Built on conviction. Built for keeps.
Emerald Custom Homes exists because Kelly and the team believed the bar for luxury homebuilding in Omaha could be higher — and decided to raise it themselves.
We’re not a volume builder. We don’t have a signature plan we push clients toward, or a list of trendy finishes we cycle through each season. What we have is a clear point of view: that a home should be built with enough intention that you never have to undo it. Real materials. Honest design. Technology that works for the way you actually live. A build process that keeps you informed every step of the way.
We take on a small number of projects each year — because the alternative is building homes we’re not proud of, and that’s not something we’re willing to do.
Emerald is rooted in Omaha. We build primarily in Elkhorn and Gretna, we know this market deeply, and we’re invested in what these communities become.
Our Team
Kelly Flippin
Kelly leads every Emerald project from first conversation to final walkthrough. Her background in design and material selection shapes not just how Emerald homes look, but how they hold up — guiding clients toward choices that are beautiful now and timeless later. She’s direct, she’s collaborative, and she won’t let you make a decision you’ll regret just because it’s what you wanted to hear.
Whit Smith
Forty years of homebuilding experience doesn’t just show up in what Whit knows — it shows up in what he refuses to accept. As Emerald’s Senior Construction Advisor, Whit brings rigorous construction oversight, deep expertise in land selection and materials, and a standard of quality that shapes every project he touches. He’s one of the reasons Emerald builds the way it does.
Karen Fries
With over two decades at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and a specialization in new construction, Karen brings a perspective most builders don’t have access to: what buyers actually experience on the other side of the transaction. A lifelong Omaha resident, longtime Board member of the Metropolitan Omaha Builder’s Association, and one of the market’s most consistently recognized agents, Karen gives Emerald clients a genuine advocate who understands every layer of the new construction process.
Brian Arant
Brian started painting homes to put himself through college and spent the next thirty-eight years owning and operating a painting and remodeling company. That background shows up in how he works: he communicates clearly, moves projects forward, and doesn’t let small problems become big ones.
As Emerald’s Construction Superintendent, Brian is the person turning plans on paper into finished homes. Poor communication and cutting corners are the two things he simply won’t tolerate on a job site. At Emerald, that’s exactly the kind of standard that fits.
This is where your home begins.
We only take on a handful of projects each year — because that’s what it takes to do this right. If you’re thinking about building, we’d love to hear about it.