In a Texas housing market that moves fast and demands more, few builders manage to deliver time-tested tradition and forward-thinking innovation quite like Drees Custom Homes. With nearly a century of experience and a growing presence in Central Texas, Drees is proving that a family-owned business can not only keep up—but lead.
Founded in 1928, Drees Homes has stayed true to its roots across four generations. What began as a small, family-run company in Kentucky has grown into a nationally recognized homebuilder with accolades like “America’s Best Builder” (twice), “National Builder of the Year,” and the prestigious “National Housing Quality Award.” It’s also one of the few to earn the U.S. Best Managed Companies recognition from Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal—three years in a row.
Custom Built—With You in Mind
In a world of cookie-cutter construction, Drees takes a different path. Their Custom + Construct approach offers the best of both worlds—flexibility in design paired with the efficiency of a production homebuilder. “Ultimately, we make it easy to tailor our plans to fit our homeowners’ unique lifestyles,” says Sydney Bailey, Marketing Coordinator at Drees Custom Homes in Austin. That process is guided by design experts who walk buyers through every decision, helping them create a space that’s truly theirs—from floor plans to finishes.
Growing Where It Matters
“Drees’ Austin division is gearing up for an exciting 2025 and 2026, with several standout opportunities on the horizon,” says Bailey. In Leander’s upcoming Northline development, the Drees team is unveiling a bold new product line: four-story townhomes complete with elevators—a fresh take on urban living with elevated style and convenience.
Over in Bastrop, two new communities are launching this summer. The Colony will offer 45’ and 50’ homesites in a well-established, master-planned community, while Silverleaf is a brand-new community with spacious 80’ homesites. And at The District in Rough Hollow, two new stunning model homes—the Jasmine and the Esperanza—are already turning heads with the innovation and craftsmanship Drees is known for.
Built for Community
But Drees doesn’t just build homes—it invests in the communities where its employees and customers live. For more than 30 years, Drees employees have participated in a company-sponsored United Way campaign, with all funds staying local. Additionally, Ralph and Irma Drees, the second generation to run the business, created the Drees Homes Foundation in 2016 to “build strong foundations of communities and families through basic resources, education, and skills needed for a better life as well as committing to other community-based endeavors that enrich the local landscape” shares Bailey.
Each year, the company honors one standout employee with the Ralph A. Drees Community Service Award, granting a donation to the winner’s charity of choice. It’s all part of a broader mission to lead with service—something deeply ingrained in the company’s DNA.
“Proudly family-owned, we’ve built our success on a deep commitment to our people, our customers, and the quality of our work. We have a reputation for doing it all and doing it well, from construction and stylish design all the way to post-closing customer care. Excellence is built into our family tradition of home building,” concludes Bailey.
Drees Custom Homes is not just keeping up with Texas’s growth—they’re shaping it. To learn more about Drees Custom Homes and their newest communities, visit dreeshomes.com.