Free, self-guided tours of over 70 homes across Central Florida
By Teresa Sargeant
Reporter
Fourteen Apopka homes will be among more than 70 highlighted in the 72nd annual Parade of Homes, which the Greater Orlando Builders Association (GOBA) is hosting May 10 through May 18 across Central Florida.
For eight days, people can take free self-guided tours through the featured new and remodeled homes in Central Florida. Apartments will also be featured in this year’s Parade of Homes, thanks to a partnership with the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando (AAGO). Organizers have made apartments available for touring for the last three years.
Parade of Homes Orlando is GOBA’s only and largest public outreach event that highlights not only homes, apartments and their communities, but also the builders and construction industry that make them a reality.
“I think it [Parade of Homes] comes with a very unique angle,” said Chassity Vega, CEO of GOBA. “While some of the homes could potentially be open for viewing, for consideration of purchasing, sales, design [and] technology, this event is an opportunity to see some homes that typically are never open to the public, so custom homes, or some remodeling jobs out there that that you would never see.”
Parade of Homes Orlando also helps current and future homeowners decide what type of homes they’d like to acquire or to get inspiration for remodeling their homes.
“We’re really about showcasing and really trying to help the consumer consider whether they want to purchase new, whether they want to go into a move-up, or whether they just want to remodel their home—or take a look at some different floor plans on a rental side that really service their family and their needs, and there’s a lot of different opportunities out there,” Vega said.
Builders that have entries in Apopka are Dream Finders Homes, Landsea Homes, M/I Homes, Mattamy Homes, Park Square Homes, Richmond American Homes, Talbot Custom Homes and Toll Brothers. Entries located in Apopka a range from low $300,000 to $1.19 million. The homes are in communities including Crossroads at Kelly Park, Oakview, Thompson Village, Wolf Lake Ranch, Meadowlark Landing, the Residences at Emerson Park, Errol Estates, Bronson Peak, and the Oaks at Kelly Park.
GOBA represents over 800 members and 40,000 employees in the housing and building industry. The association has served the construction industry in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties for 72 years.
“The intention is to foster an environment within the association and within our neighborhoods to create opportunities for building relationships, businesses, and communities while balancing the economic, social, and environmental needs of our members and communities served,” a GOBA press release states.
Showcase home
Every year, Parade of Homes Orlando features a showcase home. This year’s showcase home is the Varen Transitional by Toll Brothers in the builder’s new Saddlecrest at Windermere luxury home community. Spanning over 5,000 square feet, the Varen Transitional has double of several amenities – two kitchen islands, two upstairs lofts and two large staircases. The house has five bedrooms, five full baths, and one half bath.
“The home is just completed recently,” Vega said. “It is beautiful, breathtaking, stunning, by all means. And while some people may say, like, ‘I’ll never be able to afford a home like that,’ you know, obviously it’s $5.5 million. The floor plan starts at $2.9 million, really an opportunity to go in to kind of see the new color trends, the designs. … It’s flawless. So really, just gives you an idea of some of the things that are out there, whether it’s even color schemes or some, color patterns, or new technology, new lighting, new features.”
A showcase home is selected years in advance, Vega said. Toll Brothers was selected years ago, but the builder had to figure out which home would be the showcase home and where it would be located, she added.
Judging
Parade of Homes Orlando has a judging aspect too. Industry professionals from across Florida and the nation will be the Parade of Homes Orlando judges. The Parade of Homes brand is a national trademark under the National Association of Home Builders.
Part of the reason Parade of Homes has been successful is that it gives out merit awards, which the builders can use to promote their products and companies.
“We’re awarding merit awards on their craftsmanship of each of the homes, and they use those trophies in that award as the turning point for their marketing piece,” Vega said. “They’re going to share the story that their craftsmanship their home is a winner of the Parade of Homes Orlando, really identifying and making them stand out from the rest.”
Interested visitors may go to the Parade of Homes Orlando website, search for several different entries in this year’s event and even use filters to customize the search. From there, visitors can plan their own route with their families and tour the homes at their own pace throughout Central Florida.
Visit ParadeOfHomesOrlando.com for further details including a downloadable full list of entries, and @ParadeofHomesOrlando on social media platforms.
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
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