Need some help/info

[LostInHouston]

Hi, my family and I recently relocated to Houston (clear lake area) 6 months ago. We've been renting an apartment while we find a house to buy. I know that right now is the best time of the year to purchase, so we've really stepped up our searching. We have been looking primarily in the Clear Creek ISD area and also some in the southeastern area of the Pearland ISD. We've looked mostly at previously owned homes, but just recently started looking at some newly built inventory homes. The two builders we've looked at are Brighton Homes and Gehan homes in the Brittany Lake area of League City. We've also looked at the Brighton Homes in Oakbrook Estates of Pearland. I was hoping someone could give me info on these two builders. Are there any current homeowners of Gehan or Brighton homes? Any realtors who have info on these builders? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I have checked the BBB on both companies Brighton Homes is a member of the BBB and has a satisfactory rating. Gehan on the otherhand, is not a member of the BBB and has an unsatisfactory rating. Should this be a red flag?

[HoustonRealtor]

Gehan tends to build a less upgraded and less expensive product than some other builders. I can't speak to the quality of their construction, but I think an unsatisfactory BBB rating should definitely be a red flag. From a resale perspective, I think you would have a difficult time reselling a Gehan unless it was heavily upgraded. I have only been in a handful of their homes and can honestly say that I have been in some luxury apartments in Houston that had better quality finishes than those homes. The bathrooms in particular stand out in my mind. Even the model home that I saw had basic cabinetry, cheap plumbing fixtures, etc.

Obviously this is just my opinion, but if there are other builders in your price range, I think you would be better off checking them out.

[wheels]

Check your personal message box

[gatedgirl]

I am a realtor, and I also own a Gehan home. I have the Notre Dame floor plan. My home came with Corian counters, rounded sheet rock corners, beautiful cast stone fireplace, nice ceramic tile in all baths, and foyer, hallway all the way to the kitchen,etc. We did decide to throw some upgrades like hardwood flooring, changed out light fixtures, granite counters, etc. My neighbor across the street was a sales counselor for Gehan in my neighborhood, and watched most of the homes going up. I can honestly say, the customer service was excellent, and I have not heard of any problems from any of my neighbors. I think a lot of any new construction depends on the construction site manager and crews they having working on the homes. Being a realtor, I can tell you first hand, that the same builder but different neighbrohoods, can be a totally different experience. If I were you, I would try to talk to neighbors that just happen to be outside and get an opinion first hand before deciding on a builder and/or neighborhood. Hope this helps!

Gehan tends to build a less upgraded and less expensive product than some other builders. I can't speak to the quality of their construction, but I think an unsatisfactory BBB rating should definitely be a red flag. From a resale perspective, I think you would have a difficult time reselling a Gehan unless it was heavily upgraded. I have only been in a handful of their homes and can honestly say that I have been in some luxury apartments in Houston that had better quality finishes than those homes. The bathrooms in particular stand out in my mind. Even the model home that I saw had basic cabinetry, cheap plumbing fixtures, etc.

Obviously this is just my opinion, but if there are other builders in your price range, I think you would be better off checking them out.