Running a home building business takes vision, persistence and the right people by your side.
For Justin Bauer, President of Clarity Construction in Ankeny, Iowa, that path wasn’t a straight line.
Once a golf professional, Justin’s journey took him from the fairways to the construction site and eventually to becoming an Epcon Franchise Builder. Along the way, he discovered the power of efficiency, the excitement of serving the 55+ market and the value of being part of a trusted network.
As Justin puts it, “Every year, I decide to stay with Epcon, because it’s that valuable.”
From Golf Pro to Home Builder
Before entering construction, Justin’s career followed a very different path. After graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in Management Information Systems, he pursued life as a golf pro. In the winters, he kept busy by finishing basements which opened the door to a new opportunity: working for a local builder.
During his six years with Kimberly Development, Justin helped build more than 300 homes. By 2008, he faced a crossroads. He could stay where he was or take the leap to launch his own business. He chose the latter.
Despite starting his company during the housing market crash, Justin gained momentum quickly. He earned recognition at the Des Moines Home Show Expo, where his custom homes won “Best of Show.” From there his reputation grew leading to high-end custom projects ranging from $400,000 to $3 million.
While custom homes were rewarding, Justin found himself asking a bigger question: how can I make the most of my time? That question eventually led Justin to Epcon.
Discovering Epcon Franchising
“I wasn’t really looking for production opportunities,” Justin admits. But conversations with real estate partners and Epcon Franchise Builders opened his eyes to the potential of a franchise model.
At first, he resisted. “I thought, ‘I don’t need Epcon. I can do this by myself.’” But after visiting Epcon’s headquarters and meeting the team, his perspective shifted.
“It was instantaneous,” Justin recalls. “It’s a class-act organization from top to bottom. The energy and excitement really rubs off on everyone.”
Epcon’s plans, support and resources showed him a more efficient path forward—one that maximized his time and allowed him to scale.
Serving the 55+ Market
For Justin, the most rewarding part of becoming an Epcon Franchise Builder has been serving the 55+ demographic.
Unlike his custom home clients who are often focused on upgrading, his Epcon buyers are entering a new stage of life.
“The 55 and older group… I can’t explain the excitement,” Justin says. “It’s more than the home they’re moving into, it’s about the point of their life that they got to. They can relax, have fun, worry less and really enjoy life.”
This shift gave his work deeper meaning and aligned with Epcon’s mission of creating communities that allow buyers to live well every day.
Scaling a Bigger Vision
Clarity Construction launched its first Epcon community in Ankeny in 2016. Since then, their team has sold over 350 Epcon homes.
For Justin Bauer, that balance of business growth and personal fulfillment is what makes Epcon Franchising the right fit.
They currently have three active Epcon communities in the Des Moines area: The Courtyards at Harvest Ridge, The Courtyards at Parkside and The Courtyards at Windsor.