Still Us: After All These Years

Okay, deep breath. Big things are happening over here at Garman Homes. I thought it would be a good time to introduce myself, take a look back, and look forward to our bright future.

Our fearless founders, Alaina and Jim, are officially stepping into their new role as Founders (capital F, well-deserved). They've passed the Chief Executive Officer  and Chief Financial Officer torches to our amazing leaders Rebecca McAdoo and Jake Kaplan. And while change is always a little emotional, it’s also super exciting. Because here’s the thing: the heart of Garman? Still beating strong. Still the same.

And it got me thinking about how far we’ve come... and how much of who we are hasn’t changed at all.

Let’s rewind to 2010. I was working in a multi-builder design showroom, doing my thing, when a Garman Homes contract came across my email. And y’all, they had a Good Attitude Addendum. I thought, What in the world?! I had never seen anything like this. A literal contract that basically said, “Let’s be good humans and partners on this homebuilding journey.” I remember thinking, Wait, this is allowed? I would LOVE to use this on some other buyers I’m working with that purchased with other builders.

And then there was the purchase agreement. Simple. Clear. Like it was written in real human speak, like I could have written it. I’m not exaggerating when I say I was instantly intrigued. These were my kind of people. This was my kind of company. And then, for many years, I followed the success of Garman Homes.

Fast forward to July 2020, I took on the Studio G Manager role and became a direct part of the magic. Wild, right? Now, as the Director of Lifestyle and Design, I’m still deeply involved in our Interior and Exterior Design Packages, I collaborate with our content marketing manager, and oversee our virtual walkthroughs—making sure every detail is as thoughtfully crafted as the homes we build.

So, as we celebrate this new chapter, I sat down with the one and only Alaina Money-Garman — part founder, part legend, part motivational speaker (if you catch her on the right day)—and asked her a few things:

Q:What’s one early Garman memory that still gives you goosebumps?
A: Early on, there was a defective coil in the HVAC units we installed in our homes. The coil would break the day after the warranty for the part expired. It was going to be a huge class action lawsuit. Our homeowners would have to wait years for the suit to go through and get their coils replaced. So instead of making our homeowners wait, we stepped up (under no obligation other than wanting to do the right thing) and handed out checks in the exact amount to replace the coil. At the time, we didn’t have the money to do this, but we did because it was the right thing to do. Looking back, it felt like it was an investment in becoming the builder we always wanted to be. It still gives me goosebumps to know that even when no one was looking or expecting us to do anything, we found a way to do more.

Q: What’s something about Garman that hasn’t changed since Day One?
A: The Four Garman Differences. Specifically, our commitment to a good attitude. Since Day 1 'til Day forever, knowing a good attitude can always make a bad situation better and a bad attitude never makes anything better.

Q: What advice would you give us as Garman grows?
A: Connection—genuine human and emotional connection—is the true currency of our company. Not the number of homes we build. So as we build more, we all need to remember that our ability to connect genuinely with anyone and everyone who comes into contact with our company is our superpower. Will it get harder at scale? Probably. But are we the best people to rise to that challenge just by showing up as who we are? Absofreakinglutely.

As for me? I’m just grateful. Grateful to be here, grateful for this team, and honestly just proud. Proud to be part of a company that makes homebuilding feel like a collaboration, not a transaction. Proud to be part of a team that leads with heart and maybe a little humor, too.

And if you’re building with us? Buckle up. You’re in for something special.

Let’s keep changing the world (and maybe crying happy tears).