There is a reason so many people who visit Southwest Florida never want to leave. The sunshine. The canals. The laid back pace of life. SunLife Homes was built on that idea, and this year the rest of the homebuilding industry took notice.
In a recent feature, HousingWire and The Builder’s Daily looked at how SunLife Homes grew in one of the toughest housing markets in the country. The article highlights SunLife’s ranking as the 11th fastest growing builder in the 2025 HousingWire Homebuilder Rankings, with residential sales volume up 31.8 percent in 2025.
Read the full article on HousingWire
Built for Homeowners
Like so many Florida stories, this one starts with a visit. During the pandemic, Jeff Kershner and his family spent time in Florida and decided this was where they wanted to be. Jeff moved to Cape Coral, and SunLife Homes was born in 2022.
SunLife first focused on homes for investors and rentals. In 2024, the company shifted to building homes for people who would live in them. As Jeff told HousingWire:
“Building for investors is one thing, but building for homeowners is my passion.”
Growing Through Tough Conditions
SunLife’s first years were anything but easy. Hurricane Ian made landfall in September 2022, before SunLife had poured its first foundation. A difficult 2024 hurricane season followed, and home prices across Cape Coral and Port Charlotte went through a steep correction.
Instead of cutting corners, SunLife went to work on efficiency. Jeff explained:
“We had to find every $100 in a house we could find, and we had to work with our trade partners to get competitive pricing and to get our cost per square foot down.”
The market found its footing in mid 2025, and SunLife came through it stronger, with a system built to last.
Every Day Matters
One of the biggest themes in the article is discipline. As a privately held builder, SunLife treats time as one of its most valuable resources. Homes move from start to sale in roughly 95 days.
“We’re relentless about making sure we can cut every day we can out of our process; on days to permit, on days to build and on days to sell. We’re clock watchers when it comes to that.”
For buyers, that focus means less waiting and a clear path from contract to keys.
“Once you’re operationally tight, it’s much easier to grow.”
Quality Is the Standard, Not the Upgrade
While many large builders compete with big incentive packages, SunLife puts that value into the home itself. HousingWire noted that SunLife’s incentives run around 3 percent, far below what many national builders offer. The difference shows up in features other builders charge extra for.
Every SunLife home includes:
- Quartz countertops
- Impact rated windows
- Larger baseboards
- Upgraded two panel doors
SunLife’s most popular plan is a 1,800 square foot home with four bedrooms, three baths and dual primary suites. That layout works for growing families, multigenerational households and guests who come to visit and never want to leave.
Real Answers on Insurance and Flood Zones
Many buyers moving to Southwest Florida have questions about hurricanes and insurance. SunLife typically builds outside of flood zones, and homeowners insurance on a SunLife home often runs between $800 and $1,200 per year.
“For us, it’s about overcoming the public perception and showing them the reality.”
SunLife has also worked with its lending partners to offer below market interest rates to qualified buyers, helping make the monthly numbers work.
Growing the Right Way in Port Charlotte
SunLife’s next chapter is already underway. After proving its system in Cape Coral, the company expanded to Port Charlotte, about 40 miles north.
“We waited to expand to Port Charlotte until we were hitting our metrics here in Cape Coral. We wanted to make sure that we could repeat the system there, and we’ve been able to do so thus far.”
That same patience shapes how SunLife grows: one home and one neighborhood at a time, without lowering the bar.
What This Means for You
For homebuyers, the recognition confirms what SunLife homeowners already know. You get a well built home, delivered on time, with the quality features that matter most already included.
For Realtors®, it means partnering with a builder that runs a tight, dependable process and treats your client like family.
Ready to see what the Sun Life looks like for you? Explore our floor plans, browse available homes in Cape Coral and Port Charlotte, or reach out to our team today.
Live the Sun Life.
Source: Tyler Williams, HousingWire and The Builder’s Daily, May 26, 2026.