Bowen Family Homes - homebuilder feedback (Austin, Laredo: sales, foreclosures, rentals)

[TonyBinCO]

Looking a one of their homes. Does anyone have any feedback positive/negative?

Thanks.

[jwb123]

Be glad they offer a one year warranty! You will need it. We rented a Bowen home when we first moved here.

Curious where you are looking though... PM if it's "Forest Creek"

[texasgirl1]

We've lived in our Bowen home about 1.5 yrs.

Just do what any other homebuyer should do when buying any new home and get a 3rd party inspector. We had some issues with wait time and follow up on warranty issues like grout that dissolved in the shower, our kitchen sink wasn't properly installed and fell one day, nothing major though. They do build a nice home with features that other builders don't include like the kitchen features and the wood trim around all windows.

[TonyBinCO]

They have a few homes in Twin Creeks we're considering.
JenBar - what kind of trouble did you have?

[jwb123]

We lived in it brand new - first occupants... also, I can only speak to what I have seen in the Forest Creek subdivisions. I am not familiar with them elsewhere. We lived in the Laredo (I think) model.

When they were building that section, they had some internal staffing issues. Had a hard time keeping on a construction manager... and as such, many of the homes sat sat sat in various states of being unfinished for months and months....

Due to that, in this particular section, I think there was sloppy work done. MANY of the homes had issues with the upstairs bathroom leaking through light fixtures in the ceiling, and windows being excessively leaky....

Now, they have moved onto another section in FC, and they are putting them up in record time, within a couple of months - and I also think that's a little extreme... I wouldn't want a house that sat forever, undone - and on the flipside, I wouldn't want a house thrown up in 2 months....

Also, they sell to investors. In high volume. They take what would be a nice community, and turn it into a rental community - where the majority of the homes on a particular street, are owned by people in CA. If you can't "afford" a home, they high pressure sales you into accepting a "lease to own" and have one of their investors buy the property, charge a high interest, and you still are stuck with things like property taxes, etc.

On a side note, they are involved in what's about to be a large legal battle over here with a "Deceptive Trade Practices" suit between a group of homeowners, another builder and the area developer....


On the positive side, they do produce an attractive home and don't nickel and dime you on options. They offer more as standard than some other homebuilders.

[TonyBinCO]

Thanks for that info. If nothing else it will give us some leverage if we decide to put in an offer. We're looking at homes that are 'move-in ready', so the construction delays aren't a consideration.

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

....

Also, they sell to investors. In high volume. They take what would be a nice community, and turn it into a rental community - where the majority of the homes on a particular street, are owned by people in CA.

Round Rock 78664 #6 in Texas for foreclosures, and #182 in the country right now.

Austinist: Round Rock Zip Code High on Foreclosure List

I wonder if it is related to layoffs, or investor activity gone bad, or both. We sold at a loss in zipcode 78664 in March '05, and the per square foot in our neighborhood has actually gone down by about a $1 vs. our selling price. We were in Sonoma.

I would be concerned if an area had a builder that could actually worsen the situation. Especially a lawsuit, if it has to be disclosed if you were trying to sell during litigation timeframes.

[jwb123]

We're looking at homes that are 'move-in ready', so the construction delays aren't a consideration.

Well my point wasn't really construction delays, but rather construction that is mismanaged and possibly sloppy. Your "move in ready" home could have sat for months, or thrown up in months, like I was referencing above.

Like I said, just be thankful for the one year warranty - and be prepared to use it. My issues weren't isolated. We had a Yahoo group when I was living over there and many of the neighbors were having the same issues. (leaks, windows and other things)

I walk every morning through the new Bowen section going up. Some of it looks fine, some of it - my walking partner and I both say, "What is with that???"

If you can find a better, comparable builder - I think it would be worth your effort. They aren't KB Home "bad" but I wouldn't put them on the same level as some other builders...

The questionable construction quality, accompanied with some of their business practices, in my opinion, should give you pause - but ultimately, I am not saying it's a bad decision to buy from them - but just keep your eyes open and ask a ton of questions. Get things in writing.

I would also see if you can check into the neighborhood a bit and see who your neighbors are, etc. Go on the appraisal district website and see if the people in the neighborhood/street you are looking are generally owner-occupied or what...

Oh, I read in another forum (I think it may have been Florida or Georgia) that Bowen had similar issues in those states - so you may want to do a forum wide search on "Bowen".

Good luck!

[jwb123]

I wonder if it is related to layoffs, or investor activity gone bad, or both.

There hasn't been THAT many layoffs here. Dell has had some, but not on a grand scale that it would impact this, I think.

You may have something on the "investor activity gone bad" theory. Plus, there is a lot of construction going on through out Round Rock that makes it that much harder for those over here in the perceived "bad side of town" to sell their homes, I guess.

Ultimately, I think we are seeing reprecussions of the nation-wide problem, which is the adjustable rate mortgage flop. A few years back when Dell DID have the big layoff, that did impact this area - people were practically giving their homes away - and people who wouldn't normally have been able to afford some of these bigger and more expensive homes, probably got in when the price was lower, with these adjustable rate mortgages, and now we are witnessing the aftermath.

I don't see the "starter homes" around here that austin-steve is always going on about over here on the east side of 35... but maybe I don't know what is considered a "starter home" here in the Austin metropolitan area.

I would be concerned if an area had a builder that could actually worsen the situation. Especially a lawsuit, if it has to be disclosed if you were trying to sell during litigation timeframes.

You are right on the money with this one though.

[biggerhammertexas]

I worked for Bowen Family Homes in Austin for a 2 plus years. I had previous worked in new homes with three major builders (Wilshire, Ryland & Streetman) over 8 years (so I am not in any way new to the business) and Bowen was FAR & Away the Worst managed company I have EVER known.

Many homes took WELL over a year to build, often 18 months or more - (To add insult to injury, if the client complained, management instructed for them to be run off so Bowen could sell the home to a later party for more money since prices were rising).

The Construction was truly PATHETIC. Fact - the hiring standard of the construction superintendents was "can they fog a mirror? If so... Hired!!" I am not kidding! Many homes went through through multiple superintendents (like changing surgeons in the middle of operation) and multiple trades (Bowen paid the lowest wages and then delayed paying many of their contractors for months to the point that many of the better companies just would not work for Bowen). The "In Joke" was Bowen was not a production / tract builder that built the same houses up and down the street, since Bowen never ever built the same home twice (major errors in window placements, stairs, floor heights, garage doors, air condition placement, garage depths, etc...) and they couldn't get them produced due to the constant delays and overruns. The buyer is forced by the contract to close on the home at the end of the month no matter if the house is really completed. For the record, I rarely saw a home that was really "completed" at time of closing. Some were so bad that I saw clients crying (not with happiness either), swearing and just generally hugely unhappy at what they were forced to close upon at the pre-close walk through at the day of closing. The clients were promised that any undone items would be done in 3 days. Many homes were not finished for three weeks or more after closing.

Bowen actively went after Large Investor Group Sales which did bad things to the neighborhoods when whole streets turned into rentals. Most builders have limits on Investor Sales to protect their communities, but Bowen welcomed Investor Groups and would sell huge percentages (70% plus!) in some area. While there are many good people who rent homes, turning whole blocks into investor sales in NOT good for a community lifestyle or resale values.

Those are NOT the experiences you want

You could really do MUCH better elsewhere than a Bowen Family Home.


Just my observations (from someone who was there on the inside!).

BIGGERHAMMERTEXAS