The 2014 Hill Country Builders Association Parade Home Tour will take place Oct. 17-19 and Oct. 24-25. Tickets are now available at $10 per person per weekend.

 

The Parade Home Tour highlights the best of the best among custom home builders, something that Hill Country Builders Association executive director Jayne Mortensen says helps draw many people to this yearly event.

 

“I believe traditionally why people enjoy our Parade is the setting within the lovely Texas Hill Country, but it also is because we have a variety of homes,” Mortensen says. “If people look within the urban home market, it’s about opulence among million-dollar homes. Our custom homes range from $350,000 into the $2 million-dollar range. Plus, the homes on display have the latest building methodology in place and lifestyle settings mixed with all the functionalities of a modern-day home. We have people come from all over the state of Texas to our Parade.”

 

From subdivision living to gated waterfront communities, gated golf course communities and ranch estates, the Parade Home Tour highlights custom homes that fit in one of these areas.

 

“The variety of architectural applications will vary by location,” Mortensen says. “It’s very indicative of the Hill Country. We have Hill Country modern style homes. They are built in a setting with wonderful architecture on the outside, yet inside it’s as contemporary as what you might see in downtown Austin. Our homes are filled with highly-designed furniture, and are very streamlined in a more urban setting. That’s what is very popular right now.”

 

Sixteen fully-furnished and decorated custom homes, masterfully crafted by our featured builders, will be on display. Their owners are opening their home doors so Parade Home Tour visitors can see the great opportunities made available by builders in the Fredericksburg and Highland Lakes region.

 

Among this year’s Parade Home Tour highlights include a novelty feature within one of the custom home designs. It is a car collector’s dream garage and shop with a hilltop view of Lake Buchanan. Also featured is a moderately priced retirement home built right along the water and a grand ranch estate home. In addition, there is an opulent Tuscan-style 6,000-square-foot waterfront home located in Wilderness Cove in Horseshoe Bay. On this year’s Parade Home Tour, the largest home is a unique 7,000-square-foot, 7½-bath Cape Cod-style home. As many homebuyers are now taking into account green energy-types of homes, the parade is presenting a true Craftsman-style home that is totally self-sustaining with a water catchment system. Another green energy highlight is a stunning contemporary style home with advanced energy-efficient building techniques designed to reduce utility usage of the house to about half that of the standard home.

 

Featured builders for the 2014 Parade Home Tour include Brother Sun Builders, Building Texas, Doug Holley Construction, Hills of Texas Homes, Hominick Custom Homes, Jeter Custom Homes, Laughlin Homes & Restoration, Inc., Master Touch Custom Homes, Neiman Homes & Construction, Preston Homes of Texas, Showcase Builders, Sierra Homes, The Carver Group, and Tilson Homes.

 

A portion of ticket proceeds and donations from Parade Home Tour visitors will go toward “Operation Finally Home,” a nonprofit organization that helps place military servicemen and women in custom-built homes throughout the Texas Hill Country. This is done through a mutual agreement with the Hill Country Builders Association Partnership and helps these fine men and women rebuild their lives after serving our country.

 

The Parade Home Tour runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays on Oct. 17-19 and Oct. 24-26. Each ticket holder will receive a full-color, 68-page 2014 Parade Home Tour magazine and a People’s Choice Award door prize entry. The Parade Home Tour offers prospective home buyers from all across Texas a chance to visit the beautiful Texas Hill Country, plus local residents receive an opportunity to see the latest and greatest in custom home building.

 

This year’s Parade Home Tour sponsors include title sponsor Security State Bank & Trust, BMC Building Materials, C&D Home Products Studio, Coldspring Residential, Bath & Kitchen Showplace/Moore Supply, and Probuild.

 

To purchase tickets online now, visit www.hillcountrybuilders.org or they can be purchased at each home during the parade. Tickets also can be purchased at Security State Bank & Trust locations; the Hill Country Builders Association office in Marble Falls, located at 1401 Broadway, Suite B1; and the Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center, located at 100 Avenue G.