Locally Owned. Deeply Personal.
There’s something different about working for a locally owned builder, you feel it right away. When we say We Believe a Home Building Company Can Change the World, we mean it. I have so much respect for our founders, Jim and Alaina, and what they’ve built over the last 19 years. And trust me, none of it happened by accident. It’s intentional in every detail, from the four Garman Differences to the company culture. Before I worked here, I used to hear, "it’s different over at Garman" and it definitely lives up to the hype in the best way.
I was talking with Alaina recently and asked her a few questions about what being locally owned really means to her and Jim. We get a front-row seat by working here day in and day out, but it felt just as important to share her thoughts with the people living in the communities where we build. This isn’t just something we say, it’s something we want you to feel.
Q: What was your dream for Garman Homes?
Alaina: First, I should acknowledge that Garman has already exceeded my wildest dreams. When we started the company I wanted Garman to be a force for good.
For our employees, I wanted to create a place where they would feel a sense of meaning and purpose. Where they could drive past a project - like a home we built with Habitat for Humanity or one of our Hero Homes for Gold Star Families or the Tiny Homes at The Farm at Penny Lane - and tell their friends and family that they got to be part of something special. I wanted our work to feel like it had value beyond a paycheck. I wanted to offer our employees a sense of personal fulfillment alongside their professional achievements.
For our homeowners I very much wanted to live up to the promise of a safe space. Buying a home is a huge milestone for so many people. I think a lot of people go about their days with a mask on, being the version of themselves they need to be to meet other people's expectations. But when you come home to a Garman Home, I want you to feel like you can be the most authentic version of yourself. I visualize people coming home and exhaling. Letting the mask come off. And just feeling that sense of safety and security. I want people to feel safe celebrating their biggest wins and even safer grieving their biggest losses. I don't take it lightly that homes are sacred spaces. Not just our homes, but every home. And it's an honor and a privilege to build someone a home. We have to live up to that bar every day. I want our homes to inspire people to be who they want to be, to build the lives they've dreamt about.
Getting to be a part of that for a few thousand homes is a gift. I mean, how lucky are we to get to be part of something so special?
Q: What does building a homeowner's trust look like in the day to day of building a home?
Alaina: It looks like being the people we said we would be and building the relationship first. It looks like being transparent and upfront. Honest about mistakes, apologizing when necessary, and explaining things in a way that's empowering and not patronizing. It looks like building a genuine relationship with our homeowners. One that's focused on connection and not merely transactional. Building a home is wonderful and overwhelming in equal measure. We've built a team that can hold both of those truths at the same time. A team that can meet our buyers where they are emotionally and navigate the experience for them to maximize the joy and minimize the friction. First and foremost we can't be afraid of telling the truth - that mistakes are not just expected but inevitable. Building a relationship alongside the home will help keep the mistakes in perspective.
I had more questions for Alaina and I could go on and on, but we’ll save it for another time. This conversation reminded me so much about why I love working at Garman Homes. So I’ll leave you with this. The truth is that we hope it's something you experience more than anything we could ever say. AND our hope is that you recognize those differences in the way we show up, every day.
