Following our recent overview of Florida’s residential construction market—where we noted 6,140 new residential construction permits issued in February 2026 with a total construction value exceeding $2.2 billion—we now turn our attention to the home builders driving that activity. Using HBW’s construction data reports for the five major regions of Florida (Southwest, Tampa, Orlando, Southeast, and Jacksonville), the following overview identifies the top home builders based on total new residential construction permits pulled during the one-month period.
Across all regions, several national powerhouses continue to dominate Florida’s residential landscape, while a number of regional builders maintain strong footholds in their respective markets. Below is a detailed breakdown of the leading builders in each region, followed by a statewide synthesis of the top performers.
Southwest Florida
Nearly 360 home builders were active in Southwest Florida during February, with the top five accounting for a substantial share of total permit activity.
Southwest Florida continues to be a stronghold for the “big three”—D.R. Horton, Lennar, and Pulte—each securing triple‑digit permit volumes. Neal Communities remains a notable regional competitor with one of the highest average values among the top five.
Tampa
More than 260 home builders were active in Tampa during February, with the region having leading builders holding some of the highest average values statewide.
Tampa remains one of the most competitive and high‑value markets in the state. Homes by West Bay stands out with the highest average value among top builders across all regions, while Pulte’s average value also exceeds $400K.
Orlando
Nearly 170 home builders were active in the Orlando area, with Pulte leading the region.
Orlando is the only region where Pulte Homes leads the market, edging out Lennar Homes by a narrow margin. The region shows a balanced distribution of permit volume among the top builders, with strong representation from both national and semi‑national firms.
Southeast Florida
More than 130 home builders were active in Southeast Florida during February, and based on total permits, the following ranked as the top five for the month:
Southeast Florida holds as one of the most diverse markets in terms of builder presence. Lennar and D.R. Horton maintain strong positions, but regional and international builders—such as GL Building Corporation and Mattamy Homes—continue to capture significant market share.
Jacksonville
More than 120 home builders were active in the Jacksonville area during February, and the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on record:
D.R. Horton proved to dominate the Jacksonville area, while Toll Brothers stands out with one of the higher average values in the region, reflecting its luxury‑oriented product mix.
Statewide Leaders: Consolidated Permit Totals
By aggregating the top builders’ permit totals across all five regions, we identified the statewide leaders for February 2026, and they are as follows:
The three leading builders listed above—D.R. Horton, Lennar, and Pulte—appear in the top five of every region, underscoring their extensive geographic reach and operational scale. Their combined total of 2,175 permits accounts for more than one‑third of all new residential construction activity statewide during February.
Market Observations and Builder Crossover Trends
1. The “Big Three” Maintain Statewide Dominance
D.R. Horton, Lennar Homes, and Pulte Homes continue to lead Florida’s residential construction sector. Their presence in all five regions demonstrates broad market penetration and the ability to scale operations across diverse submarkets.
2. Regional Builders Remain Competitive
Builders such as Neal Communities (Southwest), Homes by West Bay (Tampa), GL Building Corporation (Southeast), and The Villages of Lake Sumter (Tampa) maintain strong regional influence, often outperforming national competitors in average value or niche market share.
3. Market Value Trends Vary by Region
Tampa and Southeast Florida show the highest average construction values among top builders, reflecting strong demand for higher‑end residential products. Jacksonville and Southwest Florida continue to offer more moderate price points while maintaining high permit volume.
4. Orlando Shows the Most Balanced Competition
Unlike other regions where one builder clearly leads, Orlando’s top three builders—Pulte, Lennar, and D.R. Horton—are closely aligned in both volume and value, indicating a more evenly distributed competitive landscape.
The latest data clearly demonstrates that while regional builders continue to play important roles in their respective markets, the statewide landscape is dominated by three major players: D.R. Horton, Lennar Homes, and Pulte Homes. The mega-builders’ consistent presence across all five major regions—and their combined permit volume exceeding 2,100—highlights their continued influence on Florida’s housing market and their ability to adapt to shifting regional dynamics.
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.