Since the mid-1970s, the Home Builders Association Tour of Homes has served as a showcase for the latest building designs, technology and more.
From June 18th to the 26th the HBA of Marion and Polk Counties will give area homebuilders the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and the latest styles and innovation during the 2016 Tour of Homes.
Erdmann said the homes on the tour are priced for nearly every buyer in the market with homes in the high $200,000s to more than $1 million. Because they typically are the best a builder has to offer, he said it is an opportunity for buyers, and even those just looking for ideas, to see what is trending.
In addition to technology, builders are working with new products in siding, roofing and more that aren't just attractive, but offer higher durability and energy efficiency. In 2015, the National Home Builders Association conducted a member survey about what buyers are looking for in new homes.
David Crowe, the chief economist with the NAHB, said storage and energy conservation were the two biggest items on the list. Energy conservation included going above required insulation levels, adding solar technology and having a multi-zone HVAC system.
The survey also noted that great rooms are near the top of the list while media rooms were low. Additionally, Crowe noted that bigger front porches and large master bathrooms were high on buyers' wish lists.
"Even folks who aren't on the market right now are getting ideas," Erdmann said.