The Parade of Homes design awards are just a bonus for home builders who won them.
The real victory comes in the form of increased sales and exposure. Builders of the 65 models entered in the 2013 parade reported brisk traffic at the models during the marketing event, which ends today.
"We've been slammed," said Mark Davis, sales and marketing director for Arthur Rutenberg Homes/Sam Rodgers Properties.
"Hundreds of people," said a sales associate at a Todd Johnston model in The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch, when asked about traffic during the parade. The buyer traffic can't all be attributed to the Parade of Homes, which is presented by the Home Builders Association of Sarasota-Manatee.
Neal Communities is reporting 71 sales in January and 81 in February, and only the final week of that month was a parade week.
But one thing is clear: Many buyers are ready, willing and able to spend. And those who aren't will be back later to buy, the builders expect. And those who won design awards are counting on those "memory points" to bring those customers back to their models. The model homes were separated by price categories for the Parade of Homes design competition. The categories were divided by "judging price," an amount the HBA will not divulge. But the higher the category number, the higher the cost of the home.
Medallion Home, based in Manatee County, won the most "best overall" awards with five, all in the single-family division. Neal Communities won four "best overall" awards, including two in the condominium division. Maronda Homes, John Cannon Homes and Arthur Rutenberg Homes/Nelson Homes each won two "best overall" awards. Taylor Morrison and Minto Communities each won two awards for "green" home design.
The winners:
HOUSES
Category 1
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Maronda Homes — Valencia at Gillette Grove.
Category 2
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Maronda Homes — Hampton at Oakhurst Park.
Category 3
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Center Pointe Homes — Catania at South Oak.
Category 4
Best curb appeal: Medallion Home: The Aruba at Gamble Creek.
Best kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: M/I Homes — Hartford II at Creekside Preserve.
Category 5
Best kitchen: Neal Communities — Starlight at Woodbrook.
Best curb appeal, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Medallion Home — The Barbados 2700 at Twin Rivers.
Category 6
Best curb appeal: Neal Communities — Sunrise at Grand Palm.
Best kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Neal Communities — Clear Day at River's Reach.
Category 7
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Homes by Towne — Kingsley at GreyHawk Landing.
Category 8
Best curb appeal and floor plan: Lee Wetherington Homes — Springfield II at Lakewood Ranch.
Best kitchen, master suite, architectural detail and overall winner: Medallion Home — The Havana at Riva Trace.
Category 9
Best master suite and architectural detail: Taylor Morrison — Pinehurst at Verona Reserve.
Best curb appeal, kitchen, floor plan and overall winner: Neal Communities — Harmony at Lakewood Ranch.
Category 10
Best curb appeal: Lee Wetherington Homes — Sarezzo II at Lakewood Ranch.
Best floor plan: WCI Communities — Boretto at Venetian Golf & River Club.
Best kitchen, master suite, architectural detail and overall winner: Cardel Homes — Dolcetto at Lakewood Ranch.
Category 11
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Medallion Home — The Capri at The Inlets.
Category 12
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Lee Wetherington Homes — Murano at Lakewood Ranch.
Category 13
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: London Bay Homes — Laurel Cottage at the Founders Club
Category 14
Best curb appeal: Todd Johnston Homes — Montego at Lakewood Ranch.
Best master suite: John Neal Homes — Fairhaven II at Lakewood Ranch.
Best kitchen, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Todd Johnston Homes — Datura.
Category 15
Best architectural detail: Allegra Homes — St. Joseph.
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan and overall winner: John Cannon Homes — The Akarra II at Lakewood Ranch.
Category 16
Best kitchen (tie), floor plan & architectural detail: John Neal Homes — Belmont II at Lakewood Ranch.
Best curb appeal, kitchen (tie), master suite and overall winner: John Cannon Homes — The Macalla.
Category 17
Best kitchen & master suite: London Bay Homes — Alezio at Lakewood Ranch.
Best curb appeal, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Arthur Rutenberg Homes/Nelson Homes — Marbella at Lakewood Ranch.
Category 18
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Arthur Rutenberg Homes/Nelson Homes — Amalfi at The Concession.
Category 19
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Medallion Home — The Catalina at The Inlets.
CONDOMINIUMS
4 units or fewer
per building
Category 1
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Manatee County Habitat for Humanity — Faith III at Hope Landing.
Category 2
Best floor plan & architectural detail: Neal Communities — Sea Grass at Arlington Cove.
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite and overall winner: Neal Communities — Tidewater at Fairfield.
Category 3
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Lennar Homes — Hibiscus at Heritage Harbour.
Category 4
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Neal Communities — Granada at Lakewood Ranch.
Category 5
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Minto Communities — Harbour Grand Retreat at Harbour Isle on Anna Maria Sound.
4 units or more per building
Category 1
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Lennar Homes — Dogwood at Heritage Harbour.
Category 2
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: Taylor Morrison — Carlisle at Palma Sola Trace.
Category 3
Best curb appeal, kitchen, master suite, floor plan, architectural detail and overall winner: The Palms at Riviera Dunes — Alexandra at Riviera Dunes.
DEVELOPMENT WINNERS
Communities with 200 homesites or fewer
Best entranceway, amenities and overall winner: Minto Communities — Harbour Isle on Anna Maria Sound.
Communities with 501 to 750 homesites
Best entranceway, amenities and overall winner: WCI Communities — Tidewater Preserve.
Communities with more than 1,000 homesites
Best entranceway, amenities and overall winner: LWR Communities — Lakewood Ranch.
SUBCONTRACTOR WINNERS
Pools
Category 1
Coast to Coast Pools & Spas — The Magnolia by Sam Rodgers/Arthur Rutenberg Homes.
Category 2
Holiday Pools of West Florida — St. Joseph by Allegra Homes
Category 3
Gaetano Pools — Sienna by Arthur Rutenberg Homes/Nelson Homes.
Category 4
Gaetano Pools — Amalfi by Arthur Rutenberg Homes/Nelson Homes.
Category 5
Waterscapes Pools & Spas — Fairhaven II by John Neal Homes.
Category 6
Waterscapes Pools & Spas — Belmont II by John Neal Homes.
Landscaping
Category 1
Trent Culleny Landscape Contractor — The Baylin by John Cannon Homes.
Category 2
ArtisTree Landscape Maintenance & Design: Montego by Todd Johnston Homes.
GREEN AWARD WINNERS
Condominiums
Minto Communities — Harbour Grand Retreat, Mangrove Walk at Harbour Isle.
Houses
Production-built
Taylor Morrison — Francesco, Haddington at Lakewood Ranch.
Custom
Allegra Homes — St. Joseph, Sarasota.
FGBC, 1,899 square feet or more
Neal Communities — Tidewater, Fairfield.
FGBC, 1,900 square feet or more.
Taylor Morrison — Castello, Esplanade.
Overall Winner
Minto Communities — Harbour Grand Retreat, Mangrove Walk at Harbour Isle.
(FGBC is the Florida Green Building Coalition.)
