The Olson Company

What The Olson Company does

Founded in 1988 in Seal Beach, California, The Olson Company (operating under the trade names Olson Homes, Olson Urban Housing, and In-Town Living, Inc.) is a privately held for-profit homebuilder specializing in urban infill residential development across Southern California. The company has built more than 11,000 homes in over 100 California cities and currently operates with 251–500 employees. Olson's portfolio is concentrated on attached and small-format detached for-sale housing in infill locations, where the company leverages entitlement expertise and long-standing municipal relationships developed over more than three decades.

The active community portfolio spans Claremont, Cypress, Downey, Glendora, and Whittier, with homes priced in the $600,000s–$900,000s. Product is delivered through the branded "Walk" community line (Descanso Walk, Figtree Walk, Heritage Walk, Madera Walk, Tesoro Walk, Tierra Walk, Uptown Walk), supplemented by the Live Better Program (energy-efficient construction including Nest and Brilliant Smart Home System equipment), a Style Studio interior-selection process, and the Champion Program. The company has received the Eliant Award for customer satisfaction 11 times, indicating consistent service-quality performance relative to industry benchmarks.

Olson's revenue model is one-time home sale transactions to individual consumers, primarily first-time and move-up buyers, distributed through on-site direct sales complemented by Realtor and broker referral channels. The company is broadening its mix to include affordable and workforce housing product (16 moderate-income units in Monterey Park; 40 affordable townhomes in Yorba Linda) alongside market-rate offerings. Recent operating signals show Olson expanding community count and headcount while the broader Orange County new-home market contracted approximately 16% year-over-year in 2025.

Name

The Olson Company

Legal name

Olson Urban Housing, LLC (doing business as The Olson Company)

Website

https://olsonhomes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Olson Company is a Southern California urban infill homebuilder founded in 1988, designing and selling townhomes and single-family homes across 100+ California cities for first-time and move-up buyers seeking energy-efficient, walkable communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Homebuilding

NAICS

New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117), Residential Building Construction (23611)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Family Residential Construction (Apartments, Condos, Townhomes) (IMAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Single-Family Home Construction (Detached Homes) (IMAFABAA), Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL), Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)

Keywords

• Urban infill housing
• Residential homebuilding
• New construction homes
• Walkable community design
• Townhome development

Headquarters

HQ city

Seal Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. New Home Sales: Olson Homes generates revenue through the sale of newly constructed townhomes, single-family homes, and live/work residences across Southern California communities. Revenue is one-time per transaction, with pricing ranging from approximately $600,000s to $900,000s depending on community and floor plan. The company also operates a Style Studio for customization upgrades that generate additional revenue per home.
2. Referral and Broker Commissions: The company pays referral rewards to existing homeowners ($1,000-$3,000 per referral) and broker commissions (up to 2% per sale) to licensed real estate agents who bring buyers, creating a channel-driven revenue component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Olson Company builds and sells new construction townhomes, single-family homes, and live/work residences in walkable urban infill communities across Southern California. The company acquires underutilized urban parcels, secures entitlements with city partners, and develops communities branded under the "Walk" naming convention featuring energy-efficient construction, smart home technology, and proximity to jobs, transit, and retail.

Product overview

The Olson Company operates as a residential homebuilder in Southern California with a portfolio of new construction communities under the 'Walk' brand naming convention. Current active communities include Descanso Walk (Claremont), Figtree Walk (Glendora), Heritage Walk (Glendora), Madera Walk (Cypress), Tesoro Walk (Downey), Tierra Walk (Cypress), and Uptown Walk (Whittier). The company offers complementary programs including the Live Better package (sustainable/connected home features), Style Studio (design customization), Champion Program (ongoing homeowner support), and Homebuyer Referral Program. The company has completed over 30 previous communities across the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Descanso Walk

Quantifiable outcome

• Olson Company was among the few Orange County homebuilders to grow sales while the broader market dropped 16% in 2025 (1,785 homes sold by top 14 builders vs. 2,133 in 2024)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 100+ Cities and Neighborhoods in CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOlson Homes has cultivated strong partnerships with over 100 cities and neighborhoods across California since 1988. The company takes a community-first approach, collaborating with city staff, officials, and community stakeholders to deliver urban housing developments that enhance quality of life. Partner cities include Alhambra, Anaheim, Arcadia, Burbank, Claremont, Compton, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Downey, Glendora, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Ana, Torrance, Whittier, and many others.
• School DistrictsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOlson partners with school districts near its communities including Centralia School District (La Palma), El Monte Union High School District, Fountain Valley School District, Pacifica School District, Santa Ana Unified School District, and Ventura Unified School District.
• Water DistrictsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with Golden State Water District, Rancho Dominguez Water District, and Suburban Water Company support utility infrastructure for new communities.
• Transit AuthoritiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOlson communities are strategically located near transit hubs including Alameda Contra Costa Transit District, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, MetroLink, and Metropolitan Transportation Authority, enabling walkable, transit-oriented development.
• UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with California State Polytechnic University Pomona, Pepperdine University, and University of California Santa Barbara for community development and workforce initiatives. Steve Olson serves on the Board of Visitors of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy.
• Pepperdine UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve Olson received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Pepperdine University and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Pepperdine University.
• Aquarium of the PacificminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve Olson serves as past Chairman and current member of the Board of Directors of the Aquarium of the Pacific.
• ONX WineryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve Olson serves as past Chairman and current member of the Board of Directors of ONX Winery.
• Licensed Real Estate Brokers and AgentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed brokers and agents can earn up to 2% commission on home sales by registering clients in person during their first community visit. The program includes a new Realtor Social Media & Marketing Program for social promotion.
• Preferred LendersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred lenders familiar with the new construction process provide financing options to homebuyers and may offer closing cost incentives. Homebuyers can also use their own lenders.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• KB Home: KB Home is one of the largest for-sale residential builders in California with a deep SoCal footprint and a similar first-time/move-up buyer focus. Olson CEO Scott Laurie was previously KB Home's Inland Valley President, underscoring the close strategic and operational comparability.
• Shea Homes: Shea Homes is a long-standing California-based builder operating attached and detached for-sale product across Southern California. It is comparable in product mix, geographic concentration, and community-based marketing approach.
• Richmond American Homes: Richmond American Homes (M.D.C. Holdings subsidiary) is a for-sale builder with a long-standing Southern California presence and comparable entry-level/move-up buyer focus. It directly competes in many of the same SoCal submarkets.
• TRI Pointe Homes: TRI Pointe is a California-headquartered for-sale homebuilder with comparable size, premium/exurban community focus, and Pacific Coast operating region, making it a natural mid-size public comparable for Olson's urban infill strategy.

Broad incumbents

• PulteGroup: PulteGroup is a top-three US homebuilder with significant California exposure through Centex, Pulte, and Del Webb brands. It is broadly comparable as a residential builder targeting first-time and move-up buyers in the same SoCal metros.
• Brookfield Residential: Brookfield Residential is a major California- and Western Canada-focused homebuilder with infill and master-planned communities. It competes directly for SoCal land deals and buyer demand, particularly in infill-adjacent locations.
• Meritage Homes: Meritage Homes is a publicly traded US homebuilder with a meaningful California footprint and a focus on energy-efficient construction. Its ENERGY STAR and efficiency-forward positioning parallels Olson's LIVE BETTER™ differentiation.
• D.R. Horton: D.R. Horton is the largest US homebuilder by volume with extensive California operations across multiple sub-brands (Express, Emerald, etc.). It is a broader incumbent competing for entry-level buyers that Olson targets.
• Lennar Corporation: Lennar is the largest US homebuilder with a substantial Southern California presence across a wide spectrum of price points and product types. It competes with Olson for both land and buyers but operates at far greater scale and broader geographic diversification.
• Toll Brothers: Toll Brothers is a national luxury and move-up homebuilder with active Southern California operations and an attached-product (t townhome/condo) division. It overlaps with Olson's higher-ASP products but at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@olsonhomes
• Xx.com/olsonhomes
• Facebookfacebook.com/olsonhomes

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Olson Company