It’s time to parade through some of the area’s newly constructed or remodeled homes.

Each summer, beautiful homes and outdoor living spaces open to the public during the Home Builders Association of Northwest Louisiana’s (HBA) annual Parade of Homes. It’s the perfect chance for parade-goers to get an up-close look at the latest trends in home design and product innovations. This year's event takes place on the weekends of June 19-20 and 26-27, and the homes will be open for self-guided tours from 1-6 p.m. daily. Homes in Caddo and Bossier parishes are featured during the twoweekend event. Be sure to plan your perfect parade route so you get a chance to see them all.

The tour is an excellent way for HBA members to showcase their work and get advertising and name recognition. Current HBA president and owner of Jim Fine Custom Homes, Jim Fine, says the home tour allows builders the opportunity to show their work and also brings in a lot of business for him. "An awful lot of my business comes through the Parade of Homes. It gives – not only the builders, but it gives the vendors – appliance vendors, lighting, carpeting, countertops, cabinet makers, all of them – a chance to show their work,” he said. “I think, all in all, for the building business (the Parade) is very, very beneficial for getting the word out and getting the chance to display your work.”

Whether attendees are looking to buy, build, remodel a home or just browse, the Parade has something for everyone. Open-concept floor plans, the latest inhome technology, and outdoor kitchens and living spaces seen on the Parade will inspire many attendees.

Those who see a home they love can check their Parade guidebook to determine whether the home is available and its sale price. All price points are represented beginning in the low $200,000s and up.

“We have everything from a dream house to starter homes,” said Home Builders Association of Northwest Louisiana Executive Director Dixey Robertson. Robertson says the market is very hot right now, and there's never been a better time to buy a home. “Interest rates are super-low, and things are selling super-fast. Since last year, we’ve also seen remodeling numbers dramatically increase. I think a lot of people were in their house this time last year and made the decision to pull the trigger and fix the things they'd always talked about.”

The Parade also presents the perfect opportunity to meet the homes’ builders. Many are on hand in the homes on Parade days and available to chat with attendees about a project or build. These homes are full of ideas for a future home or a remodel.

A couple of homes sure to wow visitors this year are located in Benton – the Rogers Homes and Construction house in Heartwood Acres and the MJ Construction home located in Belemere. Both homes have a farmhouse chic design. In Shreveport, Ryan Smith Builders has a patio home in Esplanade, and Ben Vaughan Builders completed a total restoration of a midcentury modern home in the Pierremont neighborhood.

Vaughan Builders owner Benny Vaughan says famed Louisiana architect Sam Weiner built the Pierremont home. Vaughan says he had been working on a remodel of the home for the previous owners when they moved out of state. That’s when he acquired the home, and he later sold it to current owners Lewis Kalmbach and his family. Kalmbach is also the designer on the restoration and addition to the home. “[Kalmbach] really appreciates and celebrates modern architecture. The addition was done in keeping with the same modern style of architecture as the original home,” said Vaughan. The addition took the home from approximately 2,500 to 3,200 square feet.

Fun fact: Located on Waldomar, Vaughan says the location’s original developer named the street for his three children – Walter, Dorothy and Mary.

The restoration included exposing and restoring old terrazzo floors covered up for decades with wood flooring. Beautiful concrete floors in the addition were selected to complement the terrazzo.

The kitchen is now open concept with modern appliances that complement the home’s midcentury architecture. All the colors and furnishings in the home and the landscaping were selected to keep faith with the modern style. The grounds feature unique raised herb and vegetable gardens on the deck.

Strategic partners on this home project included United Tile, House of Carpets and Lighting, Bob Davis Electric, Evans Brothers Plumbing, Restore It – a restoration company that helped with the terrazzo floors – Richardson and Sons Masonry, LCR – The Plumbing Warehouse and Custom- Bilt Cabinet & Supply. This home and the grounds will only be available to tour the final weekend of the parade, June 26-27.

Tour attendees will have the opportunity to view eight homes in Shreveport, three in Bossier City and two in Benton. This year, homes in Shreveport are located in The Grove at Garrett Farm, Esplanade, Provenance, Pepper Tree and Pierremont. The homes in Belemere and Heartwood Acres represent Benton. The Preserve and Legacy – Waterford Bend are the Bossier City subdivisions.

The first Sunday of the Parade is Father’s Day, so this year’s Parade also includes a fun contest celebrating dads. It’s called the Father’s Day Giveaway. There is a chance to enter to win in every house. Prizes include a grand prize of $2,000 grill from Fireplace Specialties, a $940 recliner from Ivan Smith, and a set of power tools from Custom-Bilt. The more houses visited, the more chances attendees get to win.

Touch-free Parade tickets may be purchased at pohtickets.com and are $10 each. Tickets may also be purchased at any home during the tour, at area Brookshire's stores or the Home Builders Association of Northwest Louisiana office located at 2038 East 70th St. Children younger than 3 years old get in free. Tickets grant entrance to every home each day of the tour. A complete list of the homes and a map will be available at https://www/nwlahba.org/parade-ofhomes.