SHEA HOMES TOPS SURVEY BUILDER NO. 1 IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.

Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Staff Writer

WESTLAKE VILLAGE - Shea Homes ranks highest for customer satisfaction this year in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to a survey released Wednesday by J.D. Power and Associates.

Shea received 138 points in Power's 2005 New Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study.

Competitors Centex Homes and John Laing Homes finished second and third with 137 and 134 points, respectively, in Power's poll, which is closely followed by the industry.

It's the first time that consumer pulse-taker Power was able to break out a separate report on the Ventura/Los Angeles counties market, a sign that building is on the rise and something that could help boost a tight inventory.

``There wasn't enough home builders and there wasn't enough home building in Los Angeles to let us rank the builders. Where the builders go, J.D. Power goes,'' said Paula Sonkin, executive director of the real estate industries practice at the Westlake Village company.

John Bertero, division president for the Ventura Los Angeles Division of Centex based in Valencia, said Power also processes customer information for the company that's obtained one month and nine months after the sale closes.

``We're very focused on delivering a quality home and a quality home- buying experience for our customers,'' he said.

Fred Soelter, vice president of operations for Laing's Van Nuys-based Los Angeles/Ventura division, said the company is pleased with its ranking.

``We're only four points away from No. 1,'' he said. ``Customer satisfaction is one of the most important elements of our company. It's our corporate motto.''

Power began its study in 1997. The latest version is based on responses from new-home buyers in 30 of the largest U.S. markets.

They expressed their opinions on 10 experiences with the builder, including home warranty/customer service, home readiness, the sales staff and construction manager.

The average price paid for a new home in the Los Angeles/Ventura counties market in the study is $495,000. To be included, a builder must have closed 150 or more homes in 2004.

Participants must have lived in their homes for an average of 18 months. There were 983 respondents in the Los Angeles/Ventura counties market.

Rounding out the top 10 were KB Home with 131 points; Greystone with 125; Pardee with 120; and the Olson Co. with 119. Falling below the market average of 116 were Standard Pacific with 115 points; Beazer and Richmond American with 98; Warmington with 94; Forecast with 87 and D.R. Horton with 82.

An executive with D.R. Horton did not return a call seeking comment.

However, the entire sector scored four points more than the 30-market average.

And that is good news for buyers, Sonkin said.

``That tells us builders in Los Angeles and Ventura are providing high levels of satisfaction relative to the rest of the country, which is nice to see,'' Sonkin said.

Gregory J. Wilcox, [phone]

greg.wilcox(at)dailynews.com