Published: September 05, 2008 11:47 pm      

56th annual Parade of Homes ready to lure home buyers

EDMOND — The Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association is ready for the masses that are sure to flock to Parade of Homes 2008.

Jason Schuff, Parade of Homes chairman, said the annual event is anticipated by thousands.

“It’s incredible the amount of traffic the parade brings,” he said.

This year, 164 homes, with about 59 homes in Edmond, will be available for public viewing from 1-7 p.m. Sept. 13-21.

Kathy Holman, COHBA administrative and event manager, said the Parade of Homes 2008 plan book can be picked up at any Lowe’s beginning at noon Sept. 12.

“It’s a spectacular event for any home buyer,” Schuff said.

He said with 164 homes open daily, home buyers will be able to find homes in the style and price range they want. Since several of the homes are furnished during the event, Scuff said several people that already have bought homes, attend the event to look for decorating ideas or to see what has been done with theater rooms.

Schuff said they have asked home participants to staff the homes with people that can answer attendee’s questions.

Two homes, 12409 Heathfield in the Williamson Farms Addition, built by Gemini Builders, and 9045 N.W. 147th Terrace in the Montereau Addition, built by Suburban Homes, will be featured during the event. Materials to build the two homes were donated and the profits of the sale will benefit COHBA.

Tim Egan, owner of Suburban Homes, built the featured home in the Montereau Addition.

“Our feature house is an Energy Star house,” Egan said.

Egan said the two-story 2,930-square-foot home is valued between $375,000-$400,000. The home was built in a an old world Tuscan style with stucco, stone and reclaimed beams from 100- to 200-year-old barns.

It includes three bedrooms, one living room, a dining room, a mud room, one half bathroom and three full bathrooms.

“You can actually access our mud room from the entry,” Egan said. “So it’s unique for a mud room in that sense.”

He said other home features include game and theater rooms.

Egan said Suburban Homes typically sells all the homes they enter in the parade during the event. He said one they entered last year sold in the first weekend.

Suburban Homes also will have a model home located in the Montereau Addition in the Parade of Homes. Egan said there are about three or four other homes by other builders, also located in the addition, that are in the parade.

The Parade of Homes allows COHBA members to enter as many homes as they want in the parade. Holman said 103 builders are participating in the event this year.

While home sales in Oklahoma are down a bit from previous years, home starts are on the rise and things are looking great, Schuff said.

“2008 has been a year for the history books, from record high gas prices to produce sales and everything in between,” he said. “Oklahoma is not in the same sinking boat as many other states. Housing values in Oklahoma City are excellent.”

FOR MORE information about Parade of Homes 2008, visit paradeofhomesok.com.