53rd Annual Spring Parade of Homes set to kick-off April 25
April 25 marks “Opening Day” of the 53rd Annual Spring Parade of Homes, which runs through May 10. Presented by the Home Builder’s Association of Greater Kansas City (HBA) and sponsored by Stewart Title, the Parade highlights the latest in home design, construction, technology and more.
This year, prospective buyers can tour 340 single-family homes, townhomes and maintenance-provided villas constructed by 109 Kansas City metropolitan area builders across eight counties on both sides of the state line, making it the second largest Parade of Homes in the country.
The Parade is of great benefit to both prospective homebuyers and builders. It provides buyers with a unique perspective into the Kansas City area’s diverse home market, encompassing a wide array of new and creative floor plan designs, finishes and home efficiencies, as well as offering builders an effective means of marketing to a large number of potential buyers.
Justin Pfeifer appreciates both sides of the Parade coin as vice president of Pfeifer Homes Inc., as well as the 2015 chair of the HBA Parade Committee.
“My experience as a participant on the Parade and on the Parade Committee in the past has been great,” said Pfeifer. “As a builder, it is of great benefit to my company’s growth and future by allowing me to show some of my homes.”
This year Pfeiffer Homes will introduce three new home styles on the Parade (Tour No. 301, Tour No. 302 and Tour No. 303) at Raintree Lake Estates in Lee’s Summit.
“As Parade chair, my role is to work with the committee of builders and associates to come up with new ideas that can improve its continuing success,” Pfeiffer said, “as well as show buyers that whether looking to build a new home or buy an existing home, that builders put a great deal of time and effort into offering the latest in new home design, efficiency and livability.”
As 2015 president of the HBA, Mark Mather, co-owner of Richard Mather Builders Inc., also experiences this dual perspective.
“One of the most exciting times for our area is the Parade of Homes, when builders like myself open our newest homes with the latest features for everyone to see,” Mather explained. “My family’s company has been displaying homes on the Spring and Fall Parades for over 45 years and have four different homes on the Parade this spring, two in the Shadowood subdivision in Raymore (Tour No. 307 and Tour No. 308) and two in Highland Meadows (Tour No. 275 and Tour No. 276) in Lee’s Summit.”
Mather notes that all Parade attendees will find something of value. “The Parade offers an amazing amount of new plans and features, from split-levels and two-stories to plans with master bedrooms on the main level, new colors and designer decorations, and the latest appliances and energy-saving features,” he said.
According to Meredith Tolliver, member of the HBA Sales and Marketing Council as well as development sales manager for ReeceNichols Real Estate, finding the right Realtor is the key to making the home-buying process enjoyable and stress-free. Tolliver knows new construction well and said, “Purchasing a new home is one of the largest investments someone can make, so buyers need to work with a Realtor that can provide their customers with a variety of resources that help them during their entire journey.”
As part of the ReeceNichols New Homes Division, Tolliver sees clients begin the search for their “dream home” online, using sophisticated online tools, such as Map My Parade, to keep them engaged and informed throughout the process.
The Parade of Homes includes all areas of the Kansas City metro area, allowing buyers to see a wide range of home prices, amenities and locations. To assist prospective homebuyers, the HBA has compiled a free Parade Guide book that highlights each home, including floor plans and prices, an online home search tool at KCParadeofHomes.com and a mobile website feature for searching homes by features such as price, location and school district.
2015 Spring Parade of Homes
When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily April 25 through May 10. Admission is free.
Where: 340 homes throughout the metro. Free Parade Guides listing addresses and information for every home on the Parade are available at the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City office, at 600 E. 103rd St., Kansas City, near Interstate 435 and Holmes Road, and at all Parade homes.
Home prices range from $179,000 to $1.7 million.
Information: Event information and a digital Parade of Homes Guide can be found at KCParadeofHomes.com. Homes can also be viewed and sorted by price, location, builder, subdivision, school district and more. Map your visit and get directions to Parade homes via the Mobile Search and Maps Button at KCParadeofHomes.com.
This story was originally published April 17, 2015 at 7:00 PM with the headline "53rd Annual Spring Parade of Homes set to kick-off April 25."