I was recently given the Columbus Dispatch’s “Special Advertising Section” – Titled “BIA PARADE OF HOMES: BE INSPIRED TOUR 16 SPECTACULAR NEW HOMES”. As a Custom Home Builder, I look at not only the completed homes but also the advertising, the building process, and the price tags and I say to you “Be Scared”.

1. UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING = SOCIAL INEQUALITY. With 16 homes ranging from $869k to 1.3m the Building Industry Association has opted to blatantly promote a key component of social inequality concerning housing policies that simply create islands of poor and low-income families who, for all intents and purposes, have been ignored and cut off from mainstream society.
2. SHODDY WORK. Time frames for building a Parade Home are rushed. Builder’s negotiate a “No change order policy” for a Parade Home because homeowner upgrades and change orders delay the building process and the Parade of Homes date has been set in stone – the house must be completed on that date. Not so much of a “Custom Home” process. If getting the house done on a specific date is important for homebuyers, this will push builders to purchase products and services based on installation time, not quality.
3. PROMOTIONS – The bonus for Builder’s in the Parade of Homes, is that most sub-contractors are willing to take a pay cut. Sometimes, they might even do the job for free, and materials are donated by companies for exposure. Builder’s then promise homeowners some substantial “discounts” for their participation…maybe they get it, maybe they don’t – sad thing is that homeowners never know the difference because they have no way of knowing how much everything would cost otherwise.
4. THE EXHIBITION HOME – Without a doubt that brand new carpet is going to have to be replaced having two thousand plus people walk on it during the Parade. Then the Security, do not plan on buying a Parade Home without a real serious hardwired system with surveillance.

In the end, no parade for us.