New Mark Homes

Craig Archer founded New Mark Homes in 2005, and they have built a reputation on one thing in particular: reverse 1.5-story and 1.5-story plans with tall, open ceilings that make a 2,500-square-foot house feel much bigger than it is. Their 2026 Spring Parade of Homes results were the best of any builder I track, with four Gold Pick of the Parade awards and three first-place Distinctive Plan and Design awards. When a builder wins that consistently across different price points, it usually means the plans themselves are doing the work, not just the staging.

The process is design-build with 15 plans ranging from 2,494 to 3,320 square feet. You choose one, personalize it with their team, and then follow the build through a Buildertrend portal with photos, schedule, and selections in one place. They are semi-custom, so you have real input on finishes and many details, but the value comes from staying close to the plan. If you already know you want a main-level primary suite, a big open great room, and a finished lower level for the kids or the in-laws, their plan book is worth an afternoon.

New Mark builds on both sides of the state line. In Johnson County look for them at Sundance Ridge, Terrybrook Farms, Chapel Hill, and Southern Meadows in Overland Park, The Trails in Lenexa from $500K, and in Olathe. Johnson County listings currently run $588K to $767K. On the Missouri side they are at Staley Hills and Staley Farms, Tiffany Greens, and Cadence in the Northland, Hook Farms in Lee's Summit, and in Parkville near their office. Across everything they build, prices run from about $473K to $1.28 million. Own-lot builds are not something they publish, so ask if you have land.