Tilson Homes
Tilson Homes is a fourth-generation, family-owned custom home builder in Texas (since 1932) that designs and builds new homes on customer-owned land through 12 design studios, supported by the proprietary EasyBuy financing program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1932
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Tilson Homes does
Tilson Homes is a privately held, fourth-generation family-owned custom home builder headquartered in Houston, Texas, specializing in the design and construction of new homes built on customer-owned land throughout Texas. The company has been operating since 1932 and has delivered over 40,000 homes across Gulf Coast, Central, North, South, East, and West Texas regions, with a portfolio of customizable floor plans ranging from approximately 793 to over 5,000 square feet. Tilson differentiates from typical production builders through its build-on-your-lot (BOYL) model, the proprietary EasyBuy financing program (offering no interest and no fees during the construction period), and energy-efficient construction practices such as spray foam insulation and management of water, air, and heat to produce tight, high-performing building envelopes.
The company operates a physical sales and design network of 12 design studios across Texas, staffed by sales representatives and supported by functional leaders in construction, design and drafting, cost management, and site evaluation. The GTM motion is sales-led, anchored by in-person design-center visits, free in-person seminars, and the Tilson Live weekly content show broadcast on YouTube and Facebook, which functions as a top-of-funnel education and lead-generation channel. The MyTILSON customer portal, interactive online floorplan tools, and virtual/video tours extend the sales motion to remote and pre-visit buyers. Pricing is quote-based on floor plan, square footage, customization, and land preparation requirements, and is not publicly disclosed. Revenue is generated through one-time custom home sales transactions with no recurring or contract-based component.
Tilson is led by fourth-generation family member Eric Alarid (Senior Vice President) alongside an executive team that includes the VP of Marketing & Customer Experience, SVP of Construction, VP of Design & Drafting, and VP of Cost Management, and is supported by an ecosystem of strategic partners including McCoy's Building Supply (materials), Wagon Hill Home Loans and AmCap Home Loans (financing), and Kent Moore Cabinets (interior finishes). The company employs 101-250 staff, has no institutional or private equity ownership disclosed, and shows no M&A, funding, or external capital activity in the input data. The business is a regional, customer-funded, family-controlled operation whose growth is tied directly to the Texas residential housing cycle and the operational capacity of its 12 design centers.
Tilson Homes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tilson Homes
- Legal name
- Tilson Homes
- Website
- https://tilsonhomes.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1932
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Tilson Homes is a fourth-generation, family-owned custom home builder in Texas (since 1932) that designs and builds new homes on customer-owned land through 12 design studios, supported by the proprietary EasyBuy financing program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tilson Homes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Home Building
- NAICS
- New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236115)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Custom Home Building (IMAFABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)
Keywords
Where Tilson Homes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices13 records
Markets served
Tilson Homes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Custom Home Sales: Tilson Homes generates revenue through the sale of custom homes built on customers' land in Texas. Customers select from floor plans and customize features, with pricing based on home size, design choices, and land preparation requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom home pricing varies by floor plan and specifications |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Tilson Homes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tilson Homes designs and builds fully customizable new homes on customers' own land throughout Texas, including rural areas. The company offers an extensive library of floor plans ranging from approximately 793 to over 5,000 square feet, complemented by 12 in-person design centers for selecting finishes and materials, energy-efficient construction practices, and the exclusive EasyBuy financing program that waives interest and fees during the construction period.
Product overview
Tilson Homes is a custom home builder operating in Texas since 1932, offering a single unified product: building fully customizable homes on customers' own land. The core offering centers on an extensive portfolio of floor plans (Abilene, Angelina, Arlington, Barton Springs, Bexar, Brazoria, Breckenridge, Canyon, Casita, Cedar Creek, Cisco, Crockett, Fayetteville, Floresville, Fredericksburg, and others) ranging from 793 to over 5,000+ square feet. These floor plans are complemented by the EasyBuy financing program (no interest/fees during construction), 12 Design Centers for selecting finishes and materials, quality construction services, energy efficiency features, and the MyTILSON customer portal. The company operates a robust content and community engagement program through Tilson Live weekly events and maintains a network of design studios across Texas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MyTILSON: Customer portal/account system for managing favorites, preferences, and personalized recommendations.
- EasyBuy
- Tilson Live
Products and services
- Custom Home Building Design and construction of fully customizable new single-family homes on customer-owned land throughout Texas, including rural locations. Homes range from approximately 793 to over 5,000 square feet based on a library of pre-designed floor plans (Abilene, Angelina, Arlington, Barton Springs, Bexar, Brazoria, Breckenridge, Canyon, Casita, Cedar Creek, Cisco, Crockett, Fayetteville, Floresville, Fredericksburg, and more) that customers can configure with selected finishes, materials, and exterior styles.
- EasyBuy Financing Program An exclusive construction financing program offered by Tilson Homes that charges no interest and no fees during the construction period, designed to save customers thousands of dollars compared to traditional construction-to-permanent loans. Available to qualified Tilson home buyers.
Quantifiable outcome
- No interest and no fees during construction through EasyBuy program
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Tilson Homes
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tilson Homes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Tilson Homes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- McCoy's Building SupplycoreLong-standing partnership with McCoy's Building Supply for building materials. McCoy's SVP of Operations and Merchandising appeared on Tilson Live to discuss their partnership and supply chain collaboration.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tilson Homes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tri Pointe Homes: Public homebuilder with a meaningful Texas footprint focused on premium and move-up custom segments. Competes with Tilson on customization, energy efficiency, and design-center customer experience.
- Highland Homes: Plano, Texas-based custom and semi-custom home builder operating across the Dallas-Fort Worth region and other Texas metros. Closely aligned with Tilson on custom floor plans, design-center sales, and Texas-centric buyer segments.
- M/I Homes: Public custom and move-in home builder with significant Texas operations. Comparable custom product offering, design-center-driven sales motion, and overlapping customer demographic with Tilson.
- David Weekley Homes: Houston-based, family-founded custom and semi-custom home builder operating across multiple states including Texas. Closely comparable to Tilson in custom single-family focus, design-center sales model, and mid-market Texas buyer orientation.
- Meritage Homes: Top-10 U.S. homebuilder with a strong Texas presence and explicit energy-efficiency positioning that overlaps with Tilson's tight-envelope and spray foam approach.
- Drees Homes: Family-owned custom home builder with a strong Texas presence (Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston). Comparable to Tilson in build-to-order custom homes, design studio model, and family-ownership ethos.
- Perry Homes: Houston-headquartered custom home builder serving Texas metros and select other regions. Direct competitor in custom single-family construction with comparable design-center distribution and customer profile to Tilson.
Broad incumbents
- D.R. Horton: Largest U.S. homebuilder with the most extensive Texas footprint. While primarily a production builder, its Express Homes and Emerald segments push into custom-adjacent offerings, partially overlapping Tilson's buyer base.
- Lennar: Largest U.S. homebuilder with broad Texas presence including a Village Builders brand focused on premium buyers. Overlaps with Tilson in Texas metros but typically serves more centralized suburban subdivisions.
- PulteGroup: One of the largest U.S. homebuilders with extensive Texas operations across Centex, Pulte, and Del Webb brands. Competes with Tilson on multiple buyer segments and metros, though at much greater scale and broader product mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tilson Homes social profiles
Digital presenceTilson Homes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tilson Homes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Tilson Homes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tilson Homes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tilson Homes
What does Tilson Homes do?
Tilson Homes designs and builds fully customizable new homes on customers' own land throughout Texas, including rural areas. The company offers an extensive library of floor plans ranging from approximately 793 to over 5,000 square feet, complemented by 12 in-person design centers for selecting finishes and materials, energy-efficient construction practices, and the exclusive EasyBuy financing program that waives interest and fees during the construction period.
Is Tilson Homes a public or private company?
Tilson Homes is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Tilson Homes founded?
Tilson Homes was founded in 1932. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Tilson Homes based?
Tilson Homes is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tilson Homes make money?
One revenue line is on record: custom Home Sales.
Who are Tilson Homes's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tri Pointe Homes, Highland Homes, M/I Homes, David Weekley Homes, Meritage Homes, Drees Homes and Perry Homes. Broad incumbents are D.R. Horton, Lennar and PulteGroup.
Does Tilson Homes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tilson Homes.
What industry is Tilson Homes in?
Tilson Homes's product category is Custom Home Building. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAC, Custom Home Building, with a secondary code of IMAFABAE, Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders. Its NAICS code is 236115 and its SIC code is 1520.