Epcon Communities, the Ohio-based builder specializing in active-adult housing for the 55+ market, marked its 40th anniversary in 2026. In a market where high mortgage rates and economic uncertainty have sidelined many buyers, Epcon has found a resilient niche: buyers who decide with their hearts, not their calculators. The company has delivered over 40,000 homes since its founding, and its franchise model has expanded to more than 60 builders across 20 states.

The Big Picture

Founded in 1986 by Phil Fankhauser and Ed Bacome, Epcon focused from the start on low-maintenance, single-story homes for the then-Silent Generation. Today, its buyers are mostly Baby Boomers and early Gen Xers seeking a lifestyle, not just a house. The company’s growth reflects a structural shift in housing demand: as the population ages, more retirees and near-retirees are looking for homes that combine community, convenience, and privacy.

“Our buyers are not immune to what’s going on in the market, but they are resilient,” CEO Joel Rhoades told HousingWire. “Many of them are existing homeowners who have built a lot of equity over time. While interest rates and overall economic uncertainty affect things, our buyers are really making a lifestyle-driven decision, not a payment decision.”

That resilience has allowed Epcon to avoid the aggressive incentives other builders are using. “We had a great April. May is off to a good start,” Rhoades said. “I see a lot of builders offering incentives, but we’re really looking at very select opportunities, just where appropriate. Those are more tools to facilitate transactions than broad-based incentives.”