The Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC) is proud to present the 66th annual Fall Parade of Homes. New homes all across the extended metro region are open September 6th through 28th, 2014, Thursdays through Sundays, from noon to 6:00 pm. The Parade of Homes continues to offer area families the most comprehensive opportunity to see the wide variety of new homes on the market today, opening with 392 new homes this fall. All are free to tour with the exception of four Dream Homes that request a $5.00 donation, which goes to support our charitable arm, the BATC Foundation. Guidebooks are available at area Holiday Stationstores beginning August 22nd and the interactive website, ParadeofHomes.org, will launch the new homes the same day.
The comprehensive Guidebook again features all of the homes, with graphics, descriptions, maps and prices to make shopping easy. Inside the Guidebook, readers can learn about an empty-nester couple’s trans-Atlantic home building experience, find a number of events being hosted at Parade Homes, and see the hottest new home products and features in our Artisan Home Tour “top picks” style section.
This Fall, the Guidebook also includes an outdoor living focus to celebrate the completion of the new KARE 11 Backyard by BATC and its members. The Backyard is designated Parade of Homes Entry #11, and will be open limited hours during the tour (every Saturday from noon to 4:00 pm). Visitors will be able to talk with representatives from our build partners, and learn how they can add comfortable and beautiful outdoor rooms to their homes.
The Fall 2014 Parade of Homes will again feature a Green Path Energy Tour in partnership with Xcel Energy. Almost half of the homes (190) on the tour have been tested by an independent energy rater and will feature a MN Green Path Home Performance Report (HPR) that documents the home’s HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score, allowing home buyers to compare expected energy use between homes. More information about the new energy testing and green certification program is included in the Guidebook, as well as tips and information about saving energy.
Dream Homes Benefit BATC Foundation
Four very special homes on the tour have been selected by the BATC Foundation as Dream Homes, and will help the Foundation build and remodel homes for area families in need. (Read more about how the Foundation uses donated funds in the Guidebook.) Visitors will be asked to pay a $5.00 donation to tour each Dream Home. The four homes are #240 by Sustainable 9 Design + Build, a very green contemporary home located in Minneapolis and priced at $1,349,000; #243 by Stonewood LLC in Edina, the tour’s highest priced home at $2,450,000; #366 by Lecy Bros. Homes and Remodeling in Wayzata, priced at $2,375,000; and #367 by BohLand Homes, also in Wayzata and priced at $1,544,000.
Integrated Online Options
The comprehensive website, www.ParadeofHomes.org, is designed to make touring for visitors even easier. There are a wide variety of search filters online, from price to square footage to school district. Additionally, online visitors can save favorites to their own personal login and then automatically plan the best tour route with our Trip Planner. The entire Guidebook is viewable online in e-magazine form, and there are a number of resources (from mortgage calculators to home maintenance information), as well as the Parade of Homes Blog. Visitors can also use our interactive Personal Designers to change colors and finishes on a variety of home photos and then save them to their personal Idea Gallery. The interconnected m.ParadeofHomes.org gives visitors mobile-friendly access to all of the main site’s features from their smart phones and tablets, too.
Prices range from $153,900 to $2,450,000
The Parade of Homes offers homes all across the price spectrum. The lowest priced home is #117, at $153,900. The two-bedroom split entry single family home by Progressive Builders, Inc. is located in Isanti. The most expensive home, #243, is one of our Dream Homes. The Edina residence is by Stonewood LLC and priced at $2,450,000. There are a total of 43 homes priced over $1,000,000 and 45 priced under $300,000. The total value of all homes on the tour is $228,336.701.
Homes Located Across the Extended Metro Area
Homes are located throughout the region. Close-in, there are five homes located in Minneapolis, 12 in Edina, three each in Bloomington and Golden Valley. Homes are also located on the outskirts of the region including Big Lake, Chisago City, Cologne, Faribault, Jordan and Lonsdale. The third ring suburbs account for the largest number of homes and include 28 in Blaine, 24 in Lakeville, 22 in Woodbury, 17 in Plymouth, 16 in Maple Grove, 14 in Brooklyn Park, and 13 in Chaska.
The 2014 Fall Parade of Homes is sponsored by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.