The Best of the Best

Every year, local builders roll out their best work in every style and price range for the Northeast Florida Builders Association Parade of HomesT. The big event, which is the region's largest new-home showcase, puts beautifully decorated models on display and invites everyone to visit.

And thousands do, from serious buyers to casual lookers. Among the spectators are judges, who come to Jacksonville from across the country to evaluate the entries and to bestow awards on the best of the best in each price category. The judges include homebuilders, interior designers, architects and others in related fields.

This year, the judges had their work cut out for them, the Parade, which wrapped up in May, featured 110 homes from 37 builders. Prices ranged from the low $100s to $2.1 million, reflecting astonishing variety in the regional housing market. The total value of the homes on display: more than $62 million.

Below are the Gold and Silver award-winners in each category. For more details about the Parade of Homes entries, log onto www.jacksonville.com, where the entire Parade of Homes Guidebook is online.

$100,000-$150,000

GOLD: D.R. Horton, The Laurel at Timber Run

$168,000-$180,000

GOLD: Drees Homes, The Sanibel at Campus Hills
SILVER: D.R. Horton, The Starling at Deerfoot Point

$184,000-$194,000

GOLD: Tarragon Corporation, The Legend at Montreux
SILVERLennar, The Preserve at OakLeaf Plantation

$210,000-$235,000

GOLD: Vestcor Construction Services, The Darlington at the Cottages at Greenland
SILVER: D.R. Horton, The Grand Teton at Foxhill

$247,000-$285,000

GOLD: Levitt and Sons, The Doral at Cascades at World Golf Village
SILVER: Mercedes Homes, The Eva Kay at Spencer Plantation

$300,000-$325,000

GOLD: Watson Custom Home Builders, The Coventry at Glen Eagle
SILVER: SEDA Construction Company, The Chesapeake at Georgetown

$340,000-$350,000

GOLD: Mercedes Homes, The Kayla Kay at Cade's Cove
SILVER: Providence Homes, The Berna at Greenland Chase

$358,000-$376,000

GOLD: SEDA Construction Company, The Carrollton at Trails at Bent Creek
SILVER: Providence Homes, The Cara at Greenland Chase

$380,000-$417,000

GOLD: Providence Homes, The Roble at Greenland Chase
SILVER: Standard Pacific Homes, The Concord at North Creek

$420,000-$446,000

GOLD: Levitt and Sons, The Monterey at Cascades at World Golf Village
SILVER: Engle Homes, The St. Lucia at Parque Diane

$453,000-$493,000

GOLD: Cordele Builders, The Wilshire at Magnolia Point Golf and Country Club
SILVER: Mattamy Homes, The Grand Torrey Pines at Bartram Springs

$496,000-$525,000

GOLD: Providence Homes, The Seville at Greenland Chase
SILVER: Mattamy Homes, The Ashville at Bartram Springs

$539,000-$577,000

GOLD: David Weekley Homes, The Molvena at St. Johns Forest
SILVER: Morrison Homes, The Winchester at Amelia National

$590,000-$610,000

GOLD: D.R. Horton, The Valencia II at Legacy at Heritage Landing
SILVER: CornerStone Homes, The Castille II at Kensington

$620,000-$675,000

GOLD: Woodside Communities of Northeast Florida, The Murabella at Murabella
SILVER: Mattamy Homes, The Taylor at Kensington

$682,000-$757,000

GOLD: Cordele Builders, The Foxcroft at Cimarrone Golf & Country Club
SILVER: Brylen Homes, The Charleston at Amelia Park

$773,000-$840,000

GOLD: Standard Pacific Homes, The Biscyane at Eagle Landing
SILVER: StyleCraft Homes, The Brisbane at Eagle Landing

$853,000-$876,000

GOLD: Brylen Homes, The Huntington at Port St. John
SILVER: Panitz Signature Homes, The San Marco at Eagle Landing

$925,000-$999,999

GOLD: Sid Higginbotham Builder, The Royal Oak at Eagle Landing
SILVER: Poimbeauf Homes, The Firenze at Eagle Landing

$1,000,000-$1,170,000

GOLD: Arthur Rutenberg Homes, The Gulfport II at Ponte Vedra East
SILVER: Dean Russell Homes, The Normandy at Queen's Harbour

$1,200,000-$1,500,000

GOLD: Panitz Signature Homes, The St. Augustine at Vista Norte at Palencia
SILVER: Arthur Rutenberg Homes, The Calais II at Queen's Harbour

$2,000,000-Plus
GOLD: BeeTree Homes, The Summershade at Queen's Harbour
SILVER: J.L. Smith Construction, The River Haven at Durbin Estates