New Home Inc. Named to the Triangle Business Journal's 2026 Fast 50 for the Second Year in a Row

TL;DR: Quick Answers

What is the Triangle Business Journal Fast 50? The Fast 50 is an annual ranking of the 50 fastest-growing privately held companies in the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill region. Companies are ranked on a formula that combines three years of revenue growth and profitability.

Where did New Home Inc. rank in 2026? New Home Inc. ranked No. 30 on the 2026 Fast 50. This is our second consecutive year on the list, following a No. 7 ranking in 2025.

What period does the 2026 list measure? The 2026 rankings are based on revenue growth and profitability from 2022 through 2025.

What does a builder's growth mean for homebuyers? Steady, profitable growth is one sign that a builder can secure land, finish the homes it starts, and stand behind its warranty. It is not a substitute for checking build quality, warranty terms, and homeowner experiences yourself.

Back-to-Back on the Triangle's Fastest-Growing List

On October 21, our partners joined business leaders from across the region at The Pavilion at the Angus Barn in Raleigh for the Triangle Business Journal's 2026 Fast 50 Awards. New Home Inc. was named No. 30 on the 2026 Fast 50, our second straight year among the Triangle's fastest-growing private companies.

Last year we placed seventh, which we shared in our 2025 Fast 50 recognition. Each Fast 50 list measures a rolling three-year window, so every ranking captures a different slice of a company's story. What matters most to us is that we earned a place on both lists during a stretch when interest rates, land prices, and construction costs made homebuilding harder for everyone.

We're also a small team. TBJ's profile lists 39 employees, every one of them based here in the Triangle. Our leadership group is made up of five partners: Dallas Poulk, Matt Riley, Rich Sherman, Rich VanTassel, and Rob Bailey.

"Making the Fast 50 two years running says a lot about our team and about the buyers who trusted us with one of the biggest decisions of their lives," said Matt Riley, Partner at New Home Inc. "We're a 39-person company building in one of the busiest housing markets in the country. Staying disciplined is how we keep earning that trust."

How the Fast 50 Is Measured

The Fast 50 isn't a popularity contest, and companies can't buy their way onto it. TBJ ranks privately held Triangle companies using a formula that weighs revenue growth together with profitability. For 2026, that window covered 2022 through 2025. In 2025, results were independently verified by accounting firm BDO, the event's accounting partner.

The profitability piece is the part we care about most. Plenty of companies can grow revenue quickly by spending heavily or taking on risk. The Fast 50 formula rewards companies that grow while staying financially healthy, which is a harder thing to do over three years.

For a homebuilder, that distinction matters to buyers. When you sign a contract on a home, you're counting on your builder to close on schedule, pay its trade partners, and be around to honor the warranty after you move in. A builder that grows without staying profitable can struggle to do all three. Growth paired with profitability doesn't guarantee anything on its own, but it is a meaningful signal of operational health.

What's Fueling Our Growth

When TBJ asked what is driving our growth, our answer was straightforward. We told them NHI's growth is "fueled by strategic land acquisition and ongoing product development." Both of those things show up directly in the homes our buyers live in.

Land in the Path of Growth

We work to secure land in towns that are growing before that growth is fully priced in. That strategy is why our communities sit in places like Clayton, Fuquay-Varina, Lillington, Wendell, Zebulon, and Willow Spring rather than only inside the Raleigh city limits.

For buyers, getting into a growing town early can mean more home for the money and a larger homesite than you would find closer to downtown. There is an honest trade-off, too. In fast-growing areas, roads, retail, and schools are sometimes still catching up with new residents. We think buyers deserve to hear both sides, so our team talks openly about commute times and planned infrastructure in each market.

Homes That Adapt to What Buyers Want

The second half of our answer was product development. Buyer priorities shift as interest rates, work habits, and family needs change. We pay close attention to what our buyers choose, what they ask for, and what they skip, and we refine our floor plans and included features based on that feedback.

That process is a big part of being a personalized home builder. We combine the process discipline and purchasing power of a larger builder with the individual attention and design flexibility buyers usually expect from a much smaller one. The result is a home built on a proven plan, with room to make it your own.

How We Build

Growth only means something if the homes hold up. Every home we build moves through a series of inspections by the local building inspections department as construction progresses, typically covering the foundation, framing, rough-in plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems, insulation, and a final inspection before a certificate of occupancy is issued.

Energy performance gets the same attention. ENERGY STAR certified new homes are verified through independent inspections and diagnostic testing, such as a blower door test that measures how much air leaks through the home's envelope and duct testing that checks how well conditioned air reaches each room. We also work with Eco Select Energy, a third-party program focused on verified energy efficiency in new construction. Tighter homes cost less to heat and cool, which connects directly to the affordability challenge below.

Affordability Is the Issue We Watch Most Closely

TBJ also asked what keeps company leaders up at night. Our answer was one word: affordability. Between interest rates, land costs, and construction expenses, keeping homes within reach for Triangle buyers is the biggest challenge we face, and it's the issue we watch most closely.

The numbers show why. In Wake County, the median value of an owner-occupied home was $461,300, and median monthly owner costs for homeowners with a mortgage were $2,113, according to U.S. Census Bureau data for 2020 to 2024. Those figures have pushed many buyers to look beyond Raleigh's core toward the surrounding towns where we build.

Here is how we're responding, in practical terms.

Smart land decisions. Land is one of the highest costs in any new home. Choosing locations in growing towns, rather than competing for the most expensive parcels near downtown, helps keep starting prices more attainable.

Efficient product design. Thoughtful floor plans put square footage where people actually use it. Simpler, well-planned layouts also cost less to build, and those savings matter when every dollar affects a monthly payment.

Disciplined cost management. We watch construction costs closely and work with our trade partners to keep budgets predictable, so buyers aren't surprised by changes along the way.

Lower monthly operating costs. Energy efficiency affects affordability long after closing. ENERGY STAR describes its certified new homes as at least 10 percent more efficient than homes built to code, which can lower utility bills month after month.

Look at Total Cost of Ownership, Not Just Price

Purchase price is only part of what a home costs you. When buyers compare a new home to an older resale home, we encourage them to look at the full picture over the first several years of ownership.

A resale home may list for less, but it can come with a roof, HVAC system, or water heater that is closer to the end of its life. Those replacements often land in the first few years, right when budgets are tightest. A new home starts with new systems, current building codes, and a builder warranty, which makes early costs more predictable.

There are trade-offs in the other direction, too. Resale homes are often in established neighborhoods with mature trees and finished amenities, and some buyers value that more than anything a new home offers. Our job is to help you compare the two honestly, including the monthly payment, utilities, and maintenance, so the decision fits your budget and your life.

If affordability is on your mind, too, start with the numbers. Our mortgage calculator includes a payment estimator and a Buying Power tab. You can also read our guide to how much mortgage you can afford in the Raleigh area and our tips for first-time homebuyers. And if timing matters, our quick move-in homes let you skip the full build timeline.

Using Technology to Serve Buyers Better

Like many growing companies, we use AI tools behind the scenes to handle routine work faster. TBJ's profile describes AI as a force multiplier across NHI, and the part buyers notice most is communication. Questions get answered faster, and updates during the buying and building process are clearer.

What technology doesn't replace is a real person. When you reach out through our website, you're connecting with Monica, our New Home Guide, who answers questions about communities, homes, and locations directly. You can call or text her at 919-420-3266. Technology frees our team to spend more time on the conversations that matter, like helping you choose the right homesite or understand your options.

Where We're Building Across the Triangle

Our growth tracks the region's growth. Wake County reached an estimated 1,257,235 residents in 2025, up 11.3 percent since 2020, with 13,806 residential building permits issued in 2025. Johnston County has grown even faster, from 215,999 residents in the 2020 Census to an estimated 256,448 in 2025, an increase of nearly 19 percent.

If you're exploring new homes in Raleigh NC and the surrounding towns, here is where you'll find us.

Clayton

Clayton sits in Johnston County, the fastest-growing part of our footprint. Buyers like its walkable downtown, its growing list of local restaurants and parks, and its access to Raleigh. You can explore our Clayton communities to see current availability.

Fuquay-Varina

Fuquay-Varina blends small-town character with southern Wake County convenience. Springwood Townes offers townhome living here, and Ballard Woods is coming soon. Learn more about homes in Fuquay-Varina.

Lillington

Lillington gives buyers easy access to Raleigh, Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, and Campbell University, often at a lower price point. Duncan's Creek is an active community, and Milton West is in downtown Lillington. See what we're building in Lillington.

Wendell and Zebulon

On Raleigh's eastern edge, Wendell and Zebulon offer room to grow with quick access to the city. Both towns have kept much of their small-town feel while new neighborhoods take shape around them, which appeals to buyers who want space without giving up a reasonable commute. Browse homes in Wendell and homes in Zebulon.

Willow Spring

Willow Spring is a quieter southern Wake County option with a growing number of new neighborhoods. Find out what's available in Willow Spring.

What a Builder's Growth Should (and Shouldn't) Tell You

We're proud of this recognition, and we also want to be straight with you about what it does and doesn't mean. The Fast 50 measures how a business performs. It doesn't inspect a single house. A growing builder can still build a home you don't love, and a small builder can build a great one.

So when you compare builders, including us, look past the awards and ask questions like these:

• What does the warranty cover, and for how long? Get it in writing. You can review our warranty before you ever visit a model.
• What inspections and third-party testing happen during construction? Ask whether energy performance is independently verified.
• Who is my point of contact, and how will I get updates? Clear communication prevents most frustration during a build.
• What is the realistic timeline, and what could change it? A trustworthy builder explains risks up front.
• Can I walk a finished home and talk to current homeowners? There's no better test than standing in the house.

Recognition from people who judge homes, not finances, is useful too. This fall our homes earned three awards at the 2026 Triangle Parade of Homes, where entries are evaluated in person.

If you want a step-by-step look at what to expect, our guide to the new home buying process walks through it from first visit to closing.

Looking Ahead to 2027

TBJ asked about our top priority heading into 2027. Our focus is adapting to a shifting market by anticipating change rather than reacting to it. That means continuing to secure strong land positions, staying disciplined in how we operate, and growing at a pace we can sustain in any market.

We plan to add one to three team members over the next year. For a company our size, that's measured growth, and it's intentional. We would rather grow carefully and keep the personal attention our buyers count on.

Find Your Next Home With New Home Inc.

Two years on the Fast 50 is a milestone, but the real measure of our work is the families who live in our homes. If you're comparing your options for new home construction Raleigh NC, start by browsing our quick move-in homes or contact our team to schedule a tour. Monica is ready to answer your questions at 919-420-3266.