Ashton Woods, the country’s largest privately held homebuilder based outside Atlanta, has acquired land in metro Denver and plans to begin selling new homes starting next year.
“We have been continually looking for opportunities to move out West and we have been keeping an eye on the Denver market,” said Lindsay Motley, an Ashton Woods regional president based in Austin, Texas.
Ashton Woods
Ashton Woods, a home builder based outside Atlanta, has hired building veteran Shannon Robbins to head up its expansion into Colorado’s Front Range. Robbins has arranged two land purchases with several more are planned. Home sales should start next year. (Provided by Ashton Woods)
Among the things that attracted the company to the Denver area were the region’s population and job growth, its popularity among those relocating, an “outstanding lifestyle” and an appreciation for design. Starting with metro Denver, Motley said the company will build homes in both existing master-planned communities and in communities it creates in a band extending from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs.
Ashton Woods operates under two brands: Ashton Woods Homes, targeting move-up buyers, and Starlight Homes, which markets to entry-level buyers.
The company is in 13 Sunbelt markets from Florida to Arizona and its latest expansion marks the first foray into a colder climate. The homebuilder has hired Colorado native and University of Colorado graduate Shannon Robbins as its vice president of land acquisition and has signed two land deals in the market with others in progress.
“Working in this industry for over two decades, I was well aware of Ashton Woods’ thoughtful, design-centric approach to homebuilding,” Robbins said in a release. “I believe we are well positioned for success in the Denver market, and I’m looking forward to playing a key role in the next chapter of the Ashton Woods growth story.”
Motley said the company, which places a heavy emphasis on design, will make sure what it builds is “in harmony with the Denver landscape and architectural styles.”
Ashton Woods, founded in 1989, has been growing rapidly. Zonda’s Builder magazine recognized the company as its 2023 Builder of the Year, citing a 10-year growth in sales from $300 million a year to $3 billion a year.
Ashton Woods will go head-to-head in Denver with some of the country’s largest production builders, including D.R. Horton, Lennar Corp., PulteGroup, Toll Brothers and Meritage Homes. Denver is also home to Richmond American Homes, which Japanese builder Sekisui House acquired in January 2024 for $4.9 billion.
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