KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Luke Owen says his clients treat their homes as a private escape now more than ever.
“We noticed homes have become more of a retreat from our hectic, busy lives,” he said.
To achieve that “retreat” homebuyers are looking for, he says many are seeking to personalize or customize homes with renovations, or are even building new houses.
Owen runs Owen Homes, a firm that specializes in both designing and building homes. Over the past 19 years, he’s never built the exact same house twice.
To find inspiration, he often visits other homes. He encourages people shopping for homes to see options with their own eyes during events like the Parade of Homes.
“You get to walk in the room and experience what that room feels like: Is it the correct size? Is it the correct height?" he said. "You get to see the textures and materials used inside. You get to see the colors in person. Everything becomes more useful when you’re experiencing the house in person rather than just looking at pictures and blueprints online."
The Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City hosts the Parade of Homes every spring and fall. This fall’s event begins Sept. 24 and ends Oct. 9.
Throughout the event, people can visit 269 homes in and around Kansas City daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Prices for houses in the parade range from roughly $250,000 to $2.5 million.
Owen’s home at Eagle Pointe Reserve is No. 13 on this fall’s tour. It is located at 8512 North Booth Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri’s Northland.
The five-bedroom house already sold, but the new owners don’t move in until later in the fall. The home was listed at $1.4 million.
Owen said every homebuyer thinks about mortgage rates, especially as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates. He said prices for lumber, fuel and other items necessary for building homes have gone down, which somewhat balances the higher mortgage costs.
“It’s not doom and gloom on every front, but it is definitely something we’re watching,” Owen said.
Because supply chain issues mean some appliances and windows remain on backorder, Owen says patience and flexibility are crucial right now.
A Parade of Homes app for Android and Apple users can help visitors locate homes and map a route.
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