LV home builders land high marks in J.D. Power survey

Jennifer Shubinski

Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004 | 11 a.m.

Las Vegas home builders received the highest overall customer satisfaction scores among the 25 markets studied nationwide by J.D. Power and Associates.

The 2004 New Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study, released this morning, measures customer satisfaction with new home builders in 25 markets and is based on nine factors including builder's customer service, home readiness, builder's sales staff, quality of workmanship and materials, price/value, physical design elements, design center, recreational facilities and location.

The study found that overall customer satisfaction in Las Vegas is up over 2003, increasing its score from 116 in 2003 to 123 in 2004 -- more than double the overall industry improvement rate.

Monica Caruso, spokeswoman with the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, said she was thrilled about the results of the study.

"This is great news for our industry and our home builders. It validates what we've been saying that we build a quality product," she said.

She attributed the results of the study to the National Housing Quality Trade Contractor Certification Program, which is a partnership with the association and the National Association of Home Builders Research Center. Caruso said about 80 percent of the valley's contractors that work on homes have gone through the program.

The J.D. Power study, which is done on an annual basis, found that improvements in Las Vegas were seen in areas of quality of workmanship/materials, price/value and builder's sales staff.

"The permits have gone up, the number of homes have gone up, prices have gone up, but despite that customer satisfaction is increasing and (Las Vegas) builders rank higher than other markets," Paula Sonkin, executive director of the real estate industries practice for J.D. Power, said.

Pulte Homes' Del Webb operations in Las Vegas received the highest ranking in customer satisfaction. Pulte Homes also builds under the Pulte brand in Las Vegas; that division was named No. 2 in regards to customer satisfaction on the study.

KB Home, the valley's largest builder, was ranked third in the study.

"This market becomes increasingly competitive each year, so receiving this award is more satisfying than ever," Sheryl Palmer, area president for Pulte Homes in Nevada, said in a statement.

Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based Pulte Homes Inc. also was named the inaugural recipient of the J.D. Power and Associates' Platinum Award for customer satisfaction.

In the J.D. Power and Associates study, Pulte ranked highest in 14 markets, No. 2 in nine markets, and No. 3 in six markets. To qualify for the Platinum Award, builders had to be included in at least 50 percent of the 25 markets surveyed. Pulte Homes, including its Del Webb and DiVosta brands, was surveyed in 24 of 25 markets.

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