Hurricane Gustav caused the Capital Region Builders Association to push back its annual Parade of Homes by several weeks. Organizers say the event, set for June 6-7 and June 13-14, is poised to be as big as ever, despite the national housing downturn and the credit crunch. About 60 homes have been entered in this year’s parade, ranging in price from $150,000 to more than $2 million, says Lynda Evans, CRBA executive vice president. “We weren’t sure what to expect,” Evans says. “But we think we’ll have a great parade.”
In recent years, there were anywhere from 60 to 80 homes in the parade, which was held the last two weekends of April. Evans says the majority of homes will be spec houses and all will be residences no one has lived in. Along with the ongoing trend of environmentally friendly green building, Evans says a common thread in the parade is the theme of “your home is your paradise.” “There’s a lot of focus on outdoor kitchens, swimming areas, recreation areas,” Evans says. “The idea of having it all right there at home.” For more about this year’s parade, click here.—Timothy Boone
