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will fit into the market down the road.“ We approach it more like a custom build. What would look best here? We look at other homes in the area, study some of the historic houses, and then decide what house would suit the neighborhood.”
Working in partnership
In a region where development often rewards speed and scale, Rizen’ s projects show what it means to take a more thoughtful approach. In Nashville’ s Vanderbilt-Belmont area, Rizen is building a French Tudor-inspired home in a historic district. Details like stonework, natural wood tones, rooflines, and window treatments connect directly to the neighborhood’ s look and feel. The aim isn’ t to recreate the past, but to make sure new construction fits comfortably alongside it.
That philosophy faced its biggest test in Chapel Hill, where five wooded acres offered a choice: reshape the landscape or work with what’ s already there. Instead of clearing the land for convenience, the team designed the home around the views, privacy, and natural features. Dwayne reflects,“ We purposely didn’ t clear all the trees. When you drive up, you see the house through the tree line, which I think is beautiful. It keeps the natural charm of the area.”
The Chapel Hill project highlights a shift happening across Middle Tennessee’ s housing market. After years of rapid growth, buyers are getting more selective about design, character, and location. Dewayne points to what’ s actually selling right now.“ Today, it’ s a buyer’ s market. The homes selling now are the ones that stand out; they’ re intentional and designed to fit the area. They have a custom feel buyers are looking for.”
As buyer preferences move in this direction, Rizen’ s leadership notices a growing demand for homes that feel connected to their surroundings, not just built from a template. Features like stonework, arches, detailed millwork, and builtins are making a comeback as buyers look for character that’ s often missing in newer homes.
While Dewayne leads design, planning, and growth strategy, Project Manager and part-owner Chase Prater oversees field operations. The two had known each other years earlier and reconnected unexpectedly at a gym. That relationship eventually developed into a business partnership built around complementary responsibilities.
Today, Chase manages construction operations, coordinates subcontractors, oversees quality control, and works closely with clients throughout the build.“ It works well because we each have our own strengths.” As
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