Business Details
24 Years
experience
Custom Home Builder in Tacoma, WA
Founded in 2002 by Lowell and Jamie Hankel and Tom Fancher, Reality Homes has been delivering uniquely customized homes to satisfied customers for nearly two decades. Our family-owned business prioritizes energy efficiency, personalized design flexibility, and sustainable value while expanding to 10 Model Home/Design Center locations across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. We specialize in Built on Your Land construction, offering over 65 customizable floor plans with features like advanced framing techniques, energy-saving windows, and comprehensive quality checkpoints.Our nearly 20-year journey includes building more than 6,000 quality custom homes, backed by industry-leading warranties and a commitment to continuous education in emerging building technologies. We measure our success through customer satisfaction, demonstrated by our 2018 Premiere Builder Award and 2012 Diamond Builder Award recognitions.
Services
Custom Home Building
Floor Plan Customization
Energy-Efficient Construction
Land Consultation
Design Center Services
Home Financing Assistance
Quality Inspections
Warranty Services
Basement Additions
Garage Construction
Details
- Year established: 2002
Highlights and features
- We offer over 65 customizable floor plans for personalized home designs
- Our Stress Less Partnership Program reduces stress and costs during home building
- We provide financing assistance through trusted lender partnerships
- Our energy-efficient construction includes R-49 attic insulation and Low-E windows
- We maintain quality through 15+ construction checkpoints including homeowner walkthroughs
What people say
Excellent customer service
Love my home
Stress-free process
Beautiful results
Perfect home
Services
Custom Home Building
We specialize in building fully customized homes on your land using 65+ floor plans as starting points. Our process allows modifications like wall repositioning, basement additions, and garage expansions while maintaining structural integrity. Each home includes energy-efficient features like R-49 attic insulation and Low-E windows, with quality verified through 15+ construction checkpoints.
Floor Plan Customization
Our design team enables extensive modifications to standard floor plans, including window/door repositioning, square footage adjustments, and daylight basement integration. We offer 360-degree virtual home tours and showroom selections for material choices. Customization options extend to architectural elements like bay windows and fireplace additions.
Energy-Efficient Construction
Our Energy-Smart construction standards include raised-heel trusses, Tyvek house wrap, and air-tight drywall applications. We incorporate energy-saving features like heat-pump water heaters and advanced framing techniques that reduce thermal transmittance. These methods create homes with 20%+ average instant equity through reduced energy costs.
Design Center Services
Our model home design centers offer one-stop shopping for all home selections, featuring cabinets, countertops, flooring, and lighting fixtures. Clients can coordinate finishes and materials under one roof with professional guidance. The process eliminates multiple vendor visits while ensuring cohesive design choices.
Quality Inspections
We implement 15+ quality checkpoints throughout construction, including pre-foundation checks, framing inspections, and final walkthroughs. Our field managers use detailed 20-point checklists during key construction phases to verify workmanship standards. The process ensures compliance with our Energy-Smart construction specifications.
People
Lowell Hankel
Co-Founder
Co-founded Reality Homes in 2002 with a vision for personalized homebuilding. Brings decades of construction industry experience to our family-owned business. Focuses on maintaining quality standards across all locations.
Jamie Hankel
Co-Founder
Co-founder with extensive background in residential construction. Oversees operational expansion while maintaining family business values. Instrumental in developing our energy-efficient building standards.
Tom Fancher
Co-Founder
Co-founder responsible for strategic growth initiatives. Combines construction expertise with customer service focus. Helps maintain our industry-leading warranty and quality assurance programs.
Questions
What is 'Build on Your Land' construction?
Use your existing property or select any lot to build from 60+ Reality home designs. This approach gives complete location and design flexibility.
Is a Reality Home energy efficient?
Yes! Every home includes energy-saving features like Low-E windows, R-49 attic insulation, and air-tight construction methods for reduced energy costs.
How long does home construction take?
The process typically takes 200-240 days after land preparation and financing. Total timeline depends on location, season, and customization level.
Can I customize floor plans?
Absolutely! Move walls, add garages, or modify layouts. Our design team helps implement your specific requirements while maintaining structural integrity.
What warranty do you offer?
We include a comprehensive Quality Builders Warranty with third-party insurance backing. This transferable warranty covers structural components and workmanship.
Do you help with land acquisition?
Yes, we connect clients with land specialists in our service areas to help find suitable building sites for their new home projects.
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