Northern Exposures

With family and friends nearby, active adults shun the Sun Belt and just stay put.

By Pat Curry

Top Trends

  • More multi-generational communities
  • Age restrictions are less in demand
  • Smaller villages
  • More home office space and greater tech capabilities
  • Younger buyers
  • Multi-use clubhouses
  • More singles, both men and women
  • More fitness facilities

    • More treadmills, less mah jongg: The age of the active adult has decreased by 10 years, from 60-plus to 50-plus. Buyers want more fitness features, but fewer big sport amenities.

    1 PULTE CORP., Bloomfield Hills, Mich.* 6,294 3,000 3,294 27% $2,000,000,000
    2 WCI COMMUNITIES, Bonita Springs, Fla. 1,700 284 1,416 85% $950,000,000
    3 LENNAR, Miami. 3,600 1,980 1,620 15% $820,000,000
    4 THE VILLAGES,The Villages, Fla. 2,074 2,074 0 100% $401,508,000
    5 ROBSON COMMUNITIES, Sun Lakes, Ariz. 1,114 1,114 0 100% $273,443,618
    6 SHEA HOMES, Scottsdale, Ariz. 1,209 709 500 22% $257,000,000
    7 D.R. HORTON, Arlington, Texas 1,200 500 700 3% $240,000,000
    8 K. HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, Red Bank, N.J. 750 14 N/A 11% $199,803,000
    9 LEVITT AND SONS, Boca Raton, Fla. 627 618 N/A 83% $155,300,000
    10 WATERMARK LTD., Maumee, Ohio 47 0 47 100% $86,000,000
    11 SUNRISE COLONY CO., Las Vegas 272 272 0 39% $79,000,000
    12 TOLL BROTHERS, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. 213 191 22 5% $64,371,000
    13 VILLAGE HOMES OF COLORADO, Littleton, Colo. 201 0 201 45% $58,349,000
    14 CENTERLINE HOMES, Coral Spring, Fla. 227 191 36 50% $43,397,000
    15 THE KLAR ORGANIZATION, East Meadows, N.Y. 275 75 140 30% $38,000,000
    16 THE EPCON GROUP, Dublin, Ohio 208 N/A N/A 65% $35,000,000
    17 IDI GROUP COS., Silver Spring, Md. 150 115 N/A 100% $32,000,000
    18 CONTINENTAL HOMES, Scottsdale, Ariz. 184 184 0 12% $28,000,000
    19 METROPOLITAN HOMES, Denver 130 0 130 100% $26,000,000
    20 FARNSWORTH DEVELOPMENT, Mesa, Ariz. 142 142 0 100% $22,298,271
    21 FLORIDA LEISURE COMMUNITIES, CORP., Lakeland, Fla. 143 98 45 75% $22,180,000
    22 THE MCKEE GROUP, Springfield, Pa. 93 93 0 100% $20,492,018
    23 RITZ CRAFT CORP., Mifflinburg, Pa. 400 400 0 30% $19,500,000
    24 BENCHMARK BUILDERS, Wilmington, Del. 49 45 4 60% $13,600,000
    24 THE ROTTLUND CO., Roseville, Minn. 85 85 0 5% $13,600,000
    26 ROGERS DEVELOPMENT CO., Loves Park, Ill. 115 65 50 75% $13,225,000
    27 HUGHES DEVELOPMENT, Mesa, Ariz. 84 84 0 100% $12,500,000
    27 JENSEN'S RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES, Southington, Conn. 125 125 0 95% $12,500,000
    29 SITTERLE HOMES, San Antonio 41 41 0 47% $10,466,166
    30 MARRANO/MARC EQUITY CORP., West Seneca, N.Y. 40 38 2 20% $6,160,000

    *Figures include five months as a combined company with Del Webb Corp., headquartered in Phoenix.

    Mature market: This list shows detached and attached units sold to age-qualified or age-targeted buyers. Units closed do not include congregate or assisted-living components.

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    BIG BUILDER Magazine, April 2002