Home is where the heart is, and that saying rings true for Jennifer Clarke Johnson, the founder and president of Olivia Clarke Homes.
As a female-owned and operated home production company based in Dallas-Fort Worth and one of the first female-owned home production companies in the country, it was important for Johnson to add a feminine touch to each home to make it easier for the household decision makers - usually women - to picture themselves making lifetime memories within its walls.
“Women are the heart of the home,” Johnson said. “We also make 90% of the purchase decisions. For homes to have a female lens included in the conversation and in the design makes a difference.”
Even the name Olivia Clarke Homes has a light, elegant and distinctively feminine touch to it. The gorgeous moniker is precious to Johnson for two special reasons.
“Clarke is my maiden name and it's my son's middle name. Olivia's my daughter's middle name,” she explained.
When Johnson started Olivia Clarke Homes four years ago, she envisioned people settling into their dream homes that emulated their sense of fashion and style. She approached home buying from a client’s perspective and pictured the ways they would live and entertain in a home setting. This angle drove her to take the next step in her career.
Johnson used the expertise from her 30-year career in real estate to bring that curated home buying experience to life. Everything, from the exterior of the house to the floor plans to the finishing touches, undergoes meticulous quality control to ensure each customer is moving into a home that fits their taste. Olivia Clarke Homes has partnerships with a variety of high-grade manufacturers to personalize each build depending on the client's desires and needs.
“It's important to understand and provide what the home buyer wants,” Johnson said. “Our clients are given time with an interior designer to really get into the details of what they envision in their home. We allow them to select every interior design element. We don't limit their choices to a certain package.”
Johnson understands that empty nesters will want something different than a family of five, so all home buyers enjoy individualized appointments with Southwestern Interiors, which has a design studio in Coppell. They have one-on-one time with an interior designer, who helps them bring their dream home to life.
“We really invest in that experience so that our customers do feel like their voices are heard and that their style will be represented in the home that we're building for them,” Johnson explained. “We really try to make their Pinterest board come alive.”
With established and upcoming communities in Celina, McKinney, Frisco and Aubrey, Olivia Clarke Homes has a luxurious feel that is timeless and high end. While trends come and go, Johnson said she wants her homes to stand the test of time.
“When I drive through historic neighborhoods, I think, ‘Wow, like the person who decided to build that home, I want our homes to stand the test of time like this,’ she said. “Not just for that individual family that is going to live in that home, but the generations of families after them. It needs to be right.
“We want quality products that have a reputation for a long life, that is durable, and that provides an excellent value for what you're investing in.”
Currently, Olivia Clarke Homes is offering to help buy down rates on houses that are finished or nearly finished. It’s Johnson’s way of giving that boutique, design-centric experience to a variety of clients.
“We're just trying to help bridge the gap while interest rates are high so people are comfortable to go ahead and buy now with a lower rate,” she said.
The company is preparing to build in two new communities north of Dallas. Chatham Reserve in Aubrey will have 80 homes on oversized lots and The Arbors at Lakewood Village will have 19 homes on half-acre lots. Johnson explained that since Olivia Clarke Homes is dedicated to serving the home buyer first, she wants the quality of the homes to top the quantity.
Interested buyers can visit OliviaClarkeHomes.com to see the available homes and floor plans in each curated community.
“Women are the heart of the home. We also make 90% of the purchase decisions."
“We really try to make their Pinterest board come alive.”