hero westbay story

The WestBay Story

A Rare Opportunity… evolves into a Rare Company.

Our Story

The story of Homes by WestBay is one of vision and resilience. Founded in 2009, during the lowest point of the greatest housing downturn in recent history, our tenacious and visionary founders saw an opportunity amid the uncertainty. While many home builders were exiting the market, we recognized that the buyers that were still seeking new homes were looking for a higher level of quality and superior workmanship—precisely what Homes by WestBay could offer. In our first year, we built and delivered 63 well-appointed homes, exceeding expectations by more than double. Today, Homes by WestBay is Tampa Bay's largest privately-owned new home builder and ranked as the 59th largest builder in America.

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communities
homes delivered
years in business
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2009

Homes by WestBay is founded by partners Willy Nunn and Roger Gatewood in Tampa, FL. Our mission then and now is to deliver a better way of life to homeowners in Tampa Bay through the best customer experience in the industry. From our first pioneering homebuyers to the 1,000+ homes we deliver annually today, we continually strive to deliver on our mission.

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2010

Broke ground on our first model home, a Key Largo II, in the master-planned community of FishHawk. Closed out the year with 68 homes delivered, exceeding expectations and doubling our goals.Since our first iteration of the Key Largo floorplan, we have continued to make adjustments and improvements and are proud to continue offering the award-winning Key Largo in our new home communities today.

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2014

Opened the doors to our Design Studio, allowing homebuyers to design, personalize, and stylize their new home with ease, supported by our knowledgeable and experienced design team. Since first opening in 2014, our Design Studio has undergone a complete makeover and expansion. Now boasting over 6,500 sq ft of oohs and ahhs, the Design Studio showcases some of today’s top design trends and selections.

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2015

Broke ground on new home community of La Collina in Brandon, FL. This marked the company's first amenitized land development and the beginning of a long-standing commitment to creating exceptional communities.

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2016

Celebrated the delivery of our 1,000th home and our unwavering commitment to excellence.

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2017

Implemented the "WestBay Gives" initiative, partnering with local charities and committing to donation a portion of every new home closing to further their cause.

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2018

Ranked as the nation's 100th largest homebuilder by Builder 100 based on 440 home closings in 2017.

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2019

Launched sister-company Casa Fresca Homes to empower homeownership through smart, stylish, yet attainable homes. This same year, Homes by WestBay sold their last home in the FishHawk community, ending an 8-year journey and over 300 homes delivered.

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2022

Celebrated the delivery of our 5,000th home, and our first entry into Manatee County.

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2024

Today, Homes by WestBay is Tampa Bay's largest privately-owned new home builder. Now building in 15 new home communities across 5 Florida counties, we are ranked as the 59th largest builder in America while continuing to offer that local builder-next-door feeling to all our homebuyers.

New and Noteworthy Awards

Nationally recognized as a builder of premier residential communities.

Tampa Bay Times Top 100 Workplaces - Ranked #5

2024

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Builder 100 - Ranked #59

2024

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Aurora Awards: Grand & Silver Award Winner

2024

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Tampa Bay Builders Association, Awards of Excellence

2023

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All Awards

Tampa Bay Times has recognized 100 Companies and Organizations in Tampa Bay as Top Workplaces for 2024. Companies have been recognized based solely on surveys about the workplace completed by their employees. Homes by WestBay ranked #5 in the mid-sized business category.

Builder 100 is an annual list of the top 100 home builders across the United States, ranked by closings.

Homes by WestBay ranked #59 (1,213 closings)

Featuring 61 categories, the Aurora Awards encompasses all facets of the residential, commercial and remodeling industries. From overall design to sustainability, the awards program offers categories for each participant in the construction industry as well as sales and marketing professionals. The Aurora Awards program is affiliated with the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) and the Southeast Building Conference (SEBC), one of two regional trade shows recognized by and affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).