Lennar, Ryland led homebuilding in metro area last year

For the ninth year in a row, and by a long shot, Lennar was the biggest homebuilder in the Twin Cities metro last year.

The company's revenue was $247 million and it built 458 single-family and 99 multifamily homes, according to a survey by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities. Lennar outpaced the No. 2 builder, Ryland Homes of Minnesota, by nearly 200 homes.

"We truly believe that it's important to always be improving," said Bill Burgess, Lennar's Minnesota division president. "We do so by listening to what our home buyers want and learning what the newest trends, features and technology are for today's new home."

Miami-based Lennar has held the top spot since 2006, and was one of six national companies to dominate the list.

Last year, national builders represented 24 percent of the top 25 builders in the state.

The largest Minnesota-based companies were Andover-based Hanson Builders, which was No. 6, and Golden Valley-based Gonyea Homes at No. 7.

The annual list is based on annual gross revenue as reported by the respondents, counting only housing that sold and closed during 2014.

Though Lennar outbuilt the competition by a long shot, the company's revenue was well below its peak of $432 million in 2006, when it sold 1,189 houses.

At No. 2, California-based Ryland had more than $129 million in revenue and built 344 houses. Next was D.R. Horton, which had revenue of almost $124 million and 275 sales. Pulte Homes took the fourth spot with $120 million revenue and 243 housing units. And Toronto-based Mattamy Homes, with $90 million in revenue and 256 units, took the fifth spot.

The last time a local company led the list was 2003 when Rottlund Homes took the top spot, according to Katie Eldred, the Builders Association's press secretary.

She said the Twin Cities has been an attractive market for national builders because of its growing population and availability of land.

"Yet, we remain unique as we still have a thriving group of local builders doing a lot of business," she said.

6. Hanson Builders, $60 million revenue, 85 units

7. Gonyea Homes, $53 million revenue, 61 units

8. Robert Thomas Homes, $51 million revenue, 106 units

9. Hans Hagen Homes, $42.8 million revenue, built 122 units

10. K. Hovnanian Homes, $42.4 million revenue, 131 units