Parade of Homes: It's Open House Time in Woodbury

Like falling leaves and pumpkin harvests, the annual Parade of Homes has become a sure sign of fall in the Twin Cities.

This year's event, sponsored by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC), features 301 new homes open from noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays through Sept. 30.

The parade homes are free to the public except three "dream homes," for which the BATC is requesting a $5 donation to the BATC Foundation.

Several Woodbury homes are part of this year's event:

11512 Wagon Wheel Curve

11533 Wagon Wheel Way

7063 Waterstone Lane

1232 Lakemoor Drive

1090 Wyncrest Court

10734 Kingsfield Lane

11260 Sand Castle Drive

11026 Sweetwater Path

2454 Cottage Grove Drive

10852 Knollwood Lane

10527 Hawthorn Trail

3081-B Countryside Avenue

3255 Ridgestone Way

11633 Aster Lane

3485 Windmill Curve

3652 Windmill Curve

11200 Whitewater Drive

11803 Harvest Path

As in previous years, a comprehensive guidebook to parade homes, describing features of all the homes along with listings of special events and features about top design trends. Guidebooks are available at area .

Home prices run the gamut, ranging from $139,900 to $2,780,000.

The most expensive home is one of the three "dream homes," a four-bedroom, two-story home at Wayne Terrace in Edina, priced at $2.78 million. The most expensive home that is free to tour is a five-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot home in West Lakeland, priced at $2.6 million.

Among the special features this year:

• An Energy Efficient Home Tour, sponsored by Xcel Energy. This tour-within-a-tour showcases 103 homes that have been tested by an independent energy rater to earn a HERS (Home Energy Rating Score). Of those, 22 have been certified by Minnesota’s Green Path, and feature a Home Performance Report (HPR) that graphically explains the home’s HERS score as well as other energy and green features built into the home.
• Three of the MN Green Path certified homes have been selected by the BATC Foundation as their Dream Homes. The $5 donation requested to tour these homes helps the foundation continue to build and remodel homes for area families in need. The three homes are #76 by Homes by Tradition LLC in Golden Valley (priced at $1.079 million), #186 by Hartman Homes, Inc. in St. Mary’s Point (priced at $1.85 million), and #293 by Erotas Building Corporation in Edina (priced at $2.78 million).
• A mobile site and iPhone and Android app enabling paradegoers to use smart phones and tablets for searching out homes of particular interest. 
• A "Remodelers Showcase," open Sept. 28-30. The 89 featured remodeled homes will be open from 1-7 p.m. Sept. 28 and noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 29 and 30.

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