This post is coming about a month late, but I wanted to write about my trip to the Utah Valley Parade of Homes last month. Zach and I drove the 7 hours from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City so that I could spend a few days looking at houses. It was my first time attending this parade in person, though I’ve attended their virtual parades for a few years now.
We stayed at a campsite in Provo, which I thought was decently positioned in the center of the parade homes. On the first day I started south and worked my way north, and on the second day Zach joined me and we went to homes in the northeast. I went to a total of 11 homes over the 2 days we were there.
Day One:
#41 – Everview – Bastian Homes
#40 – Pandleton – Valor Homes
#29 – Maplecrest – R.C. Dent Construction
#28 – Maple Lake Manor – T. A. Kirton Custom Homes
#27 – Maple Lakes – Skyeline Homes
#25 – Modern Elm – Robison Home Builders
Day Two:
#22 – Stonewyld – R.C. Dent Construction
#18 – Capybara – Narwhal Homes
#17 – Tufted Puffin – Hawkstone Luxury Homes
#14 – The Oasis – E Builders
#13 – Palmetto Grove – Grove Homes
I have lots of various reasons on why I might decide to visit a parade home. Sometimes I’ll visit because I like the exterior and landscaping, or I might really like a kitchen or pantry. Sometimes I’ll visit purely for the square footage (to get a better sense of what a house that size feels like), and other times just for the price (to get an idea of what that budget will buy me). Sometimes I’ll visit a house wildly out of my price range just because I like the interior design of the home. The best homes, though, are when I visit a house that aligns with my personal wishlist – budget, square footage, exterior, and interior design.
There wasn’t a home like this in this particular parade, but the house that came closest was #13 – Palmetto Grove. Other than the price, this home had a lot of what I am looking for in my future build. It was beautifully decorated, the floor plan was nice, and the exterior and landscaping was gorgeous. I think it was a little too traditional for Zach’s taste, but I loved that they had a vegetable garden in the backyard. Swoon!
My favorite exterior – and the home everyone on social media was talking about – was #25 – Modern Elm. The house belongs to the founder of Crumbl Cookies, and it truly was gorgeous. The interior design was incredible, as was the landscaping and architecture. Honestly, hats off to all the tradespeople who made that home happen. I haven’t watched it yet, but I want to watch the miniseries from Robison Builders on YouTube about what it took to build that home and the short timeline they had. Truly, truly amazing. The kitchen and scullery were highlights of the interior for me. I loved all the cookbooks on display in the kitchen!
Though, the real reason I wanted to visit Modern Elm was because of the greenhouse that I had been seeing on social media. It was definitely worth the visit!
If we had had more time I would have visited #2, #4, #6, #10, but unfortunately those were the furthest north/northeast and we didn’t make it to that side of town before we needed to be back on the road for the 7-hour drive back to Vegas. I wasn’t too bummed, however, as 2 full days of looking at homes is exhausting, and I knew I’d be able to enjoy them later via the virtual parade.
I’m so grateful to have been able to attend so many parades this year. Usually I only attend the St. George Parade every February since it’s only a 2 hour drive from Vegas and it’s an easy day trip. I’d eventually love to attend the Madison, Boise, and Portland parades, which shouldn’t be difficult since I have family nearby in each of those areas. Maybe next year!
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