Raymus Homes has been building in California’s Central Valley since 1945, when founder Antone Raymus began constructing Manteca’s first neighborhoods.
Today, the family-run company has built nearly 6,000 homes across more than 100 neighborhoods, with over 18,000 people calling a Raymus home their own. Now led by Antone’s children, Toni and Bob Raymus, the company maintains its founder’s commitment to quality over quantity, limiting growth to ensure excellence in every home while staying deeply rooted in the communities they build.
Builder spoke with second-generation builders Toni and Bob Raymus about reaching the 80-year milestone, working as siblings, and what it takes to build neighborhoods that last for generations.
To be in homebuilding for 80 years is pretty unique. What does this milestone mean for your family, and how does it feel to carry forward your father’s legacy in Manteca?
Toni: The legacy means a lot to us. We’re delighted that we can continue doing what our dad started doing. I’d say we’re proud that he was very community involved, and Bob and I both do that, support the community through various functions.
We’re excited when we see a used home for sale, and the sign says, “Raymus Built.” In the want ads back in the day, they would also say a home was “Raymus Built,” which meant it was a little bit better home than our competitors. My dad always believed in getting the best bang for your buck for the home buyer.
Over 80 years, how has the business evolved while staying true to those core values of quality and value?
Toni: When I first started working full-time, my dad would say, “Okay, we’re going to go out there, we’re going to build 50 homes here.” And he pretty much built the 50 homes within a year.
One of the big things we had to adapt in the mid-80s was more long-range planning. We started visioning how families lived in a neighborhood, how things came together, where the park was, where the school was, and where the grocery store was. We build neighborhoods. Obviously, now we have to project forward many, many years before we see a house built. We’re already thinking about what we’re going to be building in 2030.
The other piece is, you know how people always say, “They don’t build them as good as they used to”? We build homes so much better today. Every year, with code updates and energy updates, a home buyer is getting a much better home than they bought 50 years ago.
You both grew up around the business. Do you have any early memories that stand out, and how did those experiences shape the way you do things now?
Toni: We used to play in the ditches and run through the pipes, and play in the houses. We were always on the job site. By the time we were in high school, we were both expected to work.
Bob: He always made us work. I always remember dad saying that if it’s not a good deal for both, it’s not a good deal at all. And that’s always how we look at it with the buyers, with our trade contractors, with our staff.
Toni: When we purchase land, we try to always make a good deal for both parties. And if we can’t see that, then we don’t go forward.
You’ve continued that spirit of giving as a family and as a company. How?
Toni: Bob and I formed the Building Dreams Foundation. We have a little over $2.3 million in the foundation, and we donate the proceeds every year to local charities.
Then we’re also personally active. I’m a big literacy fan, so we run a book festival. We’ve been doing that 13 years now. Bob’s involved in the Thomas Ford Community Center for high schoolers in our community. We’ve both been involved over the years in the Boys and Girls Club. I’m a founding board member on that.
You’ve built over 100 neighborhoods, nearly 6,000 homes. What do you think has made your homes stand out across generations?
Bob: Back in the 80s, when I was doing sales, we didn’t have models, so I would tell potential buyers, “Just walk the neighborhood and ask all the buyers.”
Toni: That’s true, we would tell home prospects to go to somebody who just bought a home from us and ask, “Are they happy? Did they feel they were treated fairly?” I always tell homeowners that Bob and I live here in the neighborhood. When you go to the grocery store, I’m going to see you. I don’t want to hide from anybody who’s bought something from us. I want to be able to look you straight in the eye and feel like I’ve done good by you.
What do you love about this business?
Toni: I purchase the land and do the land development. I love taking raw land and envisioning how families are going to live there, where we’re going to place the park, and what activities will go in it based on who we think will live there. We just finished a subdivision for older buyers, so the park has beach volleyball and cornhole, more geared toward adult living. Then we’re doing larger home sites, envisioning families, so we’re doing a tunneling system for the kids to play in.
Bob: I really loved working with home buyers. I actually did selections with them for years, and they were always surprised that one of the owners was sitting down picking cabinets with them. Also working with trade contractors and giving them business for years. The fact that we can help in the community through the income we receive is probably my biggest joy.
Manteca and the Central Valley have changed a lot over the past eight decades. What shifts have you seen in home buyers?
Toni: The first homes we built in the 40s were around 1,000 square feet with no garage. Then in the 50s, it was about 1,200 to 1,400 square feet with a one-car garage. Each decade, we’ve adapted all the way to today, where we’re building homes with three-car garages. We let the people looking for new homes tell us what they need, and then we try to react to it.
What have you learned about working together as siblings?
Bob: I think we’ve learned to stay out of each other’s lane a little bit. I know Toni handles the purchases, and I trust her. When I was doing the construction end, she wouldn’t undermine how I’m handling things. There have been rocky times, just like anyone else. It’s like a marriage. And I think right now we’re probably doing the best we ever have.
Toni: It just worked out naturally that I tended to do the land development and sales, and Bob naturally headed towards construction. So it really was an easy division.
Bob: Toni learned different things that I didn’t learn from dad, and he taught me different things. So it ended up working perfectly.
Looking ahead, what does the future of Raymus Homes look like?
Toni: We’ve hired more professional managers at the office now. Our children are still in their 30s and doing their own thing. I never give up hope that I might convince somebody to come back here, any one of the four. The plan is to keep the company professionally run and managed for another generation. We’ve tied up enough land to keep at least 20 years in front of us.
