It’s a Family Affair: Riverside Homes Celebrates a Decade of Building Homes With Heart

Innovative. Steadfast. Rewarding. Humbling. Grateful. These are just a few of the words that come to mind when our team recollects on how far we’ve come and all we’ve accomplished. 2022 marks the 10 year anniversary of Riverside Homes as a company. From the beginning, Partners Chris Wood and Matt Roberts have remained unwavering in their commitment to deliver the highest level of customer satisfaction, cutting edge techniques and state-of-the-art materials in every single home they build. They maximize every square inch of space to create inspired designs homebuyers will love, and build with the same care and attention to detail they would expect for their own family.

A Solid Foundation

For more than thirty years, the Wood name has been synonymous with the finest new home communities in Northeast Florida. A native of Jacksonville and graduate of Auburn University, Chris Wood was raised with the understanding that there is no compromise in anything you put your name on. Matt Roberts, a graduate of the University of Georgia, shared that same commitment to excellence and provided the foundation for their new homebuilding company.

“It was divine intervention when we crossed paths. I was then working for a national homebuilder and was their Vice President of Operations. Rick and Susie Wood were the developers behind the Silver Thorn Community. During this time, I received my contractor’s license in preparation for starting my own company. As a blessing from God, I was introduced to the Wood family in 2012, and Chris and I soon thereafter started Riverside Homes,” shares Roberts.

Chris Wood is proud to carry on the family tradition by building the best homes possible for customers who trust in his family legacy of excellence. His background in real estate and new community development gives him a broader perspective on the homebuilding industry than the average builder. Matt Roberts is equally committed to finding new ways to instill excellence in all they do. His extensive background in new home construction ignited a passion to start a homebuilding company that truly serves the needs of their homebuyers and in turn, forms lifelong relationships. Together they lead the team at Riverside Homes and have made it their mission to rethink everything about designing and building homes for today’s families. “I truly believe that God brought our families together. This relationship has been a blessing to my family in many ways beyond just business,” declares Roberts.

When asked about the story behind the company name, Roberts jokes, “Surprisingly, this was one of the most difficult decisions Chris and I faced when starting the company. Our business name was TBD (To Be Determined) for way too long when we started. We must have brainstormed 100 different names, and none seemed to fit. Finally, Riverside Homes was decided on while one of us was driving through the Riverside area in Jacksonville. We both thought the name had a nice ring to it.”

It All Comes Full Circle

When you step inside a Riverside Home, you will experience not only quality craftsmanship, but a sense of warmth and welcome. Susie Wood, Chris Wood’s mother, and Emily Meagher, Chris Wood’s sister, are the creative geniuses behind each model home design. Their expertise as interior designers shine through as they handpick the perfect textures and finishes to bring each Riverside Home to life. Ginger Wallace, Riverside Homes’ Design Center Manager and Chris Wood’s cousin, assists with their selections as well as oversees all homebuyer selections in Riverside Homes’ newly remodeled Design Center. The cherry on top of each model home is incorporating Chris Wood’s wife, Chloe Wood’s masterfully created paintings. Many of her one-of-a-kind pieces are even commissioned just for a specific model. Whether it’s adding a pop of color to a living space or connecting a bedroom color scheme, this artwork is the final piece that ties each home together. “It really does take a village to successfully complete each and every home, and it’s even more special when that team you get to work with is your actual family,” expresses Chris Wood.

Founded in 2012 with just three employees at the helm, Riverside Homes’ talent has grown to nearly 40 team members. “In our first year of sales, we closed on 17 homes,” shares Chris Wood. “We are now producing around 100 homes a year from first-time move up to custom multi-million dollar homes all across Northeast Florida’ most desirable communities.” Over the span of a decade, our team has closed more than 500 homes and represented over one quarter of a billion dollars in revenue. In this short time frame, Riverside Homes has become a well-known and recognized name in the homebuilding industry. While we have received several accolades over the years, one of the most noteworthy was our selection as the 2019 Southern Living Idea House Official Builder.

We are honored by all those who have been a part of our success the past ten years. In the next decade, we look forward to cultivating rewarding relationships and providing exceptional service to our homeowners, team members and community.