builder filesfile 29 of 57building since 1970, per the companyboyenga team at compass
Owen Signature Homes
Owen Signature Homes is a family custom builder in Los Altos. Per the company, Bob Owen started it as Bob Owen Homes in 1970, and the Los Altos Town Crier reported in 2013 that the firm acts as both architect and builder, with his son Shawn Owen as vice president. Listings place its homes mostly in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Atherton. Here’s what the records show and what the homes sell for.
- builder
- Owen Signature Homes
- base
- Los Altos
- began
- 1970, as Bob Owen Homes (per the company)
- family
- Bob Owen; son Shawn Owen
- works as
- architect and builder
- style
- “Mediterranean and traditional,” in Bob Owen’s words (2013)
- listings say
- “built by Owen Signature Homes”
- sales on record · live…
- median $/sq ft, last 2 yrs…
- for sale now · live…
- year Bob Owen Homes began, per the company1970
where they are
Where Owen homes are
From the Los Altos Town Crier and listings; listing-only credits are marked.
| area | city | years | homes | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos infill | Los Altos | 2009–2014 (listings) | — | Listings credit Owen with new homes on Yerba Buena Ave, Yerba Santa Ave, Waverly Ln and Bridgton Ct. The Town Crier reported a steel-framed Owen home under construction in Los Altos in 2013. |
| Creekside Oaks | Los Altos | 2015 (listing) | 1 | A listing says Owen rebuilt a home on Bay Tree Ln, completed in 2015. |
| Hillside estates | Los Altos Hills | 2010s–2020s (listings) | — | Large houses on acre-plus lots; listings credit Owen with homes on Old Trace Ln (about 14,900 sq ft with a guest house), Frampton Ct and Paseo del Roble Dr. |
| Robleda Court | Los Altos Hills | 2020 (listing) | 1 | A contemporary home in copper, stone and Western red cedar, per its listing. |
| Atherton estates | Atherton | 2007–2008 (listings) | — | Three-level homes with elevators on Fairview Ave and Michaels Way, per listings. |
| Sharon Heights | Menlo Park | — (listing) | 1 | A listing credits Owen with a home on Monte Rosa Dr. |
Owen doesn’t publish addresses we could confirm, and most resales don’t name the builder, so this list is partial.
the homes
What the homes are like
From the Town Crier and listings.
- style
Mediterranean and traditional
Bob Owen described his style that way in 2013, sometimes with a “country feeling,” per the Town Crier.
- design-build
Architect and builder in one
The firm designs and builds, and each project is reviewed by Bob, Shawn, the architect and the supervisor, per the Town Crier.
- scale
Big houses on big lots
The 2013 profile cites a 12,000 sq ft house on a one-acre lot as an example; Los Altos Hills listings run to about 14,900 sq ft.
- newer work
Contemporary too
Newer listings describe contemporary homes in copper, stone and cedar, and the firm built a steel-framed home in Los Altos in 2013.
- myth check
Not the Pleasanton Signature Homes
Signature Homes and Signature Properties of Pleasanton, which build master-planned communities, are a different company.
the sales ledger
Every recorded Owen sale
Each dot is a sale whose listing names Owen Signature Homes, mostly in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. Hover a dot for the address, date and price.
- sales on record…
- median price…
- median $ per sq ft…
- latest sale…
one recorded salemedian for the yearprice per sq ft = sale price ÷ listed living area
| sold | address | price | $/sq ft | bd / ba | sq ft |
|---|
Some listings credit Owen with a rebuild or remodel, and many of its homes sell without the name, so treat each credit as a lead to confirm. Sales come from the MLS records available to us and include every sold listing whose description names the builder, so a few homes may be labeled by the listing agent rather than confirmed from tract records. Sold data is shown with the listing brokerage. Price per square foot uses the living area in the listing. Ask us for a full comparable-sales report on any address.
on the market
For sale now
Active listings whose description names Owen Signature Homes.
Checking active listings…
owning one today
Owning one today
- Los Altos Hills reviewExterior changes, additions and new coverage need the town’s site development review, and new homes and major additions need a geotechnical report. Expect easements on steep slopes and pathways, per the town’s FAQ.
- Floor-area limitsLarge estates often sit near the floor and development area their lot allows, so check what’s left before planning an addition.
- Defect claimsCalifornia generally limits construction-defect claims to 10 years after completion, so homes finished before about 2016 are past that window.
- Big-house systemsElevators, multiple HVAC zones, pools and large roofs need specialist inspections. Our Inspection Decoder covers what to order.
the nerd check
Buying or selling one
What we check when you buy
- Confirm the builderWe check the original permits, which name the contractor, since listings and records don’t always agree.
- Permits and historyWe check the permit history for additions and conversions before you plan a remodel.
- InspectionsRoof, foundation and systems matched to the home’s age. Our Inspection Decoder covers what to order.
- The right comparablesWe compare against similar homes in the same neighborhood first.
How we market one when you sell
- Name the builderBuyers search for Owen homes by name, so we confirm it from the permit record and say so.
- Show the craftsmanshipPhotography that covers the details and the grounds.
- Prep with a planOur Prep Lab budgets repairs and refresh before you list.
- Price from real salesWe price from recent sales of similar homes nearby.
questions
Questions we hear
Who is Owen Signature Homes?
A family custom builder in Los Altos. Per the company, Bob Owen started it as Bob Owen Homes in 1970. The Los Altos Town Crier reported in 2013 that the firm acts as both architect and builder and that his son Shawn Owen, then vice president, had about 25 years in the business.
What does an Owen home look like?
In 2013 Bob Owen described his style as “Mediterranean and traditional,” sometimes with a “country feeling,” per the Town Crier. Newer listings also describe contemporary homes in copper, stone and cedar.
Where has Owen built?
Listings place its homes mostly in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Atherton, with one in Menlo Park’s Sharon Heights.
Is it the same as Signature Homes in Pleasanton?
No. Signature Homes and Signature Properties are a separate Pleasanton builder of master-planned communities.
sources
Sources
The Los Altos Town Crier, Patch and town records, checked October 2026.
- Los Altos Town Crier: Los Altos builder crafts signature homes (2013)The firm’s history, design-build approach and stylewww.losaltosonline.com/magazine/los-altos-builder-crafts-signature-homes/article_453bf7e7-8876-534f-a7e6-a440cf41c8d9.html
- Patch: Have you got what it takes to build in Los Altos Hills? (2018)Shawn Owen on building in Los Altos Hillspatch.com/california/losaltos/have-you-got-what-it-takes-build-los-altos-hills
- Town of Los Altos Hills: site development review FAQHow new homes and additions are reviewedwww.losaltoshills.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/176/Site-Development-Review-Process-FAQ-PDF
- Contractors State License Board: license lookupCheck a contractor’s licensewww.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx
- California Civil Code § 94110-year limit for construction-defect claimscalifornia.public.law/codes/civil_code_section_941
builder files
Every builder file, by era
Bars show the years each builder was building here. See all builders or the home styles field guide.
- Fernando Nelson1880–1920s
- Ernest Coxhead1890–1930s
- Willis Polk1890s–1920s
- Frank Delos Wolfe1892–1926
- Henry Gutterson1914–1954
- Gellert (Sunstream)1922–1972
- Birge Clark1922–1970s
- Stoneson1920s–1960s
- Doelger1927–1960s
- McKeon1927–early 1970s
- Gardner Dailey1930s–1960s
- William Wurster1930s–1960s
- Rousseau1931–1933
- Bohannon1936–1955
- Cliff May1950s
- Stern & Price1951–1953
- Mackay Homes1950s
- Goodwin Steinberg1950s–1980s
- Mardell1955–1959
- Hayman Homes1960s–1970s
- Ditz-Crane1962–1984
- Brown & Kauffmann1960s–1981
- Bahl1968–1986
- Ponderosa Homes1970s–1990s
- Shapell1971–2000s
- Anshen & Allen1940s–1960
- Jones & Emmons1951–1970s
- Claude Oakland1950s–1970s
- Owen Signature Homes1970–today
- Swatt | Miers1975–today
- SummerHill Homes1976–today
- Pinn Brothers1976–today
- Citation Homeslate 1970s–2010s
- Robson Homes1989–today
- Pacific Peninsula Group1989–today
- Barry Swenson Builder1990s–2010s
- Classic Communities1990s–2010s
- Warmington1990s–2020s
- Kelly Gordon2000s–2010s
- Feldman Architecture2003–today
- DeNova Homes2000s–today
- City Ventures2011–today
- Trumark Homes2012–today
- Davidon Homes2010s
- The New Home Company2014–2018
- Dividend Homes2010s–today
- KB Home1980s–today
- Brookfield1990s–today
- Pulte Homes2000s–today
- Shea Homes2000s–2010s
- Lennar2000s–today
- Toll Brothers2000s–today
- Taylor Morrison2007–today
- D.R. Horton2010s
- Tri Pointe Homes2012–today
- K. Hovnanian2014–2018
- Meritage Homes2010s
talk to a property nerd
Own an Owen Signature home?
We can confirm the builder from the permit record and value it against recent sales nearby. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.
