Fredericksburg Parent

14 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • September 2017 ask the expert a sk t h e e x p e rt Q: What is Parade of Homes? Parade of Homes is the big showcase of the year for area builders. This event in particular gives them the opportunity to show off what they do. This year, we have 15 builders and 22 homes entered. The homes run the gamut from tiny homes to million-dol- lar homes. We have single family homes, 55+ homes and townhouses. It's anything and everything you want to see, at all different price points. The homes are located all over the greater Fredericksburg area. The Parade of Homes takes place the first two week- ends in October. Judging takes place the week before. Q: How do I get info on the houses? Do I just show up? Every home entered is open to the public for tours, during the first two weekends in October. You'll need to go to the website fredparade.com, or grab our booklet (available on newsstands around town), or see page 21 of this Fred Parent issue, for the map. The houses' descriptions and images will also be in the magazine and booklet, and continuously updated on the website. We're also very excited about our new app called Fredericksburg Parade of Homes. This year, it's dedicated totally to Fredericksburg's Parade of Homes. It will have a map, pictures, descrip- tions of each home and more! Q: What is the awards ceremony like? Is it open to the public? It is open to public, but by ticket only. You can purchase tickets on our website www.FredParade. com. Select the "Celebration" button on the main menu, then select "Join the Celebration". You may also purchase tickets by call- ing FABA at 540-898-2730. It's always a lot of fun! We'll have hors d'oeuvres and drinks, but the main event is the announcement of the winners. Builders are judged by volunteers within the industry. The categories are determined by what types of homes are entered. We'll need 3-4 homes for each category, at the very least. What's interesting is that this year we have a smaller number of entries than we've seen in the past. Many builders have already sold the homes they planned on entering! It's a great problem to have! That being said, we won't know what the categories are until opening week when all the entries are accounted for. If you're planning to build a home, this year's Parade of Homes, hosted by FABA (Fredericksburg Area Builders Association), needs to be on your radar. Twenty-two homes will be showcased and every- thing from tiny homes to mil- lion-dollar estates will be avail- able to tour. Spend the week- end getting amazing home inspiration and talking with the builders themselves. It's like walking through HGTV right in your hometown! We sat down with Scott Hine of FABA, the 2017 Parade of Homes Chairman, to get the rundown on Parade of Homes and why it's the absolute builder event of the season. INTERVIEWED BY BRENDA SAPANGHILA Join us two weekends: Sept 30 - Oct 1 and Oct 7 - Oct 8

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