AURORA | With its 9-foot ceilings, six bathrooms, five bedrooms, built-in espresso machine on the wall near the master bedroom, the house at 8272 S. Langdale Way screams opulence.
And while that’s sort of the point with many of the “dream homes” that dot the annual Parade of Homes every August, organizers say the parade has far more options in the more-affordable $400,000 range — including more than a half dozen in Aurora.
“There’s always a good mix in Aurora,” said Karna Pryor, 2016 chair of the Parade of Homes and marketing manager for TRI Pointe Homes.
That home on Langdale is one of more than 100 abodes TRI Pointe is building in Aurora’s southeastern reaches, and Pryor said shoppers looking for homes that don’t quite land in that “dream home” price range will find plenty in Aurora.
Cary Garner, head new home advisor for TRI Pointe, said there’s something at the Parade for people who aren’t shopping for a new home, too.
“A lot of people just want to get great ideas,” Garner said.
Still, mixed in those crowds are plenty of people who are in the market for a new home, not just renovation ideas, he said.
This year’s Parade started early this month and includes more than 60 homes in 17 cities and 44 neighborhoods throughout the Front Range.
In all, 19 builders have homes for display on the tour.
Pryor said that a few years ago organizers opted to make the tour free, and that has made a big difference in turnout.
Ron Gilley, a realtor at Cherry Creek Properties and past board chair of the Aurora Association of Realtors, said the tour can be a boon to agents like him who sell new builds.
Even if the homes are near the peak that some buyers can afford, seeing the high-end homes on the parade can help sway people to make the financial leap.
“Even though it’s a higher-priced property the value is tremendous,” he said, pointing out that the homes are ideal for growing families and will see a climbing resale value.
Gilley said the local market — especially in terms of new builds — has a solid inventory late this summer.
“We never have enough,” he said. “But they are building about as fast as they can.”