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Team

Marnie Oursler

Founder and President of Marnie Custom Homes

As a fifth-generation home builder, Marnie has taken all the skills she learned from generations before her and expanded on them to design and build custom beach homes that bring visions to reality. In 2023 she was awarded the Custom Home Builder of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). This award is the highest honor given within the custom home building industry, and she is the first female recipient, as well as the first Delaware-based builder to receive the esteemed award.

While each home Marnie builds reflects life at the beach in a variety of ways, the main goal is to always fulfill the homeowner’s wants and needs, creating spaces to fit their lifestyle while embracing the natural surroundings of our Delaware beaches.

As soon as a client starts describing their vision, Marnie is already creating the blueprint in her head. With more than 25 years of experience in both building and designing custom beach homes, she knows every aspect of what’s required to build safe, sustainable, and weather-resistant homes while also creating innovative one-of-a-kind spaces that enhance life at the beach for families and their guests. She has built over 130 homes to date throughout the Delaware beach region.

You may recognize her as the host of DIY Network’s Big Beach Builds and HGTV’s Dream Home. A graduate of the prestigious Global MBA program at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, she is a frequent speaker on such issues as building a business, cultivating a mentor, and creating working relationships that truly benefit all involved. Marnie is a member of the Board of Advisors for The Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She played Division 1 Soccer at the US Naval Academy before transferring to East Carolina University where she played Division 1 Softball and earned her undergraduate degree.

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Approach

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A Builder Who Listens and Cares
When you build a Marnie Home we anticipate and guide you through the tens of thousands of choices needed to make your dream home feel like home. Marnie takes you through the entire process, step by step, keeping priorities front of mind and her eyes on the prize—your dream home. Our clients trust us to make decisions that perfectly suit their personal style and lifestyle. And you will, too.
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A Logical Process
Every aspect of building your home, from budget creation, to vendors, to finish selections, is expertly managed for a seamless, relaxing and enjoyable experience. Rest assured Marnie’s tenacious attention to every detail–from aligning the interior trim to getting manufacturer warranty certificates–means you can breathe easy. With our unique online interface, clients can access budgets, costs and schedules from anywhere in the world. And frequent one-on-one communication and weekly meetings keep things moving and clients feeling secure and on top of the project.
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An Uncommonly Fun Experience
It’s exciting to build a Marnie home, because you also build a friendship! Marnie’s warm, engaging style and cheerful demeanor means building your dream home will be a big, fun adventure. We care, and we want to make it right for you. Our mutually-respectful and beneficial longstanding relationships with vendors and subcontractors ensure you get the best value. That’s why our clients’ friends and neighbors can’t wait to build a “Marnie Home” of their own.

What our customers are saying…

Wondering what it’s like to build with MCH? Hear from “Paradise Point” homeowner Kay Bruner about her experience working with Marnie Custom Homes.

Community

Marnie builds dream homes that feel like home. She also builds community by giving back: whether by using locally-sourced materials, helping Delaware students get hands-on learning opportunities, or supporting arts education for underprivileged kids.

Building American

Marnie is a professional builder and advocate for American-made materials and workers. She believes in using her skills to help others, which is why she is a member of Contractors for a Cause. Marnie also serves as a spokeswoman for 84 Lumber’s Build American campaign, raising awareness about the importance of buying American-made products.

Active Memberships

Marnie is a business executive and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the corporate world. She has served on numerous boards of directors, and currently sits on the board of Beebe Hospital Foundation, Duke University Fuqua School of Business Center of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and the James B. Duke Society- Duke University. Marnie also belongs to several organizations including the Women’s Impact Network – Duke University and East Carolina University Letterman’s Club, to name a few.

Mentoring & Motivating

Marnie is passionate about helping others achieve their dreams and finds joy in mentoring and coaching others, whether it’s in business or in life. Her focus is always on relationships – building them, growing them, and making them last. She believes that strong relationships are the key to success in any area of life. She pays it forward as a mentor for Girls, Inc., Duke University FoundHER’s challenge and offers advice and motivation at events like NYU Stern Business School’s Women in Business Conference, Melissa and Doug Entrepreneurship Program and the Forté MBA Women’s Leadership Conference. Marnie is dedicated to helping people reach their goals by providing guidance, support, and inspiration – because when people succeed, we all succeed.

Volunteer Time/Donations Annual Gifts

Marnie is a social leader committed to helping people achieve their dreams and making the world a better place. Her mission is to always put people first, empower women and girls, and build community. Each year Marnie provides scholarship to East Carolina University funding to deserving young women and men in higher education who are pursuing construction management careers, donates financially to various Methodist and Presbyterian churches, and supports a wide variety of other causes that are important to her. In addition to her financial contributions, Marnie also donates her time and energy to many different organizations, such as, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, focused on Parkinson’s research and support. She is a strong believer in the power of giving back, and she knows that even the smallest act of kindness can make a big difference in the world. For Marnie, volunteering is an important way to live out her values and make a positive impact on the lives of others.