Ashton Woods Vs. Lennar: Key Differences Between The Home Builders

When it comes to new home construction in the United States, Ashton Woods and Lennar are two of the biggest names in the industry. Both companies have built thousands of residential communities across the country.

If you’re looking to buy a newly constructed home, you may be trying to decide between Lennar and Ashton Woods.

While they have some similarities, there are some key differences between these national homebuilders to consider.

A Brief Comparison Table

Category	Ashton Woods	Lennar
Founded	1986	1954
Headquarters	Atlanta, GA	Miami, FL
Home types	Single-family, townhomes	Single-family, townhomes, condos
Price range	$200s – $500s	$200s – $1M+
Key markets	Southeast, Southwest	National footprint
Construction quality	High standards	High standards
Warranties	2-10 years	2-10 years
Amenities	Pools, clubhouses, parks	Lavish clubhouses, pools, parks, sports courts
Customization	Simplified selections	Highly customized options
Technology	Basic smart home available	Tech-forward standard features
Ideal buyers	First-time, entry-level	Move-up, luxury
Value focus	Affordability	Prestige, amenities

Overview of Ashton Woods

Ashton Woods is a large privately owned company founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 1986. They focus on building single-family homes and townhomes across suburban neighborhoods in over 20 metro areas, primarily across southern and eastern states. As of 2022, Ashton Woods has built and sold over 45,000 homes.

Some key facts about Ashton Woods:

• Headquarters in Atlanta, GA
• Founded in 1986
• Operates in over 20 metro areas
• Focus on first-time and move-up homebuyers
• Offer single-family homes and townhomes
• Built over 45,000 homes

Ashton Woods touts having an emphasis on outstanding customer service and making the home buying process easy and enjoyable for customers. They offer a program called Ashton Woods University to train and certify its sales and construction staff.

Ashton Woods also has design studios in many communities where homebuyers can meet with designers to customize their home’s finishes and selections.

Most Ashton Woods communities feature common amenities like a clubhouse, pool, and parks. Their homes range from around 1,500 to 4,500+ square feet. Home prices typically range from the high $200s into the $700s depending on the market and community.

Overview of Lennar

Founded in 1954 in Miami, Florida, Lennar is one of the oldest and largest public home construction companies in the United States. They build in over 19 states ranging across the southern, eastern, and western U.S. Lennar has delivered over 1 million homes since being founded.

Here are some key facts about Lennar:

• Headquarters in Miami, FL
• Founded in 1954
• Operates in over 19 states
• Builds single-family homes, townhomes, and condos
• Focus on first-time to luxury homebuyers
• Delivered over 1 million homes
• Publicly traded company (NYSE: LEN)

Lennar offers a wide range of home types across its communities, from entry-level condos to spacious single-family homes with over 5,000 square feet. Their home prices typically start in the $200s up to over $1 million in some markets.

The company places a focus on technology and innovative home designs. For example, Lennar offers everything from smart home tech to floorplans optimized for multigenerational families.

Many Lennar communities feature clubhouses, swimming pools, parks, and other amenities. The company also has a commercial division that develops apartments and retail centers.

Lennar has been acquiring smaller regional homebuilders in recent years to expand its reach across the country.

Also Read: Comparison Between KB Homes And Lennar.

Key Differences Between Ashton Woods And Lennar

Above we have covered the basics of them. Now Let’s dive deeper into the key differences between them:

1. Comparing Quality of Construction

When looking at the quality of construction between Ashton Woods and Lennar, here are some key considerations:

• Warranties – Both Ashton Woods and Lennar offer comprehensive warranty programs on their homes. Ashton Woods provides a minimum 2-year warranty but often extends that to 5-10 years through their Premier Care program. Lennar offers a 2-year limited warranty and 10-year structural warranty. The warranties are fairly comparable between the two builders.
• Quality assurance – Each builder has quality assurance steps in place during construction. This includes inspections at various stages of the build process. Lennar also documents the home’s condition with photographs before buyer walkthroughs. Both are national builders with decades of experience and have strong processes in place.
• Online reviews – Reviews of Lennar and Ashton Woods on sites like Zillow and Google tend to be comparable and generally positive overall. Recent homes by both builders rarely have major systemic issues reported. They appear about equal in user-reported construction quality.
• Independent assessments – Third-party rating systems like the JD Power Builder Satisfaction survey can provide another perspective on quality. In recent years, Lennar tends to rate slightly higher than Ashton Woods in these assessments. But both are still considered above-average national builders according to reports.

Overall, Ashton Woods and Lennar appear very comparable in their construction quality based on warranty programs, buyer reviews, and third-party assessments. Lennar may have a slight edge, but both meet high standards as leading national home construction companies.

2. Comparing Amenities

The amenities available in Ashton Woods and Lennar communities can vary depending on the specific neighborhood. However, here are some general differences between the two:

• Clubhouses – Both Lennar and Ashton Woods include clubhouses in most of their communities. Lennar’s tend to be more elaborate, often featuring pools, fitness centers, and cafes. Ashton Woods focuses more on practical community spaces.
• Recreational facilities – Lennar communities typically have more extensive recreational facilities like splash pads, playgrounds, tennis courts, and sports fields. Ashton Woods neighborhoods mostly offer basic amenities like a pool and pocket parks.
• Smart home technology – One area where Lennar stands out is their emphasis on tech-enabled homes. Many Lennar homes come with smart home packages pre-installed for home automation. Ashton Woods offers some smart home options but not to the same degree as Lennar.
• Location – For amenities, location matters too. Lennar tends to focus on building master-planned communities in suburban areas with lots of community amenities nearby. Ashton Woods developments are more often found in existing residential areas rather than largescale planned communities.

While Ashton Woods communities meet baseline expectations for amenities, Lennar goes above and beyond in many of their neighborhoods to provide resort-style features and tech-forward homes. So Lennar may be the better choice for homebuyers who want plenty of amenities.

3. Comparing Costs

When evaluating the costs of Ashton Woods versus Lennar homes, here are some key factors:

• Base pricing – The base prices of homes tend to be similar between the two builders for comparable sizes and features. They both offer competitively priced entry-level homes to attract first-time homebuyers.
• Upgrades – Lennar typically offers more optional upgrades and designer features, which allows for greater customization but also increases costs. Ashton Woods focuses more on simplifying options to keep prices affordable.
• Lot premiums – Premiums charged for desirable locations in the community or larger lots can vary greatly between builders. Lennar communities with extensive amenities often charge higher lot premiums.
• Incentives – The builders may offer different incentives on mortgage financing, closing costs, or design selections based on market conditions. This can make a big difference in the effective price.
• Appreciation – Long-term resale value is difficult to predict. But Lennar homes may appreciate faster due to amenities, brand reputation, and use of technology.

Overall, base pricing is likely to be very similar between new homes from Ashton Woods and Lennar. But Lennar communities with more amenities and upgrades will generally represent higher total costs for buyers.

Also Read: Choose Between D.R. Horton And KB Homes.

Pros And Cons Of Ashton Woods And Lennar:

Ashton Woods Pros

Here are some of the key benefits that Ashton Woods offers compared to Lennar:

• Tend to focus more on first-time and entry-level homebuyers
• Company culture emphasizes outstanding customer service
• Simplified options and design selections to minimize upgrades
• Quality construction and inspections at every stage of building
• Home prices typically range affordable $200s to $500s
• Strong local expertise and relationships in Southeast/Southwest

For many first-time homebuyers or those looking for an affordable yet high-quality new construction home, Ashton Woods communities are a great fit. Their streamlined design selections and purchasing process make new construction accessible. Ashton Woods also has a longstanding reputation in its core Southeastern markets.

Ashton Woods Cons

Potential downsides of Ashton Woods compared to Lennar include:

• Less variety and customization in floorplans and designs
• More limited community amenities and recreational facilities
• Mostly located in traditional suburban neighborhoods
• Resale values may appreciate slower than Lennar in some markets
• Can have long lead times and delays on new construction
• Less technology and smart home features bundled in homes

Homebuyers who want more unique home designs, lavish neighborhood amenities, or tech-forward features may prefer Lennar. But for shoppers focused on basic new construction quality and livability, deficiencies of Ashton Woods are minor.

Lennar Pros

Here are the key advantages that Lennar offers versus Ashton Woods:

• Innovative floorplans and tech-centric features bundled in homes
• Extensive amenities like clubhouses, pools, parks, and sports courts
• Excellent brand reputation among homebuyers nationwide
• Focus on master-planned communities with lots of services nearby
• High-quality construction with thorough homebuyer QA process
• Good resale value appreciation in most markets
• More upgrade options allow greater home personalization

Lennar excels at creating complete communities with tons of convenience and amenities right at home. Their tech-forward model also appeals to many modern homebuyers. Lennar is hard to beat for new construction in master-planned developments.

Lennar Cons

Some potential drawbacks of Lennar compared to Ashton Woods:

• Base home prices tend to be higher than Ashton Woods
• Can have long waits for new construction due to scarcity of lots
• Amenities and upgrades significantly increase total home cost
• Focus on move-up buyers means fewer entry-level homes
• Lacks local expertise and relationships of Ashton Woods in Southeast
• Over-personalization can complicate design selections for buyers

Lennar homes don’t tend to appeal as much to first-time homebuyers and those with more limited budgets. Their elaborate communities also come with higher HOA fees. Lennar is not as dominant in the Southeast as Ashton Woods is either.

Also Read: Comparison Between Mattamy Homes And Lennar

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

In summary, Ashton Woods and Lennar take divergent approaches to building new construction homes even though both create communities with quality construction and attractive features.

Ashton Woods communities focus on providing an outstanding new home buying experience that is straightforward and affordable. Their streamlined approach and customer service make Ashton Woods an ideal choice for first-time homebuyers.

Lennar differentiates through bold amenities, innovative technology, highly customized options, and prestige master-planned developments. Their homes appeal greatly to move-up and luxury homebuyers who desire lavish community features.

While Lennar captures more buzz for its cutting-edge style, Ashton Woods delivers fundamentals and value that everyday homebuyers want. Whichever builder fits your priorities for lifestyle, amenities, and budget, you can’t go wrong with new construction from either Ashton Woods or Lennar. Both companies build exceptional homes that buyers love.