Building Connecticut's Future: EG Home Leads Zero Energy Ready Construction

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

21 Jun 2025

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“We’re a Zero Energy Ready production builder, and we’re the only Zero Energy Ready production builder in Connecticut,” explains Jason Helton, Realtor and Sales Consultant at EG Home. In a market where energy efficiency and maintenance-free living are increasingly in demand, this veteran-owned company has positioned itself at the forefront of Connecticut’s sustainable housing movement.

Connecticut’s Energy Efficiency Pioneer

What sets EG Home apart in Connecticut’s competitive housing market is their commitment to energy-efficient construction. “We build high-performance homes using above-code building methods and materials, triple pane windows, spray foam batting insulation, and pressurized blown-in insulation,” Helton explains.

The results speak for themselves: “The HERS rating for our buildings is a 42. The lower the HERS rating, the more efficient your home is. The average resale home in Connecticut has a HERS rating of 100 to 130. Ours translate into anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 of annual utility savings.”

This efficiency is achieved through advanced technology, including “high-performance cold weather heat pump technology as well as energy recovery ventilators,” making these homes particularly well-suited to Connecticut’s variable climate.

Communities Designed for Modern Living

Founded in 2013, EG Home currently operates five distinct communities across Connecticut:

1. Riverside Reserve: Single-family homes in the coastal town of East Lyme, CT.
2. The Bridges at Oxford Greens: A newly opened 55+ community with plans for 250 units.
3. The Reserve at Stonebridge Crossing: Helton’s community in Cheshire, featuring 140 townhomes and condominiums.
4. The Enclave at Barn Island: A single-family luxury home community in Stonington.
5. Willow Creek Estates: A luxury single-family equestrian community in Southbury Hills.

At Stonebridge Crossing, the community offers two distinct product lines. “The townhome is more modest and smaller with two and three bedroom options,” Helton explains. “This community and our homes appeal to persons with busy lifestyles in search of maintenance free living in a well-designed home.”

The second option, the carriage home, “appeals to a more established buyer, downsizers, empty nesters, and those looking for single-level living.”

A Streamlined Building Process

Recognizing that building a new home can be overwhelming, EG Home has developed a structured process to guide buyers through each step.

“Building a home from the ground up can be daunting, so we’ve implemented systems that are broken up into digestible sections for our buyers,” Helton says.

The journey begins with selecting a lot and floor plan, followed by a two-week rescission period during which buyers visit EG Home’s award-winning 2,500-square-foot Design Center in Southbury. “They get to touch, taste, feel, and smell all the finishes, and get their creative juices flowing,” Helton explains.

Buyers then meet with the construction team and enjoy six hours with a certified interior designer to bring their vision to life, all while staying within budget. “It’s really important to us that our buyers control the price,” Helton emphasizes. “Even our standard included features are beautiful, and we have numerous options to choose from.”

Connecticut Bucks the National Housing Trend

While much of the country has experienced a cooling real estate market, Connecticut presents a different picture. “Nationwide, with economic uncertainty and governmental policy issues, we’ve been seeing a retraction in the market and an increase in inventory,” Helton observes. “But here in Connecticut, we have a unique situation. We continue to have a record-level shortage in housing.”

This shortage has kept demand strong, though Helton notes a slight shift in buyer demographics: “The traffic we’ve been seeing has declined slightly, but I think it’s the less serious buyers that aren’t out right now. We’re left with more serious buyers… quality over quantity.”

The Appeal of Maintenance-Free Living

One of the strongest selling points for EG Home communities is the maintenance-free lifestyle they offer. “We have an HOA that takes care of all the exterior, all the grounds, snow removal,” Helton explains. “People purchasing in our community typically are looking for a maintenance-free or low-maintenance lifestyle.”

This appeals not only to younger buyers but also to downsizers “that are just sick and tired of mowing their three acres and picking up all the leaves.”

The new construction aspect adds another layer of security. “Our homes are brand new, so there’s going to be zero upkeep or maintenance for the first zero to five years,” Helton points out. EG Home offers a builder structural warranty for the first year, followed by an additional five years of structural warranty, plus all manufacturer warranties.

“Buyers have peace of mind knowing they’re not going to have a huge budget for repairs and maintenance in the first years of ownership,” Helton says.

Price Stability in an Uncertain Market

In today’s volatile construction market, EG Home offers another significant advantage: price stability. “We take pride in being an at-risk builder,” Helton explains. “Once you sign a contract with us, if materials end up costing more, whether it’s aluminum, lumber, paint, or labor, the price is set. We’re not passing those increases on to the buyer.”

Unlike many builders who include escalation clauses in their contracts, EG Home absorbs potential cost increases. “We do not have an escalation clause in our contract,” Helton emphasizes. “We carry a 90% burden, and the buyer would carry 10%.”

From Restaurants to Real Estate: Helton’s Journey

Before joining EG Home, Helton spent over three decades in the restaurant industry, including ten years in management. “I was part of a corporate opening team for Darden Restaurant Group, where I participated in seven restaurant opens nationwide,” he recalls.

The catalyst for his career change came about 15 years ago when one of his bartenders sold him his first house in Southern California. “I thought, wow, what a cool segue to eventually get out of restaurants,” he says.

After several more years, Helton finally made the leap to real estate while living in Seattle. “This was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he reflects. His business grew steadily from six transactions in his first year to 24 transactions two years later.

Life eventually brought him to Connecticut, where he found his place with EG Home, applying his customer service expertise to help buyers navigate the home building process.

Looking to the Future

With a solid foundation in Connecticut, EG Home has ambitious growth plans. “Over the next five years, we want to double the number of doors that we’re able to close and open for our communities,” Helton reveals. The company is even considering expansion beyond Connecticut’s borders.

As Connecticut continues to experience housing shortages and buyers increasingly prioritize energy efficiency and low-maintenance living, EG Home is well-positioned to meet these demands with its unique combination of high-performance construction, thoughtful community design, and customer-focused building process.

For those seeking a new home in Connecticut that combines energy efficiency, modern design, and a hassle-free lifestyle, EG Home offers a compelling solution that addresses both current needs and future concerns, delivering innovative, sustainable housing for Connecticut’s future.