Best Luxury Homebuilders in Northern Suburbs (Dallas, Plano: custom home, neighborhoods, buying)

[walty_14]

We will be moving to Dallas in August of 2008 and we are considering building a new home, probably in the $400-$600K range. That range seems to put us out of the "true" custom homes, (if you disagree please let me know) so we are looking at semi-custom large scale builders. So far the following builders look interesting to us:

Toll Brothers
Sotherby
K Hov
Drees
Highlands
Grand

If you have any comments about your experience with any of these builders or other builders you think we should consider please let me know.

Comments that are objective and specific (XXX homebuilder insulates to R-XX where the industry standard is R-YY) are more helpful than subjective general ones. (ZZZ builder sucks.)

In addition, if you know of good places to do further research, that would be appreciated.

[loves2read]

I don't disagree--you will be reduced to only a "faux" custom home in that price range...if you want to build/live in that area...

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by walty_14

We will be moving to Dallas in August of 2008 and we are considering building a new home, probably in the $400-$600K range. That range seems to put us out of the "true" custom homes, (if you disagree please let me know) so we are looking at semi-custom large scale builders. So far the following builders look interesting to us:

Toll Brothers
Sotherby
K Hov
Drees
Highlands
Grand

If you have any comments about your experience with any of these builders or other builders you think we should consider please let me know.

Comments that are objective and specific (XXX homebuilder insulates to R-XX where the industry standard is R-YY) are more helpful than subjective general ones. (ZZZ builder sucks.)

In addition, if you know of good places to do further research, that would be appreciated.

If that's your budget and you're working downtown I would strongly urge you to look in north Dallas (south of 635) or old East Dallas (the Lakewood area). You'll save yourself from a commute from hell.

[walty_14]

Originally Posted by nativeDallasite

If that's your budget and you're working downtown I would strongly urge you to look in north Dallas (south of 635) or old East Dallas (the Lakewood area). You'll save yourself from a commute from hell.

Thanks. I've heard that those areas are pretty nice. Any idea what the cost per sq ft averages?

[momof2dfw]

Toll Brothers - Do not know anyone that has built w/ them but they seem nice and don't build in massive quantities like some builders.

Sotherby - Know several that have built w/ them and been happy. I've heard a few people have some minor problems but nothing huge. They also don't build in massive quantities.

K Hov - Fairly new to the area and seem to build more volume than others.

Drees - We have a Drees home and LOVE it. No problems at all and don't know anyone that has had problems. They build a nice product in smaller neighborhoods.

Highlands - I would not put Highland Homes in w/ the others. They build a nice product for the money. I would avoid buying a Highland Home that was mixed in w/ lower end builders. Look for an area where they are the only builder or are w/ a higher end builder and at least one on the same level as them.

Grand - Well, know TONS of people that have had major problems w/ Grand. Grand is marketing towards the buyer that wants the HUGE MASSIVE house w/o all of the extras and better end finish out. I would not put them on the same level as any of the other builders mentioned at all. You will notice that no longer do other builders even want to be in the same neighborhood as Grand. I know of several subdivisions they build in that are not large and they can not even move their products w/ the promise of a free swimming pool.

Good luck

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by walty_14

Thanks. I've heard that those areas are pretty nice. Any idea what the cost per sq ft averages?

Not to sound flip, but it varies from neighborhood to neighborhood.

My parents still live in the home I grew up in near Preston and Forest (north Dallas). Their house is about 2400 sq ft and would probably sell for $450k in today's market.

You should be aware that many north Dallas neighborhoods (my parents' neighborhood included) have become teardown zones, where 40-50 year-old well-maintained ranch homes are being torn down and replaced by 6-7k sq ft McMansions selling for $1-$2 million.

Ask Lakewooder about Lakewood; he's the resident expert on the area.

[hamiltonpl]

$180-$190 for Lakewood and the M-Streets; $135 is the average for all of East Dallas. West Plano, the purportedly "ritzy" side is $99.

You get what you pay for.

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by hamiltonpl

$180-$190 for Lakewood and the M-Streets; $135 is the average for all of East Dallas. West Plano, the purportedly "ritzy" side is $99.

You get what you pay for.

I dunno about that....what I've seen of west Plano seems VERY overpriced, $99 seems kinda low.

[5stones]

here in VA Toll Brothers is a mass quantity producer. not what I would call semi custom
in PA K-hov is on part with Pulte... lots of mass quantiy tract homes.

We bought an existing Drees and they seem very solid

Haven't heard anything negative about Darling.

[loves2read]

plenty of MLS sites to do a search--prices vary by locations, sq ft of house, remodeling, schools area is zoned for,
you have to spend some time looking to know what is fair price/good deal/overpriced...