The Big get Bigger: D.R. Horton buys major so. Carolina builder

D.R. Horton has acquired the homebuilding assets of South Carolina-based SK Builders. The transaction was structured as a purchase of the homebuilding assets, with land development operations carved out. The owners of SK Builders will continue to pursue land development under a new brand.

SK Builders has specialized in building entry-level single-family homes and served the largest buyer pool in one of the nation’s fastest growing top-50 homebuilding markets. It has pipeline of more than 1,900 lots, a mix of self-developed lots and optioned takedowns, positioning the company for sustained long-term growth

Whelan Advisory handled the transaction on behalf of SK Builders. Whelan was engaged after the seller had unsuccessfully marketed the company for sale.  Whelan lead a comprehensive sell-side M&A process, with the objective of enabling ownership’s transition out of the business while ensuring continuity for management and employees post-close

Whelan contacted a broad universe of potential buyers – including public builders, private builders, private equity investors, and Japanese housing companies – resulting in multiple competitive offers. Whelan then actively managed the closing due diligence process to reduce workload on the management team and ensure a timely close, coordinating numerous advisors and third parties.

Founded in 1994, SK Builders is a second-generation, family owned company run by two brothers. It ranked the 109th largest homebuilder by Builder Magazine in the 2025 Builder 100 list. Based in Greenville, S.C., it has had a top ten presence in nearby Spartanburg, S.C.