April 27, 2020

This paid piece is sponsored by the Minnehaha County and Lincoln County Economic Development Associations.

From Hartford to Harrisburg, Brandon to Baltic, new homes are under construction throughout Minnehaha and Lincoln counties, and more are coming.

At A-Plus Construction, owner Brad Mair is working on four houses in Brandon, one in Harrisburg and one in Tea as the season begins.

“That’s currently what I have going,” he said. “I anticipate a lot more. I know of at least one more in Harrisburg and several more Brandon projects we will be working on this year.”

On one street in Brandon, A-Plus homes in various stages of construction illustrate a broader theme. Some are still coming out of the ground while others are closer to move-in, but “I would classify them all as in the move-up category,” Mair said. “We’re doing three-stall garages, three-bedrooms, 1,400- to 1,500-square-foot main floors, so they’re definitely move-up homes.”

Most of his buyers are looking to stretch their dollars, which leads them to communities where the cost of land can be a bit less.

“A lot of this is lot availability in Sioux Falls,” Mair added. “It’s kind of tough to find everything on everybody’s checklist – the location, lot, price, everything. And one of the big drivers is school districts. Kids drive a lot of decisions these days.”

Steve Van Buskirk agreed. His company, Van Buskirk Cos., is working on two residential developments in Brandon and two in Harrisburg. Lots start at $35,000 and reach $85,000.

“We invest in the surrounding communities because we can offer alternative lot prices to Sioux Falls clients, which are less expensive than the Sioux Falls market, which helps these communities grow,” he said.

“We also like to service the communities because they have a need for our brand of neighborhood, which features a wide range of homebuilders and homeowner-driven house designs, which when completed give us a special custom-built environment for you to raise your families.”

There is considerable interest from other communities in supporting similar developments, he added.

“We often attend informational meetings hosted by other communities’ leaders and field calls from community-minded investors who want to see our neighborhoods in their towns,” Van Buskirk said. “When the situation is right, we will not hesitate to jump in and make good things happen. This has taken us to Tea, Hartford, Watertown, Sioux City and Mitchell.”

Many who move to the communities of Minnehaha and Lincoln counties find the commute to Sioux Falls is quicker all the time thanks to expanded roads and the continued growth of the city itself, Mair added.

“I know Hartford is a little further out, but they have had a nice push, and there’s good development out there,” Mair said. “The city of Crooks has new developments, and we’ve done things in the past there. You’re close to Sioux Falls, and you can still absorb some of the amenities, but you get the small-town feel and that small community,” he said.

Nielson Construction has residential projects going in three communities around Sioux Falls, including 14 homes built on spec in Harrisburg.

“I foresee those moving quickly,” said Lexie Ricci, who handles sales and marketing. “Harrisburg has continued to stay steady and grow.”

The company also has two developments in Tea under construction and is working on a third.

“We are trying to provide for that first-time homebuyer and also the move-up buyer for growing families,” Ricci said. “We will also be trying to mesh a variety of options in the third development to hit as many people and price points as we can.”

Nielson also plans to continue building spec homes in Baltic this year.

“We have had young families but also have retirees looking at that area,” Ricci said. “Baltic is the small town that many families are looking for.”

The company continues to look at opportunities in other markets, she added.

“We look to see if there is a demand for housing and if we are able to help with that demand. We do not want to come in and put in housing that is maybe too high or too low for the area,” she said. “We will have some small-town developments coming up this summer in Lennox and Garretson and lot availability in Madison.”