Our Team

We are a family-run business comprised of highly reputable and talented professionals who combine their expertise, skills, and creativity on every project. Project managers, superintendents, and administrative staff all work together to ensure smooth communication at every phase of a development. We are all passionate about building quality homes and delivering exceptional client experiences.

Mark Blackman

Born and raised in Los Altos Hills, Mark brings a rare combination of real estate development, finance, and technology experience to custom home building. He has grown Custom Dreams to be a leader in the custom home market on the mid-peninsula. Mark has directly managed over $60 million in construction project value including several successful spec developments and build-to-suit homes for clients. He has developed a leading-edge technology platform that drives down construction costs, shortens construction cycles, and increases construction quality, resulting in exceptional client experiences. Mark has also spearheaded Custom Dreams' high-performance building initiative through implementation of the latest building science on Custom Dreams' projects. In 2010, Custom Dreams was the highest green point rated home builder in Los Altos & Los Altos Hills.

Prior to joining Custom Dreams, Mark spent 5 years at Silicon Valley Bank working in the investment banking and commercial banking practices.

Mark is a licensed general contractor and an advanced Certified Green Building Professional. He is also a licensed real estate salesperson in the state of California. Mark graduated magna cum laude from San Diego State University with a degree in business and an emphasis in finance. In addition to many awards for top academic performance, Mark was one of only two recipients of the Outstanding Student Award from Financial Executives International.

Carla Blackman

Carla Blackman brings a unique blend of creative, financial, and managerial talents to the Custom Dreams team. A veteran of the real estate development and banking industries, Carla co-founded Custom Dreams over 13 years ago with the goal of creating a full-service residential development company.

In addition to running the office, Carla provides Custom Dreams’ clients selection and design management services not offered by other builders. She is instrumental in coordinating finishes, selections, and details directly with clients or client’s interior designers to keep the job flow running smoothly. Carla is highly skilled in the management of the finish work on a project, working with the team of top craftsmen and artisans in the field to ensure proper execution of a client’s vision. As a testament to her exquisite taste and execution, Carla was the lead designer of the Barton Court residence in Los Altos Hills, a Custom Dreams’ project that was selected as the Gentry Showcase Home of the Year in 2008.

Brooke Blackman

Brooke brings strong project management and real estate transaction experience to Custom Dreams. She is a licensed California real estate broker and has held her real estate sales license for over 12 years. She has coordinated and successfully closed over 1,000 escrows working with top-producing agents and developers totaling more than $500 million in inventory. She has managed all aspects of multi-million dollar, high-profile commercial and residential real estate developments. With a background in real estate development, she has deep experience with insurance and license compliance. She is also an expert at utilizing project management software to keep projects running on schedule and on budget.

Brooke graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in business and an emphasis in Real Estate.

Brad Blackman founded Custom Dreams based on thirty years of experience in the banking, investment, and real estate fields. His cross-industry knowledge combined with his wisdom, passion, and vision for residential development created the foundation of what Custom Dreams is today. His values and knowledge are instilled in every team member and his standards of excellence are continued in every Custom Dreams’ project.