BY WIL CREWS
SPORTSCREWS@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
LEE COUNTY —
In the ever-evolving landscape of the American housing market, one company stands out for its rapid rise to prominence and its unwavering commitment to excellence: Evermore Homes. Formerly known as American Southern Homes, this expanding home-building holding company has announced a groundbreaking transition that promises to reshape the way customers experience homeownership.
On July 13, 2023, Evermore Homes revealed its new identity — a unified brand that consolidates the strengths of four builder brands operating in Arizona, Alabama and Georgia. This strategic decision aims to enhance the customer experience by simplifying sales, marketing and other operational processes while setting the stage for continued growth, the company said.
“For us, [being] able to unify the brand really allows us to continue to grow really effectively and to simplify the way we’re doing things,” said Evermore Homes Senior Director of Marketing and Sales Adam Grounds. “Today’s home shoppers and homebuyers, they still want a really good learning experience and still want a lot of options.
“They want the home and they want that meaningful investment to them. And one of the things that we did as we’ve grown is try to streamline the way we’re doing things and bring similar operations to each place that we’re building. Everyone together under the same brand name, we’re actually able to express what the experience is like for our customers, what kind of floor plans we can bring into each market.”
Evermore Homes boasts an impressive track record, having achieved the prestigious honor of being recognized among the top 100 U.S. home builders in the 2022 Builder 100 List. Within just six years, since its inception in 2017, the company has climbed the ranks through strategic acquisitions of respected regional brands in the Southeast and Southwest United States.
Now, as Evermore Homes, the company will oversee an extensive portfolio of more than 3,900 homesites spread across 46 communities in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia and Tennessee.
The unification of the four builder brands — American Southern Homes; Grayhawk Homes in Columbus, Georgia; Stoneridge Homes in Huntsville, Alabama; and Dorn Homes in Prescott, Arizona — represents not only a change in name but also a seamless blending of over 100 years of collective operational and leadership experience. This integration positions Evermore Homes as a powerhouse in the homebuilding industry, ready to deliver exceptional homes and experiences to customers across the nation.
“There was absolutely a top-down strategy of wanting to find really strong brands where [there was what] we consider potentially underserved markets around the country,” Grounds said. “So we had a really talented team of building operators and people who had worked for some of the best-known building brands in the country from an operations standpoint — construction, designing, developing land. And so I think on all levels we really focused on having the right people on the team to help us grow, help us create a compelling experience.”
Under the leadership of CEO Lee Darnold, Evermore Homes is embracing this transformative shift with enthusiasm, and Darnold highlighted the reasoning behind the brand unification.
“Our strategy has always been centered around acquiring builders known for the highest quality of craftsmanship and exceptional customer service,” he said. “However, managing processes and experiences across multiple builder brands can be operationally complex. Today’s milestone demonstrates our commitment to simplifying the home shopping process for our customers and maximizing the style and livability of the homes they’ll live in for years to come. We are incredibly excited about this development.”
To celebrate this milestone, Evermore Homes has ambitious plans to introduce all-new home designs in its existing communities throughout Alabama, Georgia and Northern Arizona. This includes developments here in Lee County and just across the state border in Columbus, Georgia.
“When I started my role about two years ago, and when I first visited the area, I was really blown away; it’s just so beautiful,” Grounds said of the Auburn-Opelika community. “There’s so many new developments. It seems like an area that’s growing really rapidly. It seems like it’s an area that so many people want to live in. So, the more nice residential communities there are, the more people want to live in that area. And it just seems like there’s this endless stream of people that really love the area. So, we’re so excited to be able to be a part of that and contribute to such a great place to live.”
These forthcoming designs, set to be unveiled later this year, will prioritize livability and value, incorporating thoughtful elements of design to elevate the lives of homeowners. With innovation at the forefront, Evermore Homes seeks to redefine modern living through its unique and carefully crafted homes, the company said.
“We just released our first new series in floor-plan and it came out of a process that took a number of months,” Ground said. “So we spent a lot of time really researching what are the biggest trends right now in … home design? What, you know, what do people want [in] a future home?
“In the process, we’ve really focused on a few key tenets. So one, I’d say, is an eye [toward] livability, which is maybe something that people toss around as a phrase but we really think that we’ve designed to maximize the livability of its size. That means that there’s a lot of touches throughout our homes that allow someone to really live in a flexible way. We’ve really invested quite a bit and what that exterior [of] the home looks like, too. So, every time you’re coming home, you’re pausing, waiting for that garage door to open … it’s this moment of pride that this is your home.”
Looking toward the future, Evermore Homes is well-positioned for expansion, thanks to the groundwork laid by its dedicated executive and field teams.
“For two years, our executive and field teams have been laying the groundwork of a unified platform that will allow Evermore Homes to expand quickly,” Darnold said. “This platform — which combines our builder’s local expertise with greater access to capital and standardized national processes and management systems — uniquely positions us to scale quickly as we add new builders and new markets to our portfolio.”
Evermore Homes has embraced its new name with unwavering confidence and a renewed sense of purpose. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Evermore Homes remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering exceptional homes that exemplify quality craftsmanship, innovative design and outstanding customer service.
As Evermore Homes continues to make strides in the real estate world, it invites potential homeowners to embark on a journey of elevated living, where every house is a home, and every experience is one to cherish for a lifetime.
“It’s been a roller coaster in the last couple of years for home shoppers,” Grounds said. “I think every little thing we can do to make it just a little better for them can really help. I’m in the business of helping people find a home. The better we can do that — whether that’s from a price point standpoint or just creating a home that someone’s proud of and excited to live in as long as they choose, but ultimately they can pass it on to the next family to live there — that’s what makes me excited. At the end of the day, we’re taking raw land and creating communities where families can live, and it’s really exciting.”
A home-building team of American Southern Homes.
Examples of the interior and exterior of some locally built homes by Evermore Homes. Find more informatin on Evermore Homes by visiting its website: www.evermorehomes.com/.