The experienced team at Cairn Custom Homes looks forward to working with you!

Lisa Appler - Principal Builder

Steve Appler - Principal Builder

Jeff Ridgley - Project Manager

Kathy Browning - Project Coordinator

Jasmine Strain - Sales and Client Relations

Nick Mursin - Accounting

Ricky Myers - Field Supervisor & Punchout

Lisa Appler, Principal.

Lisa is focused on working with our clients to create a home that reflects their personal tastes and captures the elements that are important to them. She facilitates the selections process from both a design and organizational perspective and works closely with our contractors and project manager to help the flow of information that is vital to the building process.

Lisa earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Maryland and worked as the Selections Coordinator for Selfridge Builders and Goodier Builders/Goodier Baker Homes prior to founding Cairn Custom Homes.

Steve Appler, Principal.

Steve oversees all aspects of Cairn Custom Home’s design and building process from client meetings, lot feasibility assessment, conceptual home design through final architecture, structural engineering, civil engineering, production, quality control and on through Customer Service. Steve’s experience in residential homebuilding dates back to 1979 and in these intervening years Steve has been responsible for the construction of over 1,500 single family homes, townhomes and mid-rise condominiums.

Steve has been on several local Boards of Directors including Habitat for Humanity – Howard County, Preservation Howard County and the Howard County Historical Society. Steve holds a BA from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He grew up in West Friendship in western Howard County and has remained a life-long Howard County resident. Steve and Lisa, wife and partner, have five adult kids between them. They enjoy travel to visit their kids scattered around the country and beyond, and to their small cabin at Deep Creek Lake for quiet weekends.

Jeff Ridgely, Project Manager

Jeff has over 18 years in the construction industry, a majority of that time spent as a Project Manager, overseeing every aspect of the building process. He understands the complexities and extreme level of detail that go into constructing a truly unique home, and has a proven track record of delivering a high quality product while maintaining a fluid construction program to keep the job on schedule. Jeff personally meets every client on-site and addresses construction questions directly with buyers.

Jeff currently resides in Walkersville, MD with his family. Jeff is an avid sports fan and cheers on the side lines of his daughter’s lacrosse games every chance he can get.

Jasmine Strain, Sales & Client Relations.

Jasmine joins the Cairn Custom Homes team with a background in residential real estate. She loves to educate clients about the custom building process or assist them in finding the perfect location for their custom home.

Jasmine holds a B.F.A from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and grew up in Baltimore County. She lives in Howard County with her husband, 2 children, and 2 pups.

Nick Mursin, Accounting

Nick is a graduate of Marymount University with an MBA concentration in accounting and finance. Over 25 years of work experience in full-cycle accounting for different industries. NIck has worked almost exclusively in the landscaping and construction industries.

In his personal time, he enjoys tae kwon do and spending time with family and friends.

Kathy Browning, Selections Coordinator

Kathy has a passion for new home construction and interior design. She has spent the past 17 years assisting clients in creating functional, well-designed spaces.

Her education and experience prior to that, in residential interior design, enables her to help her clients envision their beautiful new home once construction is complete. She has an eye for detail, is organized and thorough, and knows that clear communication and understanding
between the entire team – client, Cairn Custom Homes staff and trade partner - is key to a successful outcome.
Kathy finds tremendous delight in beauty of all kinds – colors, fabrics, friendships, laughter and nature. In her free-time she enjoys the outdoors with her husband, family and friends.

Our clients express it best:

"We began the process with Cairn saying we wanted a house that was not too big, but very detailed. Even with that warning, I don’t imagine they realized what they were in for! Every aspect of our house was unique, from the floor plan down to the cabinet hardware. When you’re building a house that’s never been built before you have to be prepared for many complications, but Steve, Lisa, Jeff, and Sarah were ready and willing to handle anything that came up, and truly seemed to enjoy the challenge. They were very organized with their schedule, Sarah kept us informed regarding what selections we should be focused on next, and our weekly construction meetings were always enjoyable. In addition, their love of home design and in-depth knowledge of construction was apparent every step of the way. Now that we’re living in the house, we couldn’t be more thrilled with the way it turned out!"
Dana & Laurie G, Fulton, MD

"We couldn’t be happier with our new home, or with the team at Cairn Custom Homes who helped us bring our dream to life. They spent so much time with us and we received their attention and feedback at every step of the way. Each request and idea we had was welcomed and incorporated into the plan, inside and out. We had a very particular and unique design in mind, and with the teams expert guidance, we were able to create a truly inspired home that suites our family’s wants and needs. We would highly recommend Cairn Custom Homes to any of our friends and family!"

Cindy S & Barry N - Baltimore, Maryland

"Our home building experience was very calm and pleasant thanks to the knowledge and dedication of Steve Appler, Lisa Rosenthal, and Joanie McCann. From our very first meeting, it was evident that they were committed to building a home that matched our style and vision. Steve Appler was supremely knowledgeable of the architectural details and structural design. Lisa Rosenthal was a wealth of knowledge with respect to home selections and interior details. Joanie McCann kindly offered any and all assistance with the overall coordination of the building process. Steve, Lisa, and Joanie were extremely patient with us when we had revisions and questions. When issues did arise, they were resolved quickly, but with careful thought. When you start out on the journey of building a home, you anticipate the long wait and aggravation of so many decisions, but we personally enjoyed the entire process. We found it exciting, and the patience and kindness of Steve, Lisa, and Joanie contributed immensely to our happiness and satisfaction."

• Patty M - Phoenix, Maryland