In our previous post examining residential construction activity in Florida for January 2026, we highlighted permit data for the start of the year; last month, HBW recorded 4,889 new home permits and more than $1.65 billion in residential construction value across five major regions. Building on that statewide snapshot, today we will take a deeper look at the contractors driving the latest figures.
Using the same construction data reports from HBW, this analysis identifies the leading home builders in each region based on total new residential permits on record for January 2026. Rankings are strictly volume-based, providing a clear view of market share, regional dominance, and statewide overlap. Construction values and average permit valuations are also examined to distinguish builders focused on higher-end product versus more attainable housing segments.
Across the five regions reviewed, a relatively small group of national and regional builders accounted for a substantial share of the nearly 4,900 permits, underscoring the continued dominance of large-scale production builders—particularly those operating across multiple Florida markets.
Statewide Volume Leaders (All Regions Combined)
Based on total permits recorded statewide in January 2026:
- Lennar Homes – 568 permits
- D.R. Horton – 559 permits
- Pulte Homes – 401 permits
The above listed three builders alone generated well over 30% of all residential permits reviewed, reflecting both geographic reach and strong production capacity. Here is a closer look at the leading home builders across all five Florida regions of Southwest, Tampa, Southeast, Orlando, and Jacksonville:
Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida recorded 1,405 total residential permits in January, with national production builders clearly dominating volume.
Top Builders by Permit Volume:
- D.R. Horton – 198 permits | $39.2M | Avg. $197,906
- Lennar Homes – 195 permits | $48.1M | Avg. $246,521
- Pulte Homes – 140 permits | $25.9M | Avg. $184,865
- Neal Communities of SW Florida – 61 permits | $17.5M | Avg. $286,330
- Taylor Morrison – 51 permits | $11.1M | Avg. $216,750
High permit counts paired with lower average valuations indicate strong production of entry-level and mid-market homes, particularly by D.R. Horton and Pulte. The higher average valuation from Neal Communities reflects a more premium, regionally focused product mix.
Tampa
The Tampa area led the state in total permit volume, and its builder mix reflects both scale and price diversity.
Top Builders by Permit Volume:
- D.R. Horton – 227 permits | $73.5M | Avg. $323,826
- Lennar Homes – 167 permits | $62.2M | Avg. $372,426
- The Villages of Lake Sumter – 139 permits | $24.3M | Avg. $175,000
- Pulte Homes – 98 permits | $41.2M | Avg. $420,853
- Homes by West Bay – 56 permits | $30.2M | Avg. $539,264
Tampa reflects clear segmentation – The Villages’ lower average values reflect high-volume, standardized product, while Homes by West Bay and Pulte skew toward higher-end residential construction.
Orlando
Last month, top builders in Central Florida favored fewer permits with comparatively higher average values.
Top Builders by Permit Volume:
- Pulte Homes – 103 permits | $38.5M | Avg. $373,773
- Lennar Homes – 64 permits | $22.1M | Avg. $345,277
- D.R. Horton – 38 permits | $14.6M | Avg. $385,312
- KB Homes – 26 permits | $7.1M | Avg. $274,117
- AMH Development Florida – 23 permits | $6.6M | Avg. $286,174
Higher average permit values suggest continued strength in move-up and infill construction, while AMH’s presence points to ongoing build-to-rent activity within the region.
Southeast Florida
Southeast Florida recorded the highest average permit values statewide, even as overall permit counts remained more measured.
Top Builders by Permit Volume:
- JFB Construction – 77 permits | $24.9M | Avg. $322,812
- GL Building Corporation – 75 permits | $27.6M | Avg. $368,497
- Minto Communities – 74 permits | $17.5M | Avg. $237,067
- Lennar Homes – 56 permits | $15.3M | Avg. $272,651
- D.R. Horton – 42 permits | $11.3M | Avg. $268,708
Elevated average values reflect land constraints, regulatory complexity, and continued demand for higher-end residential construction.
Jacksonville
Northeast Florida remained a steady contributor to statewide volume, led by national production builders.
Top Builders by Permit Volume:
- Lennar Homes – 86 permits | $20.0M | Avg. $232,097
- D.R. Horton – 54 permits | $12.4M | Avg. $228,908
- Meritage Homes – 43 permits | $6.8M | Avg. $159,005
- Kingsouth Design Build – 39 permits | $6.0M | Avg. $153,982
- KB Homes – 33 permits | $7.8M | Avg. $236,013
Lower average permit values indicate a concentration of affordable and entry-level housing, supporting continued population growth and housing accessibility in Northeast Florida.
Overall, the latest builder data for January 2026 reinforces several key trends in Florida’s residential construction market:
- Volume leadership remains concentrated among national builders, particularly D.R. Horton and Lennar.
- Average permit value varies sharply by region, reflecting land costs, product type, and buyer profile.
- Regional builders continue to capture premium niches, especially in Tampa and Southeast Florida.
- Multi-region presence is a competitive advantage, offering scale, diversification, and resilience.
For developers, suppliers, lenders, and construction service providers, understanding who is building—and where—is as critical as tracking total permit counts. HBW’s permit intelligence provides the clarity need to turn raw data into actionable market insight.
To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.lahoma, please contact HBW for details.