The Top Active Adult Home Builders

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Active adults at the start of their home search often come across multiple communities by the same developers. That’s because the most well-known 55+ community developers in the country have crafted hundreds of luxury communities in many retirement destinations across the nation.

Blueprints and tools on a desk as home builders plan a construction site.

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Active adults at the start of their home search often see multiple communities by the same developers. That’s because the most well-known 55+ community developers in the country have crafted hundreds of luxury communities in many retirement destinations across the nation.

Keep reading to learn more about 11 active adult homebuilders who construct reputable 55+ communities.

1. Del Webb

Aerial view of the amenities at Sun City Hilton Head in Bluffton, South Carolina.

When it comes to 55+ communities, Del Webb is one of the most reputable names in the industry. This developer continues to build world-class communities in the nation’s top retirement destinations, including Florida, Texas, and California. Since building its first 55+ community in 1960, Del Webb has maintained a position as an industry leader with innovative home designs and first-class amenities.

Del Webb designs homes specifically for the active adult lifestyle with a focus on quality and personalization. The unique GenYou Floor Plans offer plenty of customization options to meet the needs of individual homebuyers. These floor plans revolve around homeowners’ lifestyles, whether they enjoy entertaining guests, cooking, spending time outdoors, relaxing at home, or a mix of these activities.

Del Webb communities also boast some of the best resort-style amenities and lifestyle activities, making it no mystery why this developer consistently ranks as a top active adult community builder.

2. Trilogy by Shea Homes

A water feature beside the community sign for Trilogy Lake Norman in Denver, North Carolina.

Trilogy by Shea Homes specializes in contemporary home designs fully outfitted with eco-friendly materials and smart home features. The Shea3D process allows homebuyers to add detailed personalizations to their new homes, appealing to a wide range of lifestyles and preferences.

Trilogy by Shea Homes communities can be found in the most popular retirement destinations, including Arizona, California, and North Carolina. These master-planned communities brim with resort-style amenities and lifestyle activities, earning the developer the title of America’s Most Trusted Active Adult Resort Builder.

Trilogy by Shea Homes also offers programs that connect residents of their communities across the country, such as Clubconnect, which hosts virtual events to cultivate learning and fun.

3. Minto Communities

The resort-style outdoor pool at Latitude Margaritaville in Daytona Beach, Florida.

With award-winning active adult communities in Florida and South Carolina, Minto Communities has earned the trust of many homebuyers who want to retire in the Southeast. The builder’s most well-known developments include the renowned Latitude Margaritaville communities in Daytona Beach, Florida; Hardeeville, South Carolina; and Panama City Beach, Florida.

The resort-style amenities feature acres of natural greenspaces, miles of walking trails, luxury swimming pools, and athletic courts. Many residents use golf carts to get around the community and nearby areas. Minto Communities also feature a range of home types and open-concept floor plans, with many designs featuring eco-friendly construction and contemporary finishes.

For active adults looking to downsize, Minto Communities offers villas and attached homes that are ideal for spending more time living an active physical and social lifestyle. With abundant amenities in vacation destinations, residents often feel like they’re on a permanent vacation.

4. GL Homes

Aerial view of Valencia Lakes in Wimauma, Florida.

Situated on Florida’s east and west coasts, a GL Homes community enables active adults to experience the best that the Sunshine State has to offer. Residents of a 55+ community by GL Homes are never too far from world-class beaches, expansive outdoor recreation opportunities, and a wide range of entertainment.

Within the communities, homeowners have access to resort-style amenity complexes with clubhouses, state-of-the-art fitness centers, indoor and outdoor pools, sports courts and fields, culture centers, and spas. There’s also a wide range of social gatherings, clubs, and events within the communities.

GL Homes has crafted thoughtful homes for active adults since the 1970s, ensuring decades of experience when it comes to building quality communities. The builder uses sturdy, top-of-the-line materials to promote sustainability as well as safety from Florida’s tropical weather. With plenty of spacious floor plans to choose from, interested active adults can find the home that best suits their individual needs and preferences.

5. Robson Resort Communities

Aerial view of SaddleBrooke in Tucson, Arizona.

Robson Resort Communities have been a favorite of active adults in the Southwest for decades. The builder has developed five luxury 55+ communities in the Phoenix and Tucson areas of Arizona. They also expanded to Texas with the establishment of Robson Ranch in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

These age-restricted communities provide numerous floor plans and highly customizable options that emphasize first-floor living and open-concept spaces. These energy-efficient homes often come with optional add-ons that promote entertaining, such as outdoor fireplaces, extended outdoor covered patios, and spacious great rooms.

Robson Resort Communities also provide residents with an abundance of premier resort-style amenities like clubhouses, swimming pools, creative arts centers, and luxury fitness centers. For sports fans, the communities feature opportunities to play on championship golf courses and pickleball courts. Active adults looking to socialize with neighbors have a wide range of social activities where they can meet up with friends or explore new hobbies.

6. Kolter Homes

Exterior view of a community building at Cresswind Charleston in Summerville, South Carolina.

With more than two dozen active adult communities across the southeastern United States, Kolter Homes provides active adults with an abundance of choices to find their next dream home. The Cresswind 55+ communities, which include Cresswind Charleston in South Carolina, Cresswind Peachtree City in Georgia, and Cresswind Lakewood Ranch in Florida, particularly appeal to active adults who want to live in age-restricted communities. These developments have been carefully crafted around the concept of setting yourself FREE, which stands for fitness, relationships, education, and entertainment. Kolter Homes upholds these cornerstones in the home designs, amenities, and lifestyle activities of their communities.

The Kolter Homes design galleries give active adults control in the home design process. With the guidance of professionals, homeowners can choose their own floor plans, features, and fixtures.

In addition to providing a low-maintenance and age-restricted lifestyle, the 55+ communities feature amenities like clubhouses, fitness centers, athletic clubs, and art studios. Lifestyle directors create full social calendars of activities, clubs, and classes to enjoy, which include annual events, concerts, and guest speakers.

7. Lennar

Exterior view of the clubhouse at the entrance of Heritage Hills in Clermont, Florida.

The 55+ communities developed by Lennar cater to active adults who want to live in developments centered around social engagement and community enrichment. The core values of quality, value, and integrity have driven Lennar to construct dozens of active adult communities across 26 states. Lennar communities are renowned for their world-class amenities, functional floor plans, and vibrant lifestyles.

Many active adults appreciate Lennar’s “everything’s included” approach to homebuying, which means that the builder already includes sought-after upgrades without extra costs, including smart home and energy-efficient features. Additional features in many homes include gourmet kitchens, open living areas, and indoor-outdoor spaces.

In a Lennar community, active adults can also take advantage of resort-style amenities, such as athletic courts, golf courses, pools, and walking and biking trails. The amenities and lifestyle activities encourage residents to fill their leisure time with new passions.

8. Taylor Morrison

Exterior view of a model home at Esplanade Of Tampa in Tampa, Florida.

With Taylor Morrison, active adults can enjoy the process of personalizing their new home within a luxury community. With more than 100 years of experience building quality homes, Taylor Morrison is no stranger to providing excellent customer service and helping active adults create their dream home. The design studios help simplify the homebuilding process by guiding customers through a range of choices.

The home customization process with Taylor Morrison is ideal for active adults who want a home tailored to their individual needs and preferences. Homebuyers can choose add-ons like extended covered patios and finished basements when picking a floor plan from dozens of unique collections.

Also, residents enjoy resort-style amenities and locations surrounded by natural greenspaces and stunning scenery. Communities by Taylor Morrison support healthy lifestyles with curated wellness programs and busy social calendars.

9. K. Hovnanian Homes

Exterior view of the clubhouse at the entrance of Four Seasons at The Lakes of Cane Bay in Summerville, South Carolina.

Award-winning standards and a passion for customer service allow K. Hovnanian to build quality active adult communities across the nation. With more than six decades of experience, they’ve made a name for themselves as an industry leader with expertise in the unique lifestyles of active adults. From spacious single-family homes to quaint townhomes to high-rise condominiums, K. Hovnanian provides active adults with plenty of options.

Some of the most renowned K. Honvanian developments include the Four Seasons communities located in California, Arizona, and along the East Coast. There are plenty of opportunities for friendship to flourish among neighbors thanks to numerous activities and clubs hosted by each community. Resort-style amenities at many developments include sports and fitness facilities, clubhouses, swimming pools, and event centers.

10. Toll Brothers

Exterior view of a community building at Regency at Wappinger in Wappingers Falls, New York.

With customizable floor plans, contemporary architectural styles, and high-end amenities, Toll Brothers calls itself “America’s Luxury Home Builder,” a reputation that has been well-earned with the builder’s age-restricted communities. With developments from coast to coast, active adults can find a Toll Brothers community in most popular retirement destinations. When building a new home with Toll Brothers, active adults can enjoy a personalized experience from start to finish with Design Studio appointments in order to create a home that exceeds the homeowners’ expectations.

Toll Brothers applies the same excellence from their home designs to the designs of their 55+ communities, which include low-maintenance lifestyles, resort-style amenities, and social activities. The amenities are designed to immerse residents in a resort-like setting with facilities like sports courts, expansive swimming pools, clubhouse community centers, and sprawling walking paths. Most Toll Brothers 55+ communities also have full-time lifestyle directors who organize a busy calendar of various activities, clubs, meet-ups, and events.

11. Epcon Communities

A blue sky over homes at The Oaks at Parkview in Olive Branch, Mississippi.

Epcon offers active adults low-maintenance 55+ communities full of desirable amenities. The developer has communities across the nation, most of which come with amenities like clubhouses, swimming pools, and fitness centers.

Also, Epcon communities have a tight-knit and relaxed feel, encouraging neighbors to meet up for social gatherings and clubs. The low-maintenance lifestyle of Epcon Communities allows homeowners to spend time exploring new hobbies while the homeowners’ association takes care of chores like landscaping, exterior home maintenance, and lawn care.

One of the most appealing aspects of building a home with Epcon Communities is that they support a simplified and minimally stressful process that helps active adults transition to their new community. The single-family homes by this builder come with comfortable features such as private courtyards, deluxe kitchens, and spacious floor plans filled with natural light.

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Maddy Crozier
Maddy Crozier (she/her) is an experienced freelance writer and editor who has worked with 55places since 2018. Now a fifth-year PhD Candidate in English at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, she has a BA and MA in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse from DePaul University. She specializes in researching real estate trends across the country with a focus on the Midwest and Southeast regions, including the housing markets of Chicago, Indianapolis, and East Tennessee. Dedicated to helping homebuyers make evidence-based decisions, she brings six years of experience in real estate writing and research. View all authors

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