In its 65th year, the Parade of Homes is presented by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC) members.

The tour runs from March 2 through the 24th, with 374 new homes open with 374 new homes open Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 6:00 pm, and sponsored by Wells Fargo.

All the homes are free to tour with the exception of three Dream Homes that each request a $5 donation to the BATC Foundation to enter. The three homes are #359 by Landsted LLC, located in Tonka Bay and priced at $2,535,000; #311 by TC Homebuilders, Inc., located in Edina and priced at $1,795,000; and a MN Green Path Certified home #41 by DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc., located in Golden Valley and priced at $1,270,000.

A comprehensive Guidebook includes information including maps and photos or illustrations of all the homes, and will be available, free of charge, at area Holiday Stationstores beginning on February 15th.

Four families share their real home-building experiences in the guidebook, plus there is a calendar with almost 30 events happening at Parade Homes, and the latest home décor trends.

The Guidebook will also be available from the Parade of Homes booth at the spring Home and Garden Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center from February 27 through March 3.

The Parade of Homes will once again feature an Energy Tour, sponsored by Xcel Energy. New this year, each of the 133 featured homes which have been tested by an independent energy rater to earn a HERS (Home Energy Rating Score) are included on Minnesota’s Green Path, now including an Energy Tested level. That means every Energy Tour home will have its own Home Performance Report (HPR) that graphically explains the home’s HERS score as well as other energy and green features.

For more in-depth searches and information about each builder, the website, www.ParadeofHomes.org, is both easy to use and convenient. A brand new mobile site is interconnected with the main website for smart phone and tablet users. Additionally, the new Trip Planner feature will allow visitors to plan a route between selected homes.

The lowest priced home on the tour is #147, a $139,900 two-bedroom condominium located at Main Street Village in New Brighton, offered by Dominium Development & Acquisition. The lowest priced single-family home is #155 by Graphic Homes, located at Lucht’s Crossing in North Branch at $164,900.

The most expensive home is #44 by On Time Contractors. At $2,999,777, this “castle on a lake” sits on Eagle Lake in Maple Grove. The second most expensive home is one of our Dream Homes, #359 in Tonka Bay by Landsted Homes at $2,535,000. There are 24 additional homes priced over $1,000,000.

One home is priced under $150,000 and 12 are priced between $150,000 and $200,000. A total of 71 homes are priced less than $300,000. With 90 homes priced between $300,000 and $400,000, this is the largest $100K spread. There are 69 homes priced between $400,000 and $500,000. A total of 117 homes are priced between $500,000 and $1,000,000; 24 homes are priced between $1,000,000 and $2,000,000, with two homes priced over two million dollars.

A total of $200,273,224 dollars in housing is represented in the 2013 Spring Parade of Homes.

Homes are located throughout the region. Close-in, there are three homes in the city of Minneapolis, one in St. Paul, and 10 in Edina. Homes are also located in the exurban cities of Wyoming, Cologne, New Prague, and Prescott, WI. The growing suburbs account for the largest number of homes and include 26 in Blaine and Plymouth, 23 in Woodbury, 22 in Lakeville and 19 in Maple Grove.