About

“We believe that great home design can improve lives and create stronger communities.”

—Phil Fankhauser, Epcon Communities Co-Founder, on the 55+ home building business

Watch Phil discuss how the home building business can offer designs that are a form of art that you can enjoy living in every day.

The Epcon Vision

For over 35 years, Epcon builders have grown their home building businesses and earned a reputation for being reliable and trustworthy.

Epcon Communities was started in Columbus, Ohio in 1986 by Philip Fankhauser and Edward Bacome when they realized the needs of the 55+ home buyer had been overlooked by builders everywhere.

They knew these homes had to be popular with this demographic’s unique needs. These homes were going to be built for people who were ready to downsize and spend time enjoying life rather than mowing yards and dusting extra unused bedrooms.

Our plans are thoroughly researched and vetted. We have the strongest product in the marketplace for this audience because of this.

A History of Success

The first Epcon community was Deer Run, and it sold out fast. Word got around about the unique community and there was soon demand from a fast-growing, underserved demographic.

Three years later, a local builder contacted Fankhauser and Bacome and asked to use Epcon’s design and floor plans for a community nearby. At first, the co-founders were hesitant to share their success and expand beyond Columbus. But soon, more and more builders were seeking out Epcon’s style and floor plan to develop communities in nearby cities.

From the very beginning, the popularity of Epcon Communities quickly spread through Central Ohio and beyond. Fankhauser and Bacome granted their first license of their construction plans in 1995. Today, there are 450+ Epcon communities in 25+ states.

Trusted

As the largest home building franchise in the U.S. based on an annual volume of closed units, we’ve earned our reputation and are the only production home building and land development franchise in the country.

Expertise

Epcon has earned its position as one of the largest U.S. home builders of single-family lifestyle communities that are popular with the 55+ home buyer due to in-depth customer research and our copyrighted home designs. (Builder 100, 2024)

Visionary

For the past three decades, we’ve continued to improve our designs as homeowners’ wants and needs have changed. Our designs are constantly evolving and growing, but one thing stays the same — providing the home buyer with award-winning layouts they’ll love to call home.

Industry Expertise