All treats for the Parade of Homes

By Richard Mize

Published: October 25, 2007

The show goes on — the Parade of Homes — and smartly, builders said, despite a national housing cloud that is casting a hit-and-miss shadow over Oklahoma City.

Slowdown in sales?

Hit. It takes 81 days now, on average, to sell a house here compared to 65 days a year ago, according to the Metro Association of Realtors.

Price depreciation?

Missed, so far, and with the oil-and-gas business booming, unemployment low and the local economy strong, housing experts said it might miss central Oklahoma entirely — or just brush it lightly.

Worry?

Hit. Some people have got it in spades — buyers spooked by the national news, the slowdown in sales and rising inventory here; Realtors and many builders, especially those in the top price ranges, spooked by apprehensive buyers; and sellers who don't know what to think.

And Halloween is still a week away.

So far, home builders said, it's treats, not tricks, for the Parade of Homes, which started Saturday and continues through Sunday. Almost 180 new homes are open from 1 to 7 p.m. every day, and shoppers have not been scared away.

Builder Tim Turner said Turner & Son Homes saw a heavy turnout last weekend at its parade home at 3000 Firewheel Road in Edmond's new Hidden Prairie addition at west of 33rd Street and Kelly Avenue.

On the southside, builder Jim Schuff said Vesta Homes also saw lots of lookers at its parade entry at 12505 Lexington Drive in the Williamson Farms addition at SW 119 and Meridian Avenue.

It's why lookers are looking that has builder Jeff Click smiling: Many aren't just looking.

"I'm thrilled at how many of our visitors actually indicated they are visiting parade homes because they are in the market to make a new-home purchase,” said Click, whose parade home is at 17405 White Hawk Drive in the Silverhawk addition, north of NW 164 and west of Pennsylvania Avenue.

"In nearly 10 years as a builder, I've never had as many visitors who are in the market as I have this year. Typically, I'm not looking to generate immediate sales during the parade but to plant seeds for future sales,” Click said. "However, I did my first purchase agreement with a client on Monday and expect to do more by week's end.”

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