Big garages, lots of bathrooms, unique porch designs and a host of other amenities await area residents today as the Lawrence Home Builders Assn. begins its Spring Parade of Homes.

The association has 22 entries spread across Lawrence, Baldwin and Eudora for potential buyers or just idea hunters to peruse from noon to 5 p.m. today. The tour also runs from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and May 3-4.

Bobbie Flory, executive director of the association, said the tour, now in its 10th year, had become as much about people looking for ideas for their own homes as about people searching for a new home.

“We put it on every year because it is a fun event that gives people in the community an easy way to see what’s going on in the industry,” Flory said. “They can see what’s new and what’s fun.”

This year the industry is sticking with many of the tried-and-true crowd pleasers when designing homes, Bud Hunt, association president, said. That means the majority of new homes built in Lawrence have at least 2.5 bathrooms, multiple living rooms, and lots of space for the growing number of cars the average family has.

“A three-car garage is preferred by almost everyone these days,” Hunt said.

There are a few new twists this year. Flory said porch designs were becoming more innovative.

For instance, she said several homes on this year’s tour feature what builders call a “three season porch.” That means the porch is enclosed by easily openable glass windows, which combined with carpeted or tiled floors keep it comfortable enough for use during every season but winter.

Kelly Drake, president of Mallard Homes, said he thought the basic layout of Lawrence homes also was beginning to change. He said more homes were taking on an “empty nest” design that feature one-story living and floor plans that place a premium on accessibility.

Twenty-two new homes will be open to the public for the Lawrence Home Builders Assn.'s Spring Parade of Homes today and Sunday. Friday, people gathered at one of the homes at 1617 Cog Hill Court for a kick-off celebration.

“I think in some instances that is a recognition that our housing market is serving more retirees, but I also think it is happening because families are saying they want those same design features too,” Drake said.

Prices of homes on the tour range from $134,900 to $650,000. Builders said finding ways to build affordable starter homes in Lawrence continued to be the industry’s biggest challenge.

“Keeping the product affordable, given our rising land costs is tough,” Hunt said. “That makes the starter homes a real difficult market. I’d say it is more difficult that it has been in the past.”

Builders said the price for a building lot continued to rise because the demand for new housing has outstripped the supply of land that has been made ready for development.

In Lawrence, builders said they paid between $50,000 and $100,000 for a lot, depending on its size.

¢ Lawrence construction off to solid start in 2003¢ Spring Parade of Homes tour homes¢ Spring Parade of Homes map