By Anne Ruisi
The Birmingham Parade of Homes presented by the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders will return to highlight the metro area’s best new residential builds across the weekends of April 28-30 and May 5-7.
Despite widespread economic headaches for the industry, the upcoming spring Parade is evidence of a resilient building community in Birmingham, a Birmingham Parade of Homes news release stated. Single-family housing starts indicate that homebuilders nationwide have scaled back their ambitions in the face of rising interest rates and persistent inflation.
While the Magic City is no exception to these market forces, the inventory on display at this year’s Parade is proof that the unforgiving circumstances have kept innovation by local firms at a high.
“In times like these, we have to be more in touch with what new owners want in a home than ever,” said Patrick Gilbert, president of the home builders association and owner of Wedgworth Construction. “There’s no denying the challenges of the market. But if prospective buyers come out to this Parade, they’ll see that when you choose a property from one of our members, you’ll get what you pay for – you’ll get the best.”
Homebuyers who want to build a new house also know what they do and do not want in that home, homebuilders said.
Space- and Energy-Efficient Homes
“People want every inch of space to use,” said Alicia Huey, president of AGH Homes Inc. in Hoover, a custom home building company.
They also want flexibility in the rooms, Huey said, such as two bedrooms on the ground level, with one that can be used as a playroom.
Huey and Gilbert noted people still want home offices, a feature that took off during the pandemic, when many were forced to work from home. Gilbert added that smaller home offices seem to be a trend now that more employees have returned to the office or switched to hybrid work.
Energy efficiency in the house is a top demand among homebuyers, and houses today are built that way, including the windows, Huey said.
Clients such as grandparents who are downsizing are building houses close to their grandchildren. They don’t care so much about dining rooms as about kitchens large enough to accommodate the family, Huey said.
Older homebuyers also want everything on the main floor of the house, Gilbert said. Formal living rooms and dining rooms are pretty much out, and walkable communities are in.
“They want the convenience to walk to the grocery store” and other shops and places, and they don’t want a long commute from downtown, Gilbert said.
The Mt. Laurel development in North Shelby County is an example.
“They’ve got all they need – a grocery store, gas station, mom ‘n’ pop store, florist – it’s all there,” Gilbert said, noting that The Bray in Liberty Park will have similar amenities.
Participating Parade residences will be open to the public each weekend during the event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
