Making the ‘right’ choice
Kameron Johnson, Tyler Morsbach, Ken Thurston, Joe Hays, John Cano and Curtis Hays real estate developer Roger Cox and Associates of Albuquerque, he began development of Las Colinas. Why Las Cruces? “My several trips here showed me that there was a real need for affordable housing.” (“Affordable” then was a home in the $60,000 range). This is still the company’s forte. “In the home building business, there are generally three categories of builders: the economy builder, the value builder, and the style builder,” he explains. “Value is our niche. That’s where we shine.” The median price of a new Las Cruces home in the current boom market is now $212,000. But Ken Thurston Homes is currently offering a 1026 square foot, three bedroom, two bath, two car garage home for $128,900, well below the median. What’s more, this home will be built to the advanced, energy efficient standards that are now the hallmark of every Ken Thurston-built home. Ken Thurston credits his long involvement with the National
Association of Home Builders for “schooling me” and pointing him wisely in the direction of energy efficient design. He is a past president of the local Home Builders Association in both the Farmington area and Las Cruces, and in 1996 was named Las Cruces Builder Member of the Year. Joe Hays joined the company thirteen years ago as a painting sub contractor, and through his “experience, common sense and keen eye for detail” says Ken Thurston, quickly moved to on-site construction supervisor and now president. With Ken Thurston, he signed on early to the potential of the Building America Program in spite of the initial up-front risk to the company’s profitability and stature in the Las Cruces building industry.
in Las Cruces last year than any other builder. Ken Thurston Homes has become “more of the driver of the market”. It’s no stretch to speculate that as more and more builders accept the Building America concept, Ken Thurston Homes can expect their “team envelop” idea of responsible channels of accountability - to the customer and the environment - to reach nationwide
Ken Thurston feels his decision to sign up has helped his company to stay on top of the market. With the results in for 2004 his feelings seem right. Ken Thurston Homes built more new homes
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