Joe Leal: Co-Founder and Principal

Joe Leal has spent more than 25 years building homes and communities across California’s Central Valley. As co-founder and principal of San Joaquin Valley Homes, he has grown the company from a bold bet made at the tail end of a recession into the region’s most recognized local homebuilder. More than 5,000 families have moved into an SJV home since the company opened its doors in 2013.

Joe’s path in residential construction began long before SJV Homes. He, alongside Randy Merrill and Jim Robinson, helped oversee the construction of more than 800 homes a year at The Corky McMillin Companies. That scale of experience shaped how Joe thinks about building: with systems tight enough to perform at volume and values strong enough to hold at every price point.

When the housing market collapsed, most builders pulled back and waited. Joe didn’t. In late 2013, while others were still on the sideline, he and his partners purchased land and started development. Today the company operates more than 12 active communities across the Central Valley.

Joe has been recognized consistently for what SJV Homes has built. The company has earned a spot on Builder Magazine’s Builder 100 list seven times, most recently ranking No. 97 in 2025. In 2022, SJV Homes received the Builder of Choice Award from Builder Partnerships, earning a 93% overall score from the trade contractors and suppliers who work alongside the team every day.

He’s also a steady presence in the conversations shaping housing across the Central Valley, quoted in Builder Magazine, the Business Journal, and a range of local outlets covering everything from affordable housing and market trends to community milestones.

Joe and his co-founder Randy Merrill bring more than 60 combined years of homebuilding experience to every decision they make. Since 2013, SJV Homes and its development partner Presidio Residential Capital have paid out nearly $500 million to local subcontractors and invested more than $50 million into city and school funds through permits and fees.