D R Horton

Very professional and consistent product. Not the highest level of quality compared to the luxury in SoWal but a good value. They sell more homes than anyone in America and it's because they know what they are doing. I've met some of the people who work for them and like them all. They are professional and seem to be doing a good job and are glad to be working here instead of somewhere in the middle of the country.

Just where did Dr Horton get his medical degree?

Any experience, information or opinions?

1) Fracking. Google D.R. Horton and you should fairly quickly find the connection. Past sales contracts had the buyers giving away their mineral rights (below ground) in very fine print. With Fracking all over the local Media and a hot topic at the last BCC Meeting, this might be important.

2) Poor quality. Seams pop just after warranty. Be sure to get you punch list done ASAP and follow up daily to ensure it is done, PRIOR to the one year.

3) Associations / HOA's - D.R. will keep control until the last minute, then dump it on the owners. This happened at a property North of 98 and it was then discovered that no rebar was put in with the concrete sidewalks in the neighborhood. At another property some shared amenities were said to be part of the association and the homes were marketed as such. Later it was determined that the amenities were NOT part of the association and ads were pulled promoting this.

4) Recent legal case in the Tampa Area has a condo with a lot of MOLD problems. Condo or town-homes built by DR. You should be able to search and find that article, fairly recent.

5) Emerald Homes = D.R. Horton, same thing.

As with any purchase of Real Estate, do your homework and use a Licensed Realtor.

DR Horton builds a nice product for a fair price and stands behind what they build. Anyone who builds as many units as they do will undoubtedly have some complaints it's how the complaints are resolved that matters. Too many buyers expect a $300,000 house to be built like a $600,000 house.

@John G
1. Please join our efforts in Walton County to ban fracking here. At least show support to commissioners Meadows and Comander who oppose it.
2. They back up product well. What seams are you referring to?
3. Doesn't every development hand over HOA to owners at some point?
4. If you build over 35,000 homes per year you will encounter issues. I've seen plenty of builders around here totally screw people.
5. Emerald Homes is the "upscale" division. I think the finishes are nicer but probably the same construction methods. Probably marketing reasons.
6. Are you a builder?

Always keep your eyes open. Have all contracts checked out. Be sure warranty is solid from any builder, or purchase a third party warranty.

Thank you for the feedback

Their prices are much higher than their quality level. Their prices are based on the local market, not on actual building costs. They are built fast and cheap and they put the burden on the homeowner to find issues and get them resolved before the clock runs out.

Make sure you check the flood maps, many are not in flood zone X. Also, make sure you factor in the association fees, they are often hundreds of dollars a month.

As far as mineral rights, few properties in the area convey those rights with the property, that isn't just a Horton thing.

Their prices are much higher than their quality level. Their prices are based on the local market, not on actual building costs.

Not just a "Horton thing" either.

David Weekly sells houses in Watersound West Beach for 1.2 million that they could not sell for 600k in Texas, even with insane lot prices here it is still a 300k house. So it is whatever the market will bear.

D.R. Horton being sued by an Inlet Beach Community? Anyone know more?

D.R. Horton being sued by an Inlet Beach Community? Anyone know more?

What is an Inlet Beach community?

What is an Inlet Beach community?

Grande Pointe.
Grande Pointe residents file suit against DR Horton

When Chris Smith bought his home in the Grande Pointe neighborhood in Inlet Beach in 2010, he believed he was buying into a neighborhood where all the homes would be a Coastal Cottage architectural style -- at least that was what he was told.

However, the original developer had to file for bankruptcy and the community’s remaining 70 lots were bought in 2014 by the Montgomery-based real-estate holding company Inlet Beach Holding Company.


In 2016, that company sold the last 46 lots to DR Horton Homes, a home-builder based in Texas, but with operations throughout the panhandle.

Through the change in ownerships, neither of the two latest owners have abided by the covenants established by the original developer.

“We have to follow the rules, but they do not,” said Smith.

Smith had a seat on the board as a voice for homeowners until February of this year, but was voted off when he pointed out to them that they were not following the neighborhood’s covenants and rules. People representing the developer now occupy all four seats of the homeowners association.

Smith said he and the other homeowners have tried to work with the new owners to no avail.

DR Horton and Inlet Beach Holdings did not return calls seeking comment on this article.

Last week, 16 Grande Pointe homeowners filed suit in Circuit Court against Inlet Beach Holdings and DR Horton in an attempt to force them to turn over control of the neighborhood to Grande Pointe’s homeowners association, and homeowners have put up signs in the neighborhood warning potential buyers about the HOA. DR Horton sent out letters to the homeowners advising that such signs are prohibited, but Smith said the signs aren’t coming down until DR Horton follow the rules.


“There are plusses and minuses of living in a planned community that has an Architectural Review Committee,” said Smith. “There are rules and we want them to follow the rules. When Inlet Holdings voted me off, they did that with no meeting of the homeowners. We tried to work with them, but they don’t agree that it should belong to the homeowners. We have to gain control. We aren’t against DR Horton building in the neighborhood if they can build the coastal cottage style that is raised off the ground and has porches, which was the original plan for the neighborhood.”

Trey Howland is another homeowner at Grande Pointe who is unhappy with the way things are going.

“When all the lots were sold, control of the neighborhood should have gone to the homeowners,” he said. “The only meeting we have been invited to was when they took over and introduced themselves to us. We are asking a judge to declare that we have control of the HOA.”

Howland said he believes the two companies are guilty of negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and not following the ARC rules of the neighborhood.

“Many meetings we were never notified of, and we are not given copies of financial statements or budgets as required by state law,” he said. “Our (community association manager) is in Alabama.”

Howland has lived at Grande Pointe since 2011.

“When I bought in here, I agreed to abide by the neighborhood covenants and ARC standards,” he said. “IBH did not, and DRH told us the ARC doesn’t apply to them. They are building a home next to mine and not following our ARC standards. They are supposed to submit an application with plans and we determine whether the plans meet our neighborhood vision. They didn’t. They just started building.”

Smith agreed.

“We just want the rules to be followed for building and financials and meetings,” he said. “Hopefully we can get these issues resolved. This is a fun neighborhood of full-time residents. We have chili cookoffs and cornhole games. We love it. If we didn’t love it, we wouldn’t be making such a stink.”

Yes I don't blame residents who were there before for being upset. They are victims of banks getting caught giving bad mortgages. DR Horton bought control. I'd like to see how different the homes are.