Spring Parade of Homes offers something for everyone

If the 2016 Spring Parade of Homes had a theme, it might just be “No homebuyer left behind.”

The Parade features 347 homes ranging in price from $199,000 for a two-bedroom villa in Blue Springs, to a $2.79 million equestrian estate in Leawood – with the majority priced in the $300,000s and $400,000s. The wide price range is expected to cast a large net, drawing everyone from first-time homebuyers to growing families to empty nesters looking to downsize.

Among the most affordable homes listed in the Spring Parade is Frost Construction Company’s two-bedroom, maintenance-provided, villa-style home located in Blue Spring’s Primrose subdivision. Priced at $199,000, the home is located in an older subdivision and designed for baby boomers who may be ready to downsize.

“The maintenance-provided concept has been slow to arrive in Eastern Jackson County, and we are hoping to help folks realize it can be economical for a lawn company to take care of a lawn, especially when they are taking care of 20-30 lawns at a time,” said Bob Frost, owner of Frost Construction. “The truth is that these villas are really affordable to buy and to live in.”

About $2.6 million and 25 miles separates one of the Spring Parade’s most affordable homes from its most expensive one.

Larson Building Company will display a $2.79 million European-styled home located at 8745 Mission Road in Leawood, featuring 12,000 square feet of finished space, seven bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, all tucked into an equestrian-like estate setting.

“There are a lot of special things about this home. It definitely has a European flair,” said Jim Kiely, chief of operations for Larson Building Company. “The architectural design really reflects the distinctive, personal tastes and preferences of the homeowner.”

The sprawling, ranch-style home includes a 24-seat theater room and a five-car garage and breezeway. It was built to the highest industry standards for geothermal energy efficiency.

“We strive to be leaders in energy efficiency and expect this home to score very high on energy efficiency,” Kiely said, adding that Larson Construction Company specializes in high-end custom design/build and never builds the same home twice.

With the highest price tag on the Spring Parade, Larson’s high-end estate home is expected to draw a lot of attention and traffic over the next month. However, many Parade attendees are couples who’ve been saving for that first home or families ready to grow into a second home, and that’s where Rob Washam Homes and dozens of other metro-area homebuilders enter the picture.

Washam Homes has three entries in the Parade at Stonebridge Trails and Stonebridge Meadows in Olathe, and at Arbor Lake in Lenexa, with prices ranging from the $350,000s to the $450,000s.

“Amenities in the $350,000s will include standard walk-in pantries, 3 ½ bathrooms and free-standing tubs and tile in all bathrooms,” said Rob Washam, president and CEO of Rob Washam Homes. “When you take the step up to the $450,000s, you are going from a 2,300 square foot home to a 2,800 square foot home, so the trim package is more elaborate and you get a bonus, or flex room on the first floor.“

Washam, along with most homebuilders with entries in the Spring Parade, is optimistic about 2016.

“I think we are going to have a record year of people out looking for homes and buying homes because the market is so hot right now. The traffic is already really good out there, and nobody is walking around just kicking tires,” Washam said. “I haven’t been this optimistic about the market in eight years. Folks are ready to write contracts. It’s very, very encouraging.”

This story was originally published April 18, 2016 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Spring Parade of Homes offers something for everyone."