How award-winning developments from Kerley Family Homes are transforming neighborhood communities
Founded in 2007 on the idea that a sense of family is one of the most important things in life, Kerley Family Homes was created by father and son, Gene and Joe Kerley. Bringing a lifelong passion for building quality homes to communities throughout North Georgia, Joe, current Kerley Family Homes CEO, maintains the steadfast commitment to family values, which provides the cornerstone of the business’s operating philosophy.
Traditional feel
This approach sets the company apart in a highly competitive market. Dana Wiggins, President and CFO elaborates. “There are several factors that distinguish us
from others, most importantly being the quality of our homes and our dedication to customer service. Whatever we do, we do it with excellence in mind. We have an in-house design center which enables buyers to design their home in a way that aesthetically reflects their style. We’re also local and focused primarily on the Greater Atlanta market, which gives us a depth of knowledge in regards to the community that many larger builders don’t have.”
Joe gives an example of a recent project that exemplifies the quality of a Kerley Family Homes build: “We’ve recently completed a development called Meadow Pines in Dallas, Georgia. It’s comprised of 27 lots, all single-family homes. The homes will be around 2000 square feet, selling in the 300,000-dollar range. We wanted to bring a farmhouse style to the subdivision, giving the community a nice traditional feel. It will feature our new home series called The Bungalow which serves to meet the needs of first-time home buyers. We will also be breaking ground on another exciting project in Dallas in the new year called Merchants Park, which will include 89 three-story townhomes with two-car garages.”
Another stand out project is Ford Landing; Joe shares some key details: “It’s a great community. The lot subdivision worked out really well and the product is excellent. It features our signature series, which is our highest end homes, selling for over one million dollars.”
Quality projects
Developing such an extensive portfolio of high-quality homes led to Kerley Family Homes being recognized as one of Builder Magazine’s top 100 builders in the US. Joe’s response is typically humble: “We just continue to build houses and grow. Getting land and entitlements is getting harder but we keep on top of the opportunities as they present.”
Constant innovation has also contributed to the company’s ongoing success. Joe highlights an innovative technology that is now included as standard in all Kerley Family Homes properties: “All our homes now come with a Clean Comfort high-efficiency air filtration system. The system works to remove allergens and pollutants from the entire home, providing customers with fresh air throughout all their living spaces. This means more longevity and less stress for heating and cooling systems. Particles trapped in the air filter are permanently removed from the home when it is replaced with a new one.”
As the end of the year fast approaches there are some interesting projects close to coming online. Dana shares further details: “Factory Shoals will showcase our Georgian series, which encompasses 19 lots in Cobb County, more specifically in Mableton. Sawmill Creek will have 55 single family lots and feature The Bungalow series. Finally, there’s Walters Creek in Douglasville. This community is comprised of 41 lots which will feature our Executive series, a level above our Georgian series.”
Team support
These projects, as they come to fruition, will help the company realize its ambitions for 2025. Dana expands: “Our goal in the next couple of years is to increase our closings back up to 200 homes a year. In the next few years, we should be closing over 300 homes a year.”
Joe affirms: “Yes, we’ve got the land, structure and financing to build and complete that many units. We hope to achieve that number in the next three years, and we’ll consolidate for two years before moving on to the next phase of growth.” This doesn’t come without its challenges as Joe explains: “It’s been a difficult market recently, with interest rates being so low and then rising so quickly along with costs. It has been quite a challenge to find savings and ensure we can continue to keep our homes affordable for our customers.”
Dana also reflects on these challenges: “We need to shine a light on our team. With the market being as tumultuous as it has been, the fact that we’ve remained so profitable reflects the commitment and dedication of all our team members. As we move forward, cementing ourselves into the North Atlanta market, it is the commitment and strength of our team that will allow us to meet our goals and continue to be successful.”