REAL ESTATE

On Top of It: Kaufman & Broad was the top-selling home builder in Orange County last year, capturing the majority of total new home sales, according to the Meyers Group, a real estate consulting firm in Newport Beach.

Kaufman & Broad accounted for 9.5% of all new home sales, quite a shift from 1992 when the company ranked 11th in the county and only sold 2.42% of the county’s total new homes.

Peter Reeb, president of the Meyers Group, said the largest builders in the county continued to dominate home sales, mostly because “the big builders are the ones who get the financing and can continue to build out existing projects and open up new ones.”

The Fieldstone Co. captured the No. 2 spot again in 1993, recording 6.34% of Orange County’s total home sales. The Irvine Co.’s home-building arm, Irvine Pacific, which ranked No. 1 in 1992, placed third in 1993. An Irvine Co. subsidiary, fourth place-ranked California Pacific Homes, formerly the Bren Co., had quite a year in 1993, selling 328 homes, contrasted with only 95 homes sold in 1992.