Best of the Best

It's the biggest new housing event in the region, and a chance for homebuilders to strut their stuff for the benefit of buyers—and would-be buyers—from across Northeast Florida. It's the annual Parade of Homes, sponsored by the Northeast Florida Builders Association.

The 2005 edition—which was the 51st, if you're counting—featured 80 homes spread across four counties, with prices ranging from $97,000 to $2.7 million. Homes were divided into 21 categories for judging, then evaluated by 22 industry experts from around the country.

When the dust settled—literally in some cases, as builders rushed to finish their entries prior to the event's opening on May 14—the judges had declared winners and runners-up in all 21 categories.

The group—which included builders, developers, designers, engineers and industry writers—examined criteria ranging from the obvious (curb appeal) to the esoteric (appropriate use of materials, traffic flow, color coordination) in their deliberations.

Gold Medal and Silver Medal winners were announced at a banquet in June. But according to Thompson Taylor, NEFBA's staff director of the event, every builder benefited from the excitement—and the traffic—generated by the parade.

"The entries represent every style and in every price range," says Taylor. "It's a way for builders to showcase their best work."

Bryan Lendry, president of NEFBA, notes that consumers love the event as well.

"The Parade of Homes is the best possible resource for anyone thinking about buying a new home," says Lendry. "Jacksonville housing remains among the most affordable in the nation, and buyers at all price points reap the benefit of our robust market."

For homebuyers who want to visit the best of the best, winners of this year's Parade of Homes are listed below:

Gold

D. R. Horton
The Willow at Nature's Hideaway

Silver

Diamond H. Construction
The Santa Fe at The Colony at San Jose

Category 2 $155,500 - $165,000

Gold

Vestcor Communities
The Cambridge at The Cottages at OakLeaf

Silver

Watson Custom Home Builders
The Braemar at Plantation Village

Category 3 $180,700 - 190,000

Gold

Beazer Homes
The Diamond at Stonefield at Bartram Park

Silver

Harmony Homes
The Aria at Morse Glen

Category 4 $200,990 - $225,500

Gold

Standard Pacific
The Navigator at Stone Creek

Silver

Classic American Homes
The Cumberland at Cherokee Cove

Category 5 $235,000 - $242,400

Gold

Morrison Homes
The Yorkshire at Litchfield at OakLeaf Plantation

Silver

Centex Homes
The Savannah at Lake Ridge South Paired Villas at Fleming Island Plantation

Category 6 $250,300 - 257,100

Gold

Watson Custom Home Builders
The Coventry at Meadowfield Bluff

Silver

Providence Homes
The Tavanier B at Victoria Lakes

Category 7 $263,000 - 282,300

Gold

Engle Homes
The Sapphire at Silver Creek

Silver

Ryland Homes
The Fleming at Bartram Springs

Category 8 $283,200 - 300,100

Gold

D. R. Horton
The Monarch at Eagles Hammock

Silver

Morrison Homes
The Brookwood II at North Hampton

Category 9 $302,900 - $319,900

Gold

SEDA Construction Company
The Chesterfield II B at Old Plank Plantation

Silver

SEDA Construction Company
The Copperview II A at Watermill

Category 10 $325,000 - $344,500

Gold

SEDA Construction Company
The Silverview II at Flora Parke

Silver

Treasure Homes
Plan 2593 at Oakwood Plantation

Category 11 $359,600 - $384,000

Gold

Engle Homes
The Captive at Whitfield at OakLeaf Plantation

Silver

Standard Pacific
The Sapphire at Oakbrook at OakLeaf Plantation

Category 12 $410,000 - $439,100

Gold

Centex Homes
The Weaver II at The Links at Fleming Island Plantation

Silver

Panitz Signature Homes
The Key Largo at Oakbrook at OakLeaf Plantation

Category 13 $441,000 - $455,900

Gold

Morrison Homes
The Chamberlain at Bartram Springs

Silver

Beazer Homes
The Sag Harbor at Amelia View

Category 14 $471,000 - $495,000

Gold

David Weekley Homes
The Molvena at St. Johns Forest

Silver

Kicklighter Custom Homes
Plan 3212 at Red's Gait

Category 15 $520,100 - $562,700

Gold

Mercedes Homes
The Santa Barbara at The Oaks at OakLeaf Plantation

Silver

Standard Pacific
The Regent at Oakbrook at OakLeaf Plantation

Category 16 $643,900 - 694,200

Gold

Toll Brothers
The Westin at St. Johns Forest

Silver

Cordele Builders
The Foxcroft at Cimarrone Golf & Country Club

Category 17 $703,800 - $727,000

Gold

Toll Brothers
The Montgomery at Sebastian Square at Palencia

Silver

Coppenbarger Luxury Homes
The Meditierra at Meditierra

Category 18 $825,000 - 895,750

Gold

The Pineapple Corporation
The Tuscan at Villini at Glen Kernan

Silver

Rosewood Homes
The Pinehurst at Eagle Landing

Category 19 $945,000 - $1,000,000

Gold

The Pineapple Corporation
The Country French at Villini at Glen Kernan

Category 20 $1,000,000 - $2,000,000

Gold

Arthur Rutenberg Homes/ Royal Coast Builders
The Calais II at Queens Harbour

Category 21 $2,000,000 - $3,000,000

Gold

McGarvey Doerer Custom Homes
The Blue Heron at Sea Colony

Best Concrete Block Home

Arthur Rutenberg Homes / Royal Coast Builders
The Calais II at Queens Harbour