DAYTON, Ohio — Through September, eight builders from across the Dayton area are putting their best work on display across the Miami Valley as a part of the annual Home Builders Association of Dayton Homearama.
Typically, the event features million-dollar homes showcasing the newest innovations and trends on the market, but with high home prices and rising interest rates contributing to buyer fatigue and a slowdown in sales, builders say their focus this year is inspiring families to see custom builds as another, potentially affordable option.
The Coates Custom Homes build for Homearama.
Of the ten homes included in this year’s Homearama, they range in size from 1,700 feet to 6,000, and price from the low $400,000 to $1.5 million.
Erika Deady, the HBA president said their goal is to get buyers thinking about what they might be able to build in their price range and how.
“So it gives them that opportunity to see where the prices are at today and see what builder might fit for them,” she said.
Gina Coates, one builder of the Coates Custom Home Build, hopes the event re-energizes those who may have given up on their dream house.
“People typically think of Homearama as being million-plus homes, obviously that’s not everyone’s price range or the market everyone’s looking in, so we wanted to offer a wider variety to the public,” she said.
Especially with a low inventory of existing homes in the Dayton area, Coates said the Homearama models show how custom builds can respond to what buyers have been asking to see. Using the Coates build as an example, she walked and pointed out the features that were easy to intuit and would appeal to a general audience.
“The most important thing of this home is that it’s all very open, we really wanted to bring the outside in,” Coates said.
The first floor features an open-concept kitchen and living room, tall windows and ceilings, and plenty of room for work or recreation.
In the home’s front is the office, a popular request for all custom homes in the pandemic’s wake.
“Sometimes you’re seeing people do two home offices, depending on their what work environment is,” Coates said.
Then, in the basement, there’s a room dedicated to be a home gym.
Coates looks over plans for her custom home build
“People are looking for ways to be comfortable in their homes,” she said. “And ideally we want to achieve their ultimate dream home.”
When the public walks through the homes, Coates said she wants them to get excited again at the possibilities.
“We’re finding a lot of people, with the money they saved from not vacationing and doing other things in the last couple years, they want to invest that money into their forever home,” she said.
If those prospective buyers like what they see, Coates said she’s more than happy to connect them with the builders who can make it happen.
Dayton’s Homearama runs from Sept. 9 through Sept. 25. All events are free and will be open from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. The homes are spread across seven different sites, with additional homes available for virtual tours.
