How Cypress Homes combines thoughtful design, organized execution, and a collaborative approach to create exceptional custom homes
For more than three decades, Cypress Homes (Cypress) has been building distinctive homes and lasting relationships throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Founded in 1994 and based in Appleton, the award-winning homebuilder serves Appleton, Oshkosh, Green Bay, and surrounding communities. The company’s reputation is grounded in quality craftsmanship, thoughtful design, energy efficiency, and a highly organized building experience that keeps each client’s vision and budget at the center of the process.
Cypress is led by President Shannon Meyer, who joined the company in 2005 and worked her way through a variety of roles before becoming president. That broad experience reflects the company’s team-first culture: every department understands how its work contributes to the finished home and the client experience. Modern Home Builders sits down with Shannon to discuss the people, process, and communities behind the company’s continued success.
One of the advantages of building with Cypress is the range of possibilities available to each homeowner. The company has developed an extensive library of floor plans, many with 3D virtual tours, and design ideas that can serve as a starting point for nearly any lifestyle. Clients may customize an established design, combine elements from several plans, or collaborate with the team to create something entirely unique. Drafting is integrated into the building process, allowing ideas to be developed with the same team responsible for bringing them to life. Similarly, the company’s model homes and completed-home portfolio also give clients a tangible way to explore layouts, finishes, and architectural details before making decisions. By pairing inspiration with guidance from experienced professionals, Cypress helps homeowners move from broad ideas to a cohesive, personalized design.
Continuous improvement
That collaborative approach begins with a conversation. From the first meeting, Cypress brings together expertise in land evaluation, planning, design, financing guidance, selections, construction, and client care. Clear communication and defined steps help homeowners understand what comes next, while the depth of the internal team gives them confidence that the details are being coordinated from beginning to end.
“We offer a true team approach,” Shannon explains. “Whether clients need help finding land, evaluating a property, developing the plan, navigating financing, or making selections, they have experienced people guiding them at every stage. Our in-house interior designer works alongside clients from start to finish, helping them coordinate the details and make confident decisions. That level of support is especially valuable as homes become larger and more customized.”
Innovation at Cypress is not about chasing trends, but rather about continually improving the way homes are designed, built, and experienced. The team evaluates new products, construction methods, design ideas, and planning resources, allowing Cypress to remain forward-thinking while maintaining the craftsmanship, discipline, and personal attention expected of an elite custom builder.
While Cypress can build on any properly zoned land, the company currently offers four distinctive communities, each designed around the lifestyles and priorities of homeowners in Northeast Wisconsin. The business’ newest subdivision, Encore, joins Auburn Estates in offering the uncommon combination of generous homesites, attractive natural surroundings, and convenient access to established communities.
Encore is a single-cul-de-sac neighborhood, in the Village of Greenville, featuring larger lots framed by mature trees. With the development already more than half sold, the custom homes taking shape there demonstrate the variety and architectural character that Cypress brings to its communities.
Auburn Estates, located in Grand Chute, offers homesites of approximately one acre or more, while lots in Encore offer a wider variety of sizes starting at approximately 0.4 acres and ranging up to 5.7 acres. Both developments offer public water and sewer – an increasingly rare advantage for buyers seeking more space without the added responsibilities of a private well and septic system.
Choice of offerings
The two developments are also located in areas with competitive property tax rates. Streets and related infrastructure are already included, eliminating additional street assessments and giving buyers greater clarity as they plan their investment.
Adjacent to Encore is Finale Condos, Cypress’ freestanding condominium community. Meanwhile in Menasha, Lake Park Villas provides a similar low-maintenance lifestyle through a planned unit development. Together, the communities expand the choices available to homeowners who want the privacy and feel of a single-family home with less exterior maintenance.
Collaborative process
At Finale Condos, in Greenville, each residence is freestanding, allowing homeowners to enjoy greater privacy while benefiting from condominium living. Owners carry their own homeowner’s insurance and are responsible for their individual residences, so major expenses associated with a neighboring home are not shared in the same way they may be in a traditional attached condominium community. Lake Park Villas follows a similar concept, although homeowners own their individual lots. Both communities include association-supported lawn care and snow removal, making them especially attractive to active adults who want the freedom to travel or spend time away without worrying about routine exterior maintenance. Monthly association dues are currently $200 in both communities.
More than 30 years after its founding, Cypress Homes continues to grow through a disciplined commitment to quality. Its award-winning work is the product of a coordinated teamworking toward the same standard. That structure gives clients both the expertise of a larger organization and the personal attention of a local builder.
Looking ahead, Cypress is focused on thoughtful progress rather than growth for growth’s sake. The company continues to refine its systems, strengthen its team, evaluate better building products and methods, and elevate the client experience.
“We’re not looking at a huge expansion. More than anything, we’re focused on being innovative and getting better at the things we already do,” Shannon reveals.
For homeowners ready to build, Cypress Homes offers more than a collection of plans or finishes. It offers an organized, collaborative process led by an experienced team that listens carefully, communicates clearly, and takes pride in every detail. The result is a home that feels personal, performs beautifully, and reflects the standard of an award-winning Wisconsin builder.
