McDonald Jones Homes Reviews: What Investors Should Know (2026)

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Quick answer: McDonald Jones Homes is a NSW and ACT volume builder founded in 1987 and based in the Hunter, now majority-owned by Japan’s Asahi Kasei Homes. It builds across Sydney, the Hunter, the coast and Canberra, offers dual occupancy and display home leasebacks, and arranges finance through group broker MyChoice Home Loans. Its NSW ProductReview.com.au listing averaged 4.8 out of 5 from 2,012 reviews when we checked, and its ACT listing 4.2 from 124.

McDonald Jones is one of the largest builders in NSW. This McDonald Jones Homes review covers the company, its guarantees, how its packages are sold, its review ratings and what to check before you sign.

 

Who Is McDonald Jones Homes?

According to the Australian Business Register (ABR), its website and published reports:

  • In NSW it trades as McDonald Jones Homes Pty Ltd (ABN 82 003 687 232), with NSW builder’s licence 41628
  • In the ACT it trades as McDonald Jones Homes (Canberra) Pty Ltd, with ACT licence 20121296
  • Its turnkey brand, Complete by McDonald Jones, trades as McDonald Jones Communities Pty Limited
  • It was founded in 1987 by Bill McDonald and Phil Jones, and its head office is in Thornton in the Hunter
  • Asahi Kasei Homes bought a 40% stake in 2017 and increased it to 80% in 2021, according to the group and the Newcastle Herald. The group now presents it as part of NEX Building Group

McDonald Jones Homes is not connected to McDonald Jones Architects in Western Australia. Because the group uses several companies, check which one is named on your contract.

 

Where McDonald Jones Homes Builds

McDonald Jones builds across Sydney, Newcastle, the Hunter and Central Coast, the Mid North Coast, the South Coast, the Southern Highlands and Canberra.

 

McDonald Jones Homes House and Land Packages and Guarantees

McDonald Jones says it has more than 150 designs across its Stuart Everitt Collection, Everyday, Metro and Country Living ranges. Its house and land packages ranged from about $722,000 to $1.66 million when we checked, and Complete turnkey packages from about $949,000 to $1.35 million.

For investors, it offers dual occupancy homes, granny flats and display home leasebacks, which it advertises at 7% with annual 3% increases.

McDonald Jones Homes promotes these guarantees, all with conditions:

  • Structural: a 25-year structural guarantee covering major frame, slab and footing failures, excluding storm, fire, flood, trees, retaining walls and site conditions
  • Frame: a 50-year warranty on its steel frames
  • Price hold: a price hold of up to 20 months on the base price only, during promotional periods

We didn’t find a build-time guarantee. Because the price hold covers the base price only, ask what else can change between deposit and contract.

 

How McDonald Jones Homes Packages Are Sold

McDonald Jones sells directly through its display homes. Finance is offered through MyChoice Home Loans, a group company. Its “Build Now Pay Later” offer requires using MyChoice and excludes investors and dual occupancy homes. We found no public evidence of third-party marketers selling its homes. Ask how MyChoice is paid and whether the price changes if you use your own lender.

What it means for you: when a package is sold through a marketer or investment group, that seller is commonly paid a commission by the builder or developer. That commission is part of the package price, whether or not it’s shown on the contract. Builder commissions can run into tens of thousands of dollars. Here’s how hidden commissions in house and land packages work.

Been shown a McDonald Jones Homes package?

Before you sign anything, see exactly how the price is structured, including any commission built into it.

GET MY PACKAGE CHECKED → or call 1300 446 445

 

McDonald Jones Homes Review Ratings

When we checked ProductReview.com.au, McDonald Jones Homes’ NSW listing averaged 4.8 out of 5 from 2,012 reviews and its ACT listing 4.2 from 124.

 

Pros and Cons of McDonald Jones Homes

Strengths (based on McDonald Jones’ materials and reviews):

  • Long-running builder with a large international shareholder
  • High NSW ProductReview rating from thousands of reviews
  • Dual occupancy and display home leaseback options for investors
  • Published structural and frame warranties

What to weigh up:

  • ACT reviews are noticeably weaker than NSW
  • Price hold covers the base price only
  • No build-time guarantee found
  • In-house finance, and its build now pay later offer excludes investors

 

Questions to Ask Before You Sign a McDonald Jones Homes Package

  1. Who is selling me this package, and is anyone paid a commission? How much?
  2. Which McDonald Jones company signs my contract, and under which licence?
  3. What does the price hold cover, and what can still change before contract?
  4. For a dual occupancy home, has the lot been confirmed with council for that design?
  5. For a display home leaseback, which company pays the rent, how long is the lease and who pays the outgoings?
  6. If MyChoice arranges my loan, how is it paid, and is the price the same with my own lender?
  7. Which items are provisional sums, and are site costs fixed?
  8. What were your actual build times over the last 12 months in my area?

 

How REIN Can Help

REIN acts only for the buyer. REIN may hold referral or commission agreements with builders, including some reviewed on this site. Any builder or developer commission REIN receives on your purchase is disclosed to you in writing and rebated 100% to you.

REIN charges a service fee for our work, agreed in writing before you start. Where REIN receives a builder or developer commission on your purchase, we disclose it and rebate 100% (excluding GST) of it to you. The rebate typically covers the fee and more. We’ll show you the numbers on your package before you commit.

 

Common Questions About McDonald Jones Homes

Is McDonald Jones Homes a good builder?

McDonald Jones Homes’ NSW listing averaged 4.8 out of 5 from 2,012 reviews on ProductReview.com.au when we checked, and its ACT listing 4.2 from 124. The builder is one part of the decision; the package price and location matter just as much.

Who owns McDonald Jones Homes?

Japan’s Asahi Kasei Homes has held 80% since 2021, according to the group and the Newcastle Herald.

Does McDonald Jones build dual occupancy homes?

Yes. McDonald Jones markets dual occupancy homes and granny flats to investors.

Can REIN check a McDonald Jones Homes package before I sign?

Yes. Send us the package and we’ll check the price, any commission built into it and the contract terms. The package check is free, with no obligation to use our service.

Before you sign anything…

Send us the package. We’ll check the price, any commission built into it and the contract terms, and tell you straight whether it stacks up. Free, no obligation, and we’ll never pressure you to switch.

GET MY PACKAGE CHECKED → or call 1300 446 445

Written by the REIN Editorial Team. Researched with the help of AI tools, then fact-checked against the sources below. Last updated 5 October 2026.

Reviewed by Scott Fraser, founder of REIN, licensed real estate agent (NSW) with 10 years on the developer side of house and land.

 

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Sources

 

About this article: This article is published by Real Estate Investors Network Pty Ltd (REIN). REIN acts for buyers only. REIN may hold referral or commission agreements with builders, including some reviewed on this site, and any commission REIN receives on a client’s purchase is disclosed in writing and rebated 100% to that client. This review is not endorsed by McDonald Jones Homes.

McDonald Jones Homes and any other names or trade marks mentioned belong to their respective owners and are used only to identify them. Information about McDonald Jones Homes comes from its own website and the public sources listed above, as accessed on 5 October 2026, and may have changed since.

Review ratings are a snapshot on the date we checked and may not include every review. Statements of opinion are ours. If you believe anything in this article is inaccurate or out of date, please call us on 1300 446 445 and we will review it and correct it promptly. This is general information only.

It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs, and is not financial, credit, legal or tax advice. Consider seeking independent advice before acting.

A REIN service fee applies to our services, and where REIN receives a builder or developer commission in connection with a client’s purchase, it discloses and rebates 100% (excluding GST) of that commission to the client under its written service agreement.