined approach, and experienced local leadership lead to establishing our new Atlanta division and recently, our first land acquisition in the area.
How do the demographics and dynamics of the Atlanta market compare to other KB markets in the Southeast?
We see many of the same positive fundamentals in Atlanta that we’ve experienced in our Charlotte and Raleigh markets. All three continue to benefit from strong job growth, population growth driven by people relocating from other parts of the country, continued corporate investment, and a need for affordable housing. Those similarities give us confidence as we expand into Atlanta, and we believe the experience and insights we’ve gained in Charlotte and Raleigh will provide a strong foundation for building our presence in this new market.
How does the company feel its built-to-order approach will resonate with buyers in the Atlanta market?
Our built-to-order approach resonates with buyers in all our markets, and we’re confident that will be the case in Atlanta. Many buyers today value the opportunity to personalize their home to fit their lifestyle and budget. Instead of choosing all the features of a home and then trying to sell it to a home buyer, our customers get to choose what they want based on what matters more to them and their budget. Our competitive build times, averaging just four months, means buyers can get a house with their specific choices in the same amount of time that it might take to purchase a re-sale home. Combined with our affordable prices and pricing transparency, we offer a differentiated home buying experience for today’s buyers.
What regions or submarkets within Atlanta are most attractive for KB Home?
We’re evaluating opportunities across the broader Atlanta market, and we currently see a big opportunity in North Atlanta. As with any new market, we take a thoughtful approach to growth, focusing on getting land at the right prices and building communities in growth areas where underlying demand for our homes is poised to be the strongest.
What is the company’s timeline for the market beyond the initial launch of Whitley Meadows in early 2027?
Whitley Meadows is just the beginning of our long-term plans for Atlanta. We’re actively working to grow the division and have several additional communities already under contract. As we thoughtfully expand our footprint, our goal is to build a strong, sustainable presence in the market.
Are there volume targets or community opening targets the company hopes to achieve in the short-term?
As we establish our presence in Atlanta, our near-term focus is on building a strong foundation for the division. We currently anticipate opening three communities in 2027, which we believe provides the right pace to thoughtfully introduce the KB Home brand to the market while positioning us for continued growth in the years ahead.
