Pardee scores high in J.D. Power survey

By Buck Wargo

Friday, Sept. 25, 2009 | 3 a.m.

Pardee Homes ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction and new-home quality in Las Vegas. Homebuilders increased their scores overall from 2008, according to the annual J.D. Power and Associates survey.

Pardee’s score of 867 on an 1,000-point scale is up 48 points from 2008. It edged Meritage Homes by one point. Del Webb was third with 849 points.

The average customer satisfaction score in Las Vegas was 825, up 26 points from 2009. That is also 14 points above the 24-market average of 811, said Paula Sonkin, vice president of real estate and construction industry practices at J.D. Power and Associates.

The reason for the increase is the tough new-home market has created a competitive environment in which only the strongest companies have survived, Sonkin said.

“Fortunately, for buyers, this has resulted in notable improvements in customer satisfaction with homebuilders and new-home quality overall.”

Pardee scored well in six of nine factors that J.D. Power ranks: sales staff; construction manager; workmanship and materials; home readiness; builder’s warranty/customer service staff; and location.

The study found that the median home size reported by customers in Las Vegas decreased in 2009 to 1,861 square feet, down from 1,890 square feet in 2008.

Because of the recession, homebuilders are making an effort to build smaller and more affordable homes, Sonkin said.

“Since builders have more time to complete homes due to reduced demand, owners are reporting higher satisfaction and fewer problems with their homes than in years past,” Sonkin said.

The survey showed 38 percent of new-home buyers perceived their home to be environmentally friendly, but 65 percent say that their homebuilder did not identify the home as “green.”

Sonkin said builders are missing out on a marketing opportunity by not pointing out the environmentally friendly features. Buyers want those features because of energy and cost savings, she said. They want energy-efficient heating and air-conditioning units, home appliances and insulation. They also want water-saving systems and energy-saving lighting.

The survey included 1,306 homebuyers in Las Vegas. Builders must have closed 150 homes or more in 2008 to be part of the survey.