A Market Snapshot of the Top Builders Across Houston, Dallas, Austin & San Antonio
According to the latest HBW residential construction permit data (and as noted on the blog last week), Texas posted 5,627 new residential construction permits in April 2026, representing more than $1.8 billion in total construction value. That’s not just healthy—that’s Texas‑sized healthy.
Today, we are zooming in on the top five home builders in each of the four major metro areas (Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio) to understand who is driving the market, where competition is heating up, and which builders are quietly (or not so quietly) dominating multiple regions.
As HBW subscribers are already aware, permit data is one of the most reliable early indicators of market momentum. It tells us who’s building, where they are building, and how aggressively they are positioning themselves in the market. For construction professionals, intel of this nature can be helpful in forecasting pricing, labor demand, supply chain pressure, and competitive dynamics.
So, let’s take a moment to look at the leaders in each major metro of the Lone Star State:
Houston: D.R. Horton Continues Its Reign
Houston saw 300+ active builders pulling permits in April, but the top five accounted for a commanding share of the market.
| Rank | Builder | Permits | Total Value | Avg. Value |
| 1 | D.R. Horton | 405 | $108.4M | $267,626 |
| 2 | Century Communities | 171 | $45.0M | $262,914 |
| 3 | Lennar Homes | 162 | $41.5M | $256,016 |
| 4 | Perry Homes | 149 | $48.2M | $323,592 |
| 5 | David Weekley Homes | 135 | $38.1M | $282,391 |
Key Houston Takeaways
- D.R. Horton didn’t just lead—they lapped the field with more than double the permits of the #2 builder.
- Perry Homes posted the highest average value in the top five, signaling a strong presence in higher‑end product segments.
- Lennar Homes and Century Communities continue to show consistent volume strength across Texas.
Dallas: High Volume, High Value
Dallas recorded nearly 195 active builders, and the top five included a bit of intrigue.
| Rank | Builder | Permits | Total Value | Avg. Value |
| 1 | D.R. Horton | 396 | $101.8M | $257,033 |
| 2 | Lennar Homes | 202 | $64.1M | $317,211 |
| 3 | Permit Office Will Not Provide | 127 | $32.0M | $251,680 |
| 4 | Trophy Signature Homes | 123 | $52.9M | $430,139 |
| 5 | Bloomfield Homes | 77 | $34.2M | $443,944 |
About the anonymous #3 builder… The listing “Permit Office Will Not Provide” appears when a municipality does not release the builder name associated with a permit. This can happen due to a number of reasons including but not limited to: local privacy policies; incomplete or redacted submissions; system limitations in the jurisdiction’s reporting process. That being stated, even without the name, the volume and valuation data remain accurate, which still provides meaningful insight into market activity. In other words: the mystery builder is still shaping the competitive landscape, even if they are doing it incognito for this single-month view.
Other Dallas Notes
- Trophy Signature Homes and Bloomfield Homes posted the highest average values in the region—well above $400K.
- Perry Homes, while not in the top five, still logged 60 permits in the Dallas area, contributing to its strong statewide ranking.
Austin: A Tight Race Behind D.R. Horton
Austin had more than 75 active builders in April, and the top five were tightly clustered in volume.
| Rank | Builder | Permits | Total Value | Avg. Value |
| 1 | D.R. Horton | 82 | $24.2M | $294,695 |
| 2 | Perry Homes | 56 | $27.9M | $497,445 |
| 3 | Meritage Homes | 56 | $16.1M | $286,739 |
| 4 | Lennar Homes | 55 | $9.95M | $180,980 |
| 5 | Pulte Homes | 48 | $14.8M | $308,368 |
Austin Insights
- Perry Homes posted the highest average value of any top‑five builder in any Texas metro this month—nearly $500K per home.
- D.R. Horton continues its statewide dominance, leading Austin as well.
- Meritage and Lennar remain competitive, with only one permit separating them.
San Antonio: Lennar Homes Takes the Lead
San Antonio had more than 70 active builders on record last month, with Lennar Homes taking the top spot.
| Rank | Builder | Permits | Total Value | Avg. Value |
| 1 | Lennar Homes | 118 | $24.6M | $208,709 |
| 2 | Perry Homes | 28 | $9.53M | $340,475 |
| 3 | KB Homes | 28 | $6.43M | $229,732 |
| 4 | M/I Homes | 27 | $6.62M | $245,119 |
| 5 | D.R. Horton | 24 | $6.19M | $257,758 |
San Antonio Highlights
- Lennar Homes is the clear volume leader, pulling nearly as many permits as the next four builders combined.
- Perry Homes again demonstrated strength in higher‑value product categories.
- D.R. Horton, while #5 here, still maintains enough volume statewide to remain a top contender.
When combining permit totals across all four metros, a clear statewide hierarchy emerges.
Top Statewide Builders by Total Permits (April 2026)
- D.R. Horton – 907 permits
- Lennar Homes – 537 permits
- Perry Homes – 293 permits
Statewide Observations
- D.R. Horton continues to operate in a league of its own, leading in three of the four metros.
- Lennar Homes displays exceptional balance, ranking in the top five in every region and taking the #1 spot in San Antonio.
- Perry Homes stands out for consistently high average values and for placing in the top five in three metros, plus a strong showing in Dallas.
What This Means for the Market
Market concentration across Texas remains notably high, with a small group of national builders continuing to command a substantial share of overall activity, and the differences in average construction values further underscore how each builder positions itself within the market—Perry Homes and Bloomfield Homes, for example, are clearly leaning into higher‑end product segments, while Lennar Homes and D.R. Horton maintain strong momentum through volume‑driven strategies. At the same time, permit trends point to sustained demand for entry‑level and mid‑market housing, particularly in Houston and Dallas, where population growth and affordability pressures continue to shape buyer behavior and builder priorities.
For construction professionals, understanding who’s building (and how much) is essential for forecasting opportunities and preparing for market shifts. The data from April 2026 shows a Texas market that remains robust, competitive, and dominated by a few major players who continue to shape residential construction patterns across all four metros.
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.