Posted: Thu, 7 Oct 2010 08:42 AM - 10,372 Readers

By: Miles Smith

If you needed some good news, you’ve come to the right place.

Although the first weekend for the Building Industry Association of the Highland Lakes 2010 Parade of Homes has come and gone, appreciators of fine homes with striking concepts have two more weekends to get their fill.

The tour, which is highlighting six homes and seven community developments throughout the Highland Lakes, is set for the next two weekends: Oct. 8-10 and Oct. 15-17.

BIA Executive Director Jayne Mortensen said between 700-800 people visited the homes in the Parade’s first weekend.

Still, it’s pretty hard to compete with the annual football clash between Texas and Oklahoma.

“I think the Texas-OU game and Thomas the Train being in Burnet may have impacted our attendance a little, but we’re still on pace to set our goal (of 3,000-plus viewers),” Mortensen said. “A lot of the people who came to look were serious. People were coming in with plans in hand.

“I think this will be a strong weekend with Texas, OU and a lot of NCAA schools on a bye week.”

The Parade is open to the public and is $10 for a wristband that allows ticket holders to visit the homes the next two weekends. Tickets may be purchased at the BIA office at 1404 Broadway, Suite B1, online at www.bia-highlandlakes.com, or at the homes themselves.

The six homes to be featured on the tour are located in Kingsland, Marble Falls and Burnet.

The tour offers an added twist not seen in many home tours. Not only can all of items be incorporated into your own home, but they are available through local contractors and retailers.

“It’s important for a local tourist to know that these are items you can have in your own home,” Mortensen said. “These items are for sale right here in the Highland Lakes.”

The 2010 Parade of Homes Tour presented by Scott & White Healthcare was tagged “Partnering for Housing’s Health.” The tour will feature homes worth more than $6 million, as well as seven developments that highlight the communities that may serve as housing sites for future hospital workers.

The six homes include:

• 259 Chimney Cove, built by Ratliff Homes and located on Lake Travis near Smithwick
• 216 River Road in Kingsland, built by Lake Country Construction and located inside Kingsland Ranch
• 1521 Legends Parkway, located inside The Legends in Kingsland, built by Homes by Donahoo
  
• 200 Stone Mountain, Hill Country Ecobuilders in Burnet, inside the Stone Mountain development
• 101 Backbone, inside Backbone Creek Ranch in Burnet was built by K Bar T Custom Homes
• 120 River Park, in Colina Cove in Kingsland was built by C&S Building Enterprises L.L.C.
  

The seven developments include:

• Capstone Ranch in Marble Falls
• Westgate Estates at Horseshoe Bay
• Skywater Over Horseshoe Bay
• The Ranches of Lost Mountain
• Eagles Nest
• Headwaters of the San Gabriel

* All developments are located in Burnet and The Peninsula on Lake Buchanan

*  Story Contributed by: Miles Smith