• The Spring Parade of Homes, in its 67th year, is presented by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC) and features 431 new homes to tour, more than in any tour since Fall of 2008.
• The tour runs from February 28 through March 29, Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 6:00 pm.
• All the homes are free to tour with the exception of three Dream Homes that each request a $5.00 donation to the BATC Foundation to enter. Spring Dream Homes are #116 in Stillwater by Hartman Homes and priced at $2,277,000; #268 in Minneapolis by Ridge Creek Custom Homes and priced at $1,849,400; and #273 in Wayzata by Renaissance Builders and priced at $1,500,000.
• A comprehensive Guidebook provides complete information about the tour, including maps and photos or illustrations of all the homes, and will be available, free of charge, at area Holiday Stationstores beginning on February 13.
• For more in-depth searches and information about each builder, the website, www.ParadeofHomes.org, is both easy to use and convenient. An interconnected mobile site lets smart phone and tablet users access the same information.
• Online visitors can use the Trip Planner to map a route between selected homes (and later access them via their mobile device), and find interactive Personal Designers to change colors and finishes on a variety of photos, then save them to their own Idea Gallery to share.
• A kitchen focus in the Guidebook editorial includes several photo pages of top kitchen style trends, countertop care tips, cabinetry picks, plus the favorite at-home kitchen tool from seven top local chefs.
• The Parade of Homes will once again feature the Green Path Energy Tour, sponsored by Xcel Energy. Over half (236) of the Parade Homes have been tested by an independent energy rater to earn a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) and has its own Home Performance Report (HPR) that graphically explains the home’s HERS test results. The HPR allows homebuyers to compare the expected energy use between homes.
• The lowest priced home is #65, at $142,100. The two-bedroom, two-bath twin home by BDM Construction, Inc., is located in Isanti.
• The most expensive home, #345, is constructed by M & M Home Contractors, Inc. The lake-front, Orono residence is priced at $2,500,000.
• There are a total of 41 homes priced over $1,000,000 and 47 priced under $300,000. The total value of all homes on the tour is $253,321,730.
• Homes are located throughout the region, from the urban core Minneapolis (5), Edina (12), Bloomington (3) and Golden Valley (3) to the outskirts of the region (Big Lake, Cambridge, River Falls WI, Faribault, and Watertown). The suburban cities with the highest number of homes are Blaine (31), Lakeville (29), Plymouth (24), and Woodbury (23).
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The 2014 Spring Parade of Homes is sponsored by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Minnesota Homeowners Alliance.