29 homes march in spring parade

(Editor's note: The housing market is picking up steam. People are buying, selling and upgrading. Today and every Sunday for the next four weeks, we'll have stories keyed to various facets of the resurgence.)

After a few shaky years following the2007-08 economic downturn, the Quad-CitiesBuilders & Remodelers Association is pleased to have 29 homes inthis year's Spring Parade of Homes.

"All in all, building is going well," said Julie Awkerman, the executive officer of the nonprofit trade organization that represents the area's building industry. "Everyone seems to be staying busy."

The parade began Saturday and will continue today, Wednesday and next weekend, May 3-4. The event is an open house in which you can check out the latest in new home construction. Homes do not have to be finished to be in the parade, but no matter what stage of construction they are in, the houses are safe to walk through.

Of the homes, 26 are on the Iowa side and three are in Illinois Coal Valley, Colona and Rock Island. Of the Iowa homes, six are in Davenport, one is in LeClaire and the remainder are in Bettendorf, primarily north of 53rd Avenue and east of Devils Glen Road.

The prices of the homes range from a low of $228,900 for a "twin home," or duplex, in Davenport to an $824,500, 4,900-square-foot home in Bettendorf that is featured on this page.

The high-water mark for the builders' spring parade was in 2006 when there were 91 entries.

With the downturn beginning the next year, builders and bankers both became more cautious, and builders virtually abandoned"spec" homes, or those built on the speculation of finding a buyer, in favor of those that were pre-sold, Awkerman said.

Because the event features onlyunsold homes, there were a couple of yearswhen it was difficult to find enough toeven have a spring parade, said Dave Prochaska, a longtime area builder.

Overall, builders interviewed for this story said they are happy with the currentuptick.

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29 homes march in spring parade