Building Dream Homes & Deep Relationships in Santa Barbara

Giffin & Crane is a widely-respected Santa Barbara custom homebuilder and remodeler with over 50 employees. Established in 1986, the firm has been a valued Community West Bank client since 2020. 

Founders Bruce Giffin and Geoff Crane launched their business with the goal of building and remodeling “fine homes for exceptional people.” The duo recognized they could better achieve that goal by working together rather than individually and founded Giffin & Crane with a culture of mutual trust, shared understanding and a commitment to continual learning.

In the 39 years since the firm began, Giffin & Crane has built relationships with over 700 clients, resulting in more than 3,500 projects. Today, its executive team includes principals Eric Carlstedt and Derek Shue, continuing the legacy of leading-edge homebuilding into the next generation. 

Taking the client experience to new heights

In an industry dominated by look-alike homes that often prioritize developer returns over customer satisfaction, Giffin & Crane stands apart.

“We want to make sure that our client experience is pleasant and the result is the quality dwelling they imagined,” said Carlstedt. “We pride ourselves on bringing together a cohesive team of design and building professionals to produce unique homes that are completed on time, within budget and with the goal of long-term satisfaction.”

A uniquely personal partnership

“Construction is a trust-based business,” Shue added. “Our clients trust us to make sure that the homes that they’re going to put their families in are safe, they are beautiful and they are going to be able to live there for a long time.”

Community West Bank’s Phil Morreale, Senior Vice President, Market Manager, serves Giffin & Crane from our Santa Barbara Banking Center.

“I get a great deal of fulfillment working with Giffin & Crane, whose values align so perfectly with the Bank’s,” Morreale said. “We both appreciate the value of relationships and the benefits of community banking.”

“With Community West Bank, we have personal relationships with our bankers. It’s like working with an old friend,” Carlstedt said. “And we appreciate having a person that can be a resource not just for the day-to-day, but also for the questions that come up or for unique requests like setting up lines of credit, helping with business purchase options, helping with financing for properties and such.”

Like Community West Bank, Giffin & Crane believes in the importance of investing in the community. Carlstedt and Shue give of their time and expertise in many ways, with Shue serving on the boards of the Santa Barbara Bowl and Santa Barbara Zoo. The company also supports a wide range of worthwhile nonprofits in the Santa Barbara area.

Leading the way

What’s next for this innovative homebuilder? The team at Giffin & Crane has been reflecting on the concept of “sanctuary,” inspiring the firm to build homes that convey the feeling of cherished safe havens and places of refuge. With its finger on the pulse of homebuilding trends and ideas, Giffin & Crane is poised to continue thriving in its competitive industry. Community West Bank is honored to be part of the journey.