Parade of Homes 2025 will have something for everyone’s taste

Interested in a home? Whether you’re looking to buy a starter home or want to create your own unique domicile, the Parade of Homes (POH) can give you an assortment of examples of how your finished product can look.

Area home builders will be on hand to display sample homes – some already owned, others looking for buyers – or to answer questions about buying or building one of their houses. You can also get ideas for updating, renovating or remodeling down the road.

Some 33 homes representing 14 builders will be part of this year’s Parade of Homes, which takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. April 26-27 and May 3-4. Tickets are $10 each at POHtickets.com or $12 during the event at any of the homes on the tour.

The Parade of Homes is “a self-guided tour of new construction throughout the region,” said Julie Golsby, membership coordinator for the Home Builders Association (HBA). “We have homes in three parishes and in five different cities this year.

And it gives Parade goers a chance not only to look at a new house that’s for sale, but also to see what’s the latest and greatest, what are the new colors, the finishes, the styles in our area, and in most cases the builder is in the home. So it’s a unique opportunity for a potential customer or a homeowner to go visit and meet the builder face to face, talk to him or her about what their style is and their process.”

Is the POH geared toward people looking to build a home or for folks just looking to see what types of home are available? “A little bit of everything,” Golsby said.

“A lot of folks are shopping for a home – there are homes that are for sale on the tour. We also will have some custom homes which already have an owner that were gracious enough to open for the tour so that guests can see their unique tastes.

“Some folks go on the Parade to get ideas for remodeling or renovating their own home. Some folks are just getting ideas for the future. A lot of people come to the Parade two or three years in a row, then decide to do something.”

Homes on the tour range from starter homes to fancy mansion-like abodes and prices to match. “We have a little bit of everything,” Golsby said. “That’s what’s really cool about the Parade, too, is you really can see what’s different even from Shreveport to Stonewall to Benton. You can see what’s different for different builders; square footage, size, bedrooms – it runs the gamut.”

Suppose a person goes on the tour and sees something that grabs their attention to where they think, “I want that.” What next? “In many cases, the builder is in the house, and you can visit with him or her right there,” she said. If the builder is not in that particular house, a representative can direct you to the builder. A guidebook with contact information is also available in all the homes on the tour as well.

What’s next depends upon where the homeowner is in the buying process. Golsby said, “If they’re still in the daydream process, they’re going to spend a lot of time in conversations with the builder looking at different ideas, perhaps even meeting at some of our different showrooms to see firsthand this is what the tile will look like, this is what this type of flooring or fixture will be. Some homeowners already have a plan in mind, so now they’re looking for a builder to build that plan for a good value.”

Some homeowners, she said, already own a plot of land. Some neighborhoods have guidance on how large the home can be, how far back from the street the home should be or other factors. At that point the builder will stay within the necessary guidelines of that neighborhood.

“That’s one thing that’s really cool about our area, I think. The builders we have in our region, they’re here to make the American Dream happen for the families.”

Whether you’re newly married and looking for that first home or wanting a larger space, you can find the answers during the Parade of Homes. “That’s one of the benefits of using a licensed builder,” Golsby said. “They know the process. They know where to start and can guide you through the selections and look at the options that make sense for your family now as well as where you see your family in the future.”

“It’s a long process,” so establishing a relationship with the builder is important because you’ll be working together for a while, according to HBA President Mary Paten. “You want your personalities to match as well.”

So what are people looking for in a home these days? Outdoor living spaces, including patios, outdoor kitchens and outdoor fireplaces, are still a big attraction. “The open concept is still the big thing that people are wanting for entertainment purposes and getting ideas for layouts and the interaction with the entertainment space,” said interior designer Katie Stanfield. “In 2020 remodeling really spiked. I think new construction is coming back again.”

Building a home can be quite expensive, more so than buying a house, but people are also “pretty determined to build,” said Paten. “They just have to be aware of what their budget is. Ultimately, it’s the homeowner’s decision.”

Whatever you are looking for in home ownership, you are certainly likely to find answers at this year’s Parade of Homes with 33 homes to look at. That’s the most the POH has had in years.

“When you’re working with an architect on plans,” Stanfield said, “it’s one thing to see it two-dimensionally; it’s another thing to walk through a space and feel size and scale and be able to take photos and relay that information to your architect. … I think that’s the point of it, is really and truly to get ideas so that when it’s in the planning stage, you can make adjustments.”

Golsby said the POH is for everyone interested in home ownership.

“Homeowners, potential home buyers, whether you know you’re going to move in the future or know you’re going to stay forever, you’re going to get ideas looking for something new as well as making the space you have the best it can be.”

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