Why I Recommend Lake James Custom Homes

One of the best parts of selling real estate for more than 20 years is watching businesses earn their reputation over time.

Some companies come and go. Others build a reputation one satisfied customer at a time. Lake James Custom Homes falls into the second category.

I’ve known this company since the days when Gary Boarman owned it. Gary built an excellent reputation around Lake James by constructing high quality custom homes and treating people the right way. When he decided to retire, ownership transitioned to Kyle Welch and Rick Tozier.

That’s always a critical moment for any business.

Would the quality stay the same?

Would the reputation continue?

After watching them for years, I can confidently say the answer is yes.

In fact, I think Kyle and Rick have taken an already outstanding company and continued to build on its reputation.

For about four years, The Lake James Team shared office space with Lake James Custom Homes. To be clear, I never worked for them. We simply operated our real estate business from the same office.

That gave me something most people don’t get.

A front row seat.

I watched how they interacted with clients. I saw how they handled problems when they came up. I listened to conversations with subcontractors, architects, engineers, and homeowners. I saw how organized they were and how much attention they paid to every detail.

What stood out wasn’t just the homes they built.

It was their professionalism.

Anyone can make a website look impressive or post beautiful photos of finished homes. The real measure of a builder is everything that happens before the house is complete.

That’s where Kyle and Rick excel.

Building a custom home around Lake James isn’t easy. Every lot presents different challenges. Steep terrain, septic systems, wells, Duke Energy requirements, architectural review boards, and changing customer selections all have to be coordinated. It takes an experienced team to keep a project moving while communicating clearly with homeowners.

From what I’ve observed over the years, that’s exactly what Lake James Custom Homes does.

I’ve also had the opportunity to walk through many of the homes they’ve built. Their craftsmanship is excellent, but what impresses me even more is their consistency. Whether it’s a waterfront estate or a mountain home, they approach every project with the same level of care and attention to detail.

As a Realtor, buyers often ask me one question before they ever ask about floor plans.

“Who would you recommend as a builder?”

I don’t answer that question based on advertising or brochures.

I answer it based on years of watching builders perform.

Lake James Custom Homes is one of the companies I recommend without hesitation because I’ve had the opportunity to see how they operate behind the scenes, not just the finished product.

That’s a level of insight most people don’t have.

If you’re considering building around Lake James, you’ll spend months working with your builder and invest a significant amount of money. The relationship matters just as much as the finished house.

You want a builder who communicates well, stays organized, solves problems, and genuinely cares about the outcome.

In my experience, that’s exactly what Kyle Welch, Rick Tozier, and the entire team at Lake James Custom Homes deliver.

I’ve known this company through two generations of ownership, and my recommendation has never changed.

They’re one of the builders I’d trust to build my own home.