Green Brick Partners Inc

Part I

Green Brick Partners, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Green Brick”, “the Company”, “we” or “us”) is a diversified homebuilding and land development company. We acquire and develop land and build homes through our seven brands of builders in three major markets. Our core markets are in the high growth U.S. metropolitan areas of Dallas-Fort Worth (“DFW”) and Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, as well as the Treasure Coast of Florida area. We have begun land acquisition activities in Houston, Texas and plan to commence home construction and sales during 2025. We are engaged in all aspects of the homebuilding process, including land acquisition and development, entitlements, design, construction, title, mortgage, insurance services, and marketing and sales, and the creation of master planned communities.

We believe we offer higher quality homes with more distinctive designs and floor plans than those built by our competitors at comparable prices. Many of our communities are located in premium locations and have high-end common areas and amenities. We seek to enhance our homebuyers’ experience by utilizing high-quality materials, and building well-crafted homes. We seek to not only maximize value over the long term but to mitigate risks in the event of a downturn by minimizing leverage, controlling costs, and quickly reacting to regional and local market trends.

We are a leading lot developer in our markets and believe that our strict operating discipline provides us with a competitive advantage in seeking to maximize returns while minimizing risk. As of December 31, 2024, we owned or controlled approximately 37,800 home sites in high-growth submarkets throughout the DFW, Austin, Houston, and Atlanta metropolitan areas, as well as the Treasure Coast of Florida market. We provide finished lots to our subsidiary builders or option lots from third-party developers for our builders’ homebuilding operations and provide them with construction funding and strategic planning. Our Atlanta and Florida builders provide us with their local knowledge and relationships.

We are a Delaware corporation, incorporated in 2006. We commenced operations as a publicly held homebuilding company in 2014. Our principal executive offices are located at 5501 Headquarters Drive, Ste 300W, Plano, TX 75024.

Business Strategy

We believe we are well-positioned for growth through the disciplined execution of the following elements of our strategy:

•Consistent Land Acquisition Program with Disciplined Underwriting. We believe our ability to identify, acquire and develop land in desirable locations and on favorable terms is critical to our success. We evaluate land opportunities based on how we expect such opportunities will contribute to overall profitability and returns. Through our rigorous national underwriting program, we seek to identify attractive properties that are typically located in prime neighborhood locations or in preferred growth corridors. We generally target entitled parcels that we develop that can begin delivering finished lots to our builder subsidiaries within 12 to 24 months from acquisition. We will also purchase finished lots from 3rd-party developers, but to a much lesser extent. Our neighborhoods vary in size, depending on lot count and density. As such, project durations, from the beginning of development to the last delivery, can range from a couple of years to eight or more years depending on the number of product lines and the sales pace of each product line. Our investment and capital allocation strategies vary by market, but we typically target minimum underwriting thresholds for returns and margins.

•Focus on Markets with a Favorable Growth Outlook and Strong Demand Fundamentals. We have chosen to focus our operations on sunbelt states because we believe these markets offer attractive residential real estate investment characteristics, such as growing economies, improving levels of employment, population growth relative to national averages, favorable migration patterns, general housing affordability, and desirable lifestyle and weather characteristics. We currently generate income from home sales in Texas, Georgia, and Florida. In 2024, Texas, Florida and Georgia were ranked first, second and seventh, respectively, in terms of population growth according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

•Strategically Increase Market Positions in our Existing Markets. We believe there are significant opportunities to profitably expand in our core markets. As of December 31, 2024, we believe our extensive land and lot inventory will allow us to maximize our profitability and return on capital. In DFW, Austin, Houston, and Atlanta, we seek to acquire land with convenient access to metropolitan areas that have diverse economic and employment bases and demographics that we believe will support long-term growth. In the Treasure Coast market, we seek land in highly desirable, but limited, coastal regions that attract relocating homebuyers. We continuously review the allocation of our investments in these markets, taking into account demographic trends and the likely impact on our operating results and will reallocate our investments when necessary.

•Deliver Superior Designs, Broad Product Ranges and Enhanced Homebuying Experience. We partner our expertise with that of our builders to design attractive neighborhoods and homes to appeal to a wide variety of potential homebuyers. Our homebuilding projects include single family homes, townhomes, condos, luxury homes, and patio homes. Additionally, we are transitioning to a more spec home business model with a focus on quick move-in homes.

•We believe we can adapt quickly to changing market conditions and optimize performance and returns while strategically reducing portfolio risk because of our diversified product strategy. One of our core operating philosophies is to create a culture that provides a positive, memorable experience for our homebuyers. In consultation with nationally and locally recognized architecture firms, interior and exterior consultants, and homeowner focus groups, we research and design a diversified range of products at various levels and price points.

•Disciplined Investment Strategy Combined with the Prudent Use of Leverage. We seek to maximize value over the long-term and operate our business to mitigate risks in the event of a downturn by controlling costs and focusing on regional and local market trends. We believe our strict operating discipline combined with our prudent use of financial leverage to continue to invest in our land acquisition, development and homebuilding businesses provides us with a competitive advantage in seeking to maximize returns while minimizing risk. With the increases in short-term and long-term rates, we have reduced our targeted debt to total capitalization ratio to approximately 20%, which we expect will continue to provide us with significant additional growth capital. As of December 31, 2024, our debt to total capitalization ratio was 17.2%.

•Targeted Expansion into Adjacent Markets. We currently intend to pursue targeted expansion of our entry-level builder, Trophy Signature Homes (“Trophy”), into markets within our current states. We believe Trophy’s more affordable product and quicker inventory turns make its platform uniquely scalable to expand outside of the DFW metroplex. We plan to expand Trophy into markets compatible with our existing markets that demonstrate strong trends in demographics, employment, and in-migration by leveraging existing relationships with land developers and homebuilders. In this regard, in 2024 we continued our expansion into the Austin and the Houston, Texas markets. In addition, we have historically, and may in the future, grow through the acquisition of homebuilders in our current markets or other markets that meet our demographic and economic growth criteria.

Our Builders and Homes

The following table presents general information about each of our builders, including the types of homes they build and their price ranges as of December 31, 2024.

Our backlog reflects the number and value of homes for which we have entered into sales contracts with customers but we have not yet delivered the home. With the exception of a normal cancellation rate, we expect all of the backlog as of December 31, 2024 to be delivered during 2025. The following table sets forth the information about selling communities and backlog of our builders.

(1)Includes Normandy Homes.

In response to our customers’ expressed desire for an expedited and transparent sales process, we offer a selection of homes that include curated features and upgrades. Our Trophy Signature Homes and CB JENI lines have been at the forefront of creating a straightforward sales experience that offers simplified solutions with upscale finishes. We believe this streamlined process and focus on operational efficiency has enabled us to adapt to changes in our homebuyers’ lifestyles. As a result, we often offer included features that reflect the latest in energy-efficient solutions, including tankless water heaters, high-efficiency LED lighting, ENERGY STAR rated appliances, and low flow bathroom fixtures.

We are focused on creating environmentally sustainable products, and our purchasing power enables us to include green-friendly features in our homes. Many of the new homes we build are more energy efficient, and have less impact on the environment than prior generations of homes as a result of features like:

•Low-VOC paint that reduces pollution;

•WaterSense® faucets that reduce water flow without sacrificing performance;

• Low-E windows that reduce infrared and ultraviolet light coming into the home; and

•Energy Star® appliances that reduce energy consumption.

Land Policy

Our land inventory strategy provides us with a multi-year supply of lots for each of our brands for future homebuilding. We generally target entitled parcels that we develop that can begin delivering finished lots to our builder subsidiaries within 12 to 24 months from acquisition of the entitled parcel. We will also purchase finished lots from 3rd-party developers, but to a much lesser extent. Our neighborhoods vary in size, depending on lot count and density. As such, project durations, from the beginning of development to the last delivery, can range from a couple of years to eight or more years depending on the number of product lines and the sales pace of each product line. Our investment and capital allocation strategies vary by market, but we typically target minimum underwriting thresholds for returns and margins. We seek to minimize our exposure to land risk through disciplined management of entitlements, the use of land and lot options, and other flexible land acquisition arrangements. We are actively involved in every step of the land entitlement, home design, and construction processes with our builders.

Our land teams focus on acquiring land in desirable locations that will position us to deliver future earnings growth in 2025 and beyond. As of December 31, 2024, we had 37,831 lots owned and controlled. When excluding land held for future development, as of December 31, 2024, we had 34,031 lots owned and controlled.

Marketing and Sales Process

Our primary method of selling homes is through model homes that we design and construct. These model homes serve as sales offices, where our community sales managers—primarily commission-based professionals—conduct on-site sales. These sales managers guide potential buyers by providing floor plans, pricing details, construction and development timelines, virtual and in-person tours, and information on available upgrades. Our sales team is trained internally and often brings prior experience in selling new homes within the local market.

To ensure our homes appeal to the lifestyles of targeted buyers, we collaborate with marketing and design consultants to carefully craft the exterior and interior designs of each home. In addition to our in-house sales team, we also work with independent realtors to sell our homes.

We offer homeowners a comprehensive warranty on each home. Homes are generally covered by a six to eight-year warranty for structural concerns, one year for workmanship issues and products used, and two years for electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

Our marketing strategies integrate both traditional and digital channels. These include third-party real estate listing platforms, billboards, direct mail campaigns, ads in print publications, paid search and display advertising, social media posts, and email and text campaigns, all aimed at driving traffic to our builders’ websites. This approach has attracted more qualified and informed buyers, that has enabled us to improve our selling, general, and administrative expenses as a percentage of home sales revenue. While our focus is on digital marketing, we also use traditional media on a limited basis, including newspapers, radio, and regional publications, where appropriate. Each marketing strategy and message is tailored to a specific community and targeted customer base.

Financial Services

In addition to independently branded subsidiary homebuilders, Green Brick retains 100% ownership in Green Brick Title and Green Brick Insurance, and we launched wholly-owned GRBK Mortgage at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. We also retained a 49% ownership in BHome Mortgage, which substantially completed the winding down of its operations at the end of 2024. Our financial service platforms help our customers bring their homebuying dreams into reality by providing mortgage, insurance, and title services, allowing for a one-stop-shop solution. Our insurance agency operations serve as an agency for home, auto, and other personal insurance policies to buyers of homes we sell. All such insurance policies are placed with third party insurance carriers.

Through our financial services companies, we endeavor to have our buyers receive personal attention from their first meeting through the closing of their new home. By offering a one-stop solution for our customers, we enhance their overall buying experience while gaining a competitive advantage.

Raw Materials

Typically, all the raw materials and most of the components used in our business are readily available in the United States. Most are standard items carried by major suppliers. However, a rapid increase in the number of homes started could cause shortages in the availability of such materials or in the price of services, thereby leading to delays in the delivery of homes. We closely monitor the supply markets to achieve the best prices available. See “Risk Factors - Labor and raw material shortages and price fluctuations could delay or increase the cost of land development and home construction, which could materially and adversely affect our business.”

Seasonality

The homebuilding industry experiences seasonal fluctuations in quarterly operating results and capital requirements. We typically experience the highest new home order activity in spring and early summer, although this activity is also highly dependent on the number of active selling communities, timing of new community openings, interest rate volatility, and other market factors. Since it typically has taken four to nine months to construct a new home, we have historically delivered more homes in the second half of the year as spring and summer home orders are delivered. Because of this seasonality, home starts, construction costs and related cash outflows have historically been highest in the second and third quarters, and the majority of cash receipts from home deliveries occur during the third and fourth quarters. We expect this seasonal pattern to continue over the long-term, although it may be affected by volatility in the homebuilding industry as well as by our transition to a more spec home business model with a focus on quick move-in homes.

Competition

Competition in the homebuilding industry is intense and there are relatively low barriers to entry. Homebuilders compete for, among other things, homebuyers, desirable land parcels, financing, raw materials, and skilled labor. Increased competition could hurt our business, as it could prevent us from acquiring attractive land parcels on which to build homes or make such acquisitions more expensive, hinder our market share expansion, and lead to pricing pressures on our homes that may adversely impact our revenues and margins. Our competitors may independently develop land and construct housing units that are superior or substantially similar to our products. Furthermore, a number of our primary competitors are significantly larger, have a longer operating history, and may have greater resources or lower cost of capital; accordingly, they may be able to compete more effectively in one or more of the markets in which we operate. Many of these competitors also have longstanding relationships with subcontractors, suppliers, and developers in the markets in which we operate. We also compete for sales with existing home resales and with available rental housing.

Human Capital Resources

Attracting, retaining, and building talent is critical in our business. We continue to recruit talented team members that exhibit superior emotional intelligence. This focus on a staff that places a strong emphasis on communication and navigating a fast-paced environment empathetically, strategically, and judiciously enables us to operate effectively and efficiently each day. We seek to establish a supportive culture that fosters a strong sense of ownership and a continuous drive to excel. Our goal is to not just empower our team members with the tools needed to succeed but to create a community that focuses on taking ownership of one’s work. Our culture celebrates individual success, primes our employees for growth, and is critical in maintaining our competitive edge over our peers.

As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately 650 full-time employees, including approximately 550 who were involved in our homebuilding operations, with locations in DFW, Austin and Houston, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, and Treasure Coast, Florida, and approximately 100 in management and support services. Our operations are carried out through both local and centralized management. Our centralized management sets our high level strategy and leads decisions related to our land acquisition, national purchasing, marketing analytics, risk management, finance, accounting and audit, cash management, capital allocation, human resources management, and IT support for our builders. Our homebuilder operations consist of our division employees, led by management with significant homebuilding experience and who possess a depth of knowledge in their particular markets, and include employees responsible for the design, construction scheduling, marketing, and sales of our homes. We act solely as a general contractor, and all construction operations are coordinated by our project managers and field superintendents who schedule and monitor the progress of third-party independent subcontractors who are responsible for performing the work at our job sites. Our ability to deliver our homes is dependent on the availability and quality of the subcontractors, such as electricians, plumbers, drywall installers, and bricklayers with whom we partner to build our homes. We do not have collective bargaining agreements relating to any of our employees. We offer our employees a compensation package with a broad range of company-paid benefits, including medical, dental, life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and other health and welfare plans we believe are competitive.

We believe having a diverse and inclusive work environment, which not only drives engagement but fosters innovation, which is critical to driving growth. Our management teams are expected to exhibit and promote honest, ethical and respectful conduct in the workplace. All of our employees must adhere to a code of conduct that sets standards for appropriate behavior and includes required internal training on preventing, identifying, reporting and stopping any type of discrimination. Furthermore, our management team supports a culture of developing future leaders from our existing workforce, enabling us to promote from within for many leadership positions. We believe this provides long-term focus and continuity to our operations while also providing opportunities for the growth and advancement of our employees.

Governmental Regulations and Environmental Regulation

Homebuilding Related Regulations. We are subject to various local, state, and federal statutes, ordinances, rules, and regulations concerning zoning, building design, construction, and similar matters, including local regulations that impose restrictive zoning and density requirements. In addition, local and state governments have broad discretion regarding the imposition of development fees for projects under their jurisdictions. Governing agencies may also require concessions or may require the developer to commit to providing roads and other offsite infrastructure, the costs of which can be substantial, and may require them to be in place prior to the commencement of new home construction. In addition, governing agencies may impose construction moratoriums that could subject us to delays or may preclude us entirely from developing communities due to building moratoriums, “no growth” or “slow growth” initiatives or building permit allocation ordinances, which could be implemented in the future. In addition, we are subject to various licensing, registration, and filing requirements in connection with the construction, advertisement, and sale of homes in our communities. Also, some states are attempting to make homebuilders responsible for violations of wage and other labor laws by their subcontractors.

Environmental Regulations. We are subject to a variety of local, state, and federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning the protection of the environment. The particular environmental laws that apply to any given homebuilding site vary according to multiple factors, including the site’s location, its environmental conditions, and the present and former uses of the site and adjoining properties. In some markets, we are subject to environmentally-focused land ordinances that mandate open space areas with public elements in housing developments, and prevent development on hillsides, wetlands and other protected areas. We must also comply with open space restrictions, flood plain restrictions, desert wash area restrictions, native plant regulations, endangered species acts, and view restrictions. In those cases where an endangered or threatened species is involved, environmental rules and regulations can result in the restriction or elimination of development in identified environmentally sensitive areas. From time to time, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and similar federal or state agencies review homebuilders’ compliance with environmental laws and may levy fines and penalties for failure to comply strictly with applicable environmental laws or impose additional requirements for future compliance as a result of past failures. Any such actions taken may increase our costs. Further, we expect that increasingly stringent requirements will be imposed on homebuilders and land developers in the future.

Energy and Climate Change Related Regulations. There is constantly a variety of new legislation being enacted, or considered for enactment at the federal, state and local levels relating to energy and climate change. Some of this legislation relates to items such as carbon dioxide emissions and building codes that impose energy efficiency standards. New building code requirements that impose stricter energy efficiency standards could significantly increase the cost to construct homes, although our energy-efficiency technologies and offerings meet, and in many instances exceed, current energy efficiency thresholds. As climate change concerns continue to grow, legislation and regulations of this nature are expected to continue and may result in increased costs and longer approval and development timelines. Similarly, energy and environment-related initiatives affect a wide variety of companies throughout the United States and the world, and because our operations are heavily dependent on significant amounts of raw materials, such as lumber, steel, and concrete, such initiatives could have an indirect adverse impact on our operations and profitability to the extent the manufacturers and suppliers of our materials are burdened with expensive carbon dioxide emissions controls and reporting requirements and other environmental and energy-related regulations.

Available Information

Our website address is www.greenbrickpartners.com. Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Exchange Act are available free of charge through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Our website and the information contained or incorporated therein are not intended to be incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.