Surprising to some, there are still many places where new housing is readily available. Buying new construction can simplify maintenance, let you choose finishes, and unlock incentives. The major builders offer broad footprints with different strengths, many with options specific for buyers 55 and up. Herein we outline the options.
Toll Brothers
Toll Brothers operates at the premium end, with personalization that runs from finishes to structure. Beyond premium materials and larger spaces, a hallmark is how its Design Studios curate high-end options and how many plans support seamless indoor/outdoor living, casitas, and multigenerational layouts. The company explicitly markets “the power of choice,” and many communities showcase structural options—expanded patios, multi-gen suites, or enhanced outdoor rooms—so the same model can be a formal entertainer’s home or a resort-style retreat. If the priority is craftsmanship and tailored architecture in master-planned settings, this is the brand built to indulge it. States include AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, MD, MA, MI, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA/DC, WA. The Toll Brothers Regency Collection is ideal for adults 55 and up. Right now Toll Brothers has a mortgage deal, a 2/1 Buydown program, dubbed the “3.49 event”, lowering mortgage rates for the first two years. Regency at Teal is a featured 55+ community in Apollo Beach, FL, with 2-3 bedroom/2 bathroom homes with no stairs or steps starting at $389,000. Toll Brother’s Quick Move In promotion even throws in a free golf cart (yes, really).
Lennar
Lennar’s promise is radical simplicity: Rather than stair-stepping through option bundles, many of the finishes and features buyers expect—appliances, blinds, connectivity, and energy-conscious touches—are baked into the price. The brand also popularized “Home Within a Home®” designs: a private suite with its own entrance and kitchenette that supports multigenerational living, boomerang kids, or long-term guests. On the tech side, Lennar’s Connected Home initiatives partner with well-known brands for routers, thermostats, locks, leak detection, and doorbells, so the house ships “network-ready” without a DIY scramble. The result is a move-in-ready feel with fewer add-on decisions. (Lennar). Lennar also has a host of options specifically for adults 55 and up. The Lennar “Homes of the Week” website tool highlights current deals, with markdown deals as high as $80k. A featured townhome in Kissimmee Florida is ideal for seniors, with 2 beds, 2 baths, no stairs, 1,562 square feet, starting at $249,900, marked down from $329,990.
KB Home
KB Home leans hardest into personalization and efficiency. Its Design Studio experience is set up like a showroom—appliances, fixtures, flooring, tile, lighting—guided by a consultant, so a single plan can feel very different from one buyer to the next. The company also positions energy and water savings as core, designing homes to be ENERGY STAR® certified and repeatedly earning EPA recognition across ENERGY STAR®, WaterSense®, and Indoor airPLUS programs. KB’s 2024 sustainability summary even quantifies the upside: an average KB home built in 2024 was estimated to save about $1,800 a year on utility bills versus a typical resale home. For shoppers, that means the “base house” starts efficient, and upgrades are about style and livability rather than chasing basic performance. States include AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IN, KY, MI, NV, NC, SC, TN, TX, UT, WA (KB Home). Many 2 and 3 bedroom single story floorplans are available, making them ideal for folks 55 and up even if not marketed specifically so. An example floorplan in New Braunfels, Texas has 3 beds, 2 baths, no stairs, and starts at just $224,995.
D.R. Horton
As “America’s Builder,” D.R. Horton spreads across price points with distinct series. Express targets value and first-time buyers with simpler spec sets, Freedom focuses on low-maintenance living for active-adult buyers, core D.R. Horton communities fill the middle, and Emerald serves higher-end needs. A unifying thread is the standard “America’s Smart Home” package—door hardware, thermostat, smart switch, hub, and video doorbell platformed on widely used protocols—so baseline connectivity is built in from day one. The breadth of series makes it relatively easy to match budget to a new-build community without sacrificing the essentials. (D.R. Horton). A host of communities are also ideal for 55 and up. Many single story homes with no steps start under a quarter million, such as Mitchell Farm in Killeen Texas.
Century Communities
Century’s differentiator is how you buy as much as what you buy. The company pioneered a fully online “Buy Now” path—reserve and purchase from a phone or laptop—while still offering traditional sales centers. Under the Century Communities brand, homes include the Century Home Connect® smart-home package (delivered and configured with an installer partner), while Century Complete aims at affordable, streamlined offerings through online purchasing. Product types range from single-family to townhomes and paired homes; across them, the consistent theme is modern plans with a baseline of connected-home features and the option to transact entirely online if that suits the move timeline. (Century Communities). A number of floorplans make these homes ideal for 55 and up. Alton single family homes in Webster Florida start at just $275,990 with 1,263 square feet.
New home builders are feeling a sales squeeze in a number of markets. Buyer incentives are on the rise, as reported by Fast Company, so be on the lookout for a deal.