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September 24, 2024

Your Guide to Woodbury, MN

Located just a short drive from Saint Paul, Woodbury, MN, offers a blend of suburban charm and urban convenience. This vibrant city has grown into one of the most desirable places to live in the Twin Cities metro area, known for its excellent schools, lush parks, and a strong sense of community. Whether you're visiting for a day or considering making Woodbury your home, this guide will help you explore the best of what the city has to offer. Discover all the things that make Woodbury a standout destination below!

More blog posts

August 19, 2020

Six Dream Homes Featured on the Fall Parade of Homes & Remodelers Showcase

There’s no shortage of incredible residences on the Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase, but these six stunning homes have been hand-selected by our Housing First Minnesota Foundation as this fall’s Dream Homes and Remodeled Dream Homes.

Four incredible new homes from Sustainable 9 Design + Build, Swanson Homes, Mark D. Williams Custom Homes, and Highmark Builders will leave you in awe. And the final weekend of the tour, don’t miss the two stunning Remodeled Dream Homes from Awad & Koontz Architects Builders and Sustainable 9 Design + Build. Your $5 tax-deductible entry fee to each of these six homes will go to support the work of the Housing First Minnesota Foundation building and renovating transitional housing facilities for Minnesota’s homeless, veterans, and others in need.

August 5, 2020

Fall 2020 Calendar of Events

Don’t miss these Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase special events put on by select builders and remodelers during the 2020 fall tour! These free events will introduce you to the people behind the homes on the tour, the latest design trends, and much more. Join us to learn how to find your dream home or remodel your current house.

May 28, 2020

22 Outstanding Parade Homes Win Spring Reggie Awards

Since 1968, Housing First Minnesota has presented the Reggie Award℠, which recognizes excellence in design and construction of homes in the Parade of Homes. The Trillium Awards honor the associates and trade partners for their collaboration with these award-winning builders.

May 15, 2020

Virtual Event Calendar

Don’t miss these virtual special events put on by select builders during the 2020 spring tour! These free events will introduce you to the builders behind the homes on the tour, the latest in home design, and much more. Check back often for updated events!

May 7, 2020

A Taste of Nantucket

Eric and Katharine Nelson have loved living in the Highlands neighborhood of Edina ever since they first moved to the area in 2015. So when they had the opportunity to sell their home, they didn’t have to go far to find the perfect location for their new build—down the block, to be exact.

April 17, 2020

Home Gyms That Will Inspire You to Work Up a Sweat

Whether you’re a yogi, a weight-lifting enthusiast, or just want a space for the kids to shoot some hoops, a home gym or athletic court might be just what you need. If you don’t have a room for a larger dedicated gym space right now, there are many ways to create your own yoga corner or fitness nook in your home. And if you are thinking about adding a home gym to your next home, you’re in luck. Parade of Homes builders are pros at making sure your home fits your lifestyle just right. Here are home fitness room ideas to help you work up a sweat.

April 9, 2020

7 Ways to Create Curb Appeal

You’ve likely spent months pouring over every detail of your new construction home, but between cabinet choices, tile selections, and hardware hangups, have you thought about its curb appeal—a.k.a. the aesthetic your home presents to the outside world?

“The opportunity to make your home really unique is out front,” says Mallory Busacker, a real estate agent and director of marketing for BohLand Homes. “When someone asks you about a house in the neighborhood, the first thing you say—even if you’ve been in the house numerous times—is, ‘It’s the one with the gabled roof.’ It’s not only their first impression; it’s what they remember the home by.”

Here, builders, architects, realtors, and landscapers share their top tips for creating that “wow” factor from the outside in.

March 18, 2019

Benefits of Living in a Community

Humans have long gravitated toward communal living. From our earliest beginnings, we’ve been social creatures, gaining strength and security by sharing resources. In those days, most people stayed their whole lives within about 50 miles of where they were born; relying upon family and neighbors for help was a given.

Real Stories
March 15, 2019

Roadmap to Building Your Best Home

Home Tips & Tricks
March 14, 2019

2019 Spring Parade of Homes In the News

The 2019 Spring Parade of Homes Twin Cities is your chance to see the latest in new home construction from builders across Minnesota. Here are all the places the spring tour has been covered in the press.

Home Tours
March 6, 2019

Building New To Fit His Lifestyle

New homes built in Minnesota today have better components, better materials, and they’re constructed in a way that is, quite simply, better. They’re more durable, safer, healthier, and more environmentally friendly. Plus, you pick the floor plan and neighborhood that fit your lifestyle. We asked one recent homebuyer to share why he decided to build new.

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February 28, 2019

Calendar of Events: Spring 2019 Parade of Homes

Select builders and remodelers on the Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase are hosting special events that introduce you to new neighborhoods, teach you about the latest building and design trends, and much more! Add these special events to your tour, and join us to learn how to find your dream home or transform your house.

Home Tours
February 14, 2019

This Abundance | Parade of Homes Feature

Amanda Whiting, a minister and blogger, and her husband, Josh, a pilot, always knew they wanted to build new, but imagined it would happen closer to retirement.

Real Stories
February 6, 2019

Four Dream Homes Set To Impress on the Parade of Homes

These four incredible residences have been hand-selected by our BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation as the 2019 Spring Parade of Homes Dream Homes. These stunning homes from City Homes, Mark D. Williams Custom Homes, Stonewood, and Sustainable 9 Design + Build will leave you in awe. Plus, a $5 tax-deductible entry fee to each of these four homes will go to the BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation to support their mission of building and remodeling transitional housing facilities for Minnesota's homeless, veterans, and others in need.

Home Tours
January 29, 2019

Now Trending in Lighting

Lighting is like the jewelry on your home, and similar to how the latest necklace trends inform how we dress our décolletage, what’s in vogue for chandeliers and pendants determines how we decorate our spaces. “It’s what lights up your home,” says Kyndra Roth, a lighting specialist at St. Paul–based Creative Lighting. “You might have beautiful finishes, but if they’re not appropriately illuminated, you’ve wasted your money. Lighting is what creates the most ambiance in a space.” Here, she dishes on what we can expect to see in Minnesota homes—from fixture finishes and materials to new shapes and designs.

Design
January 22, 2019

How to Boost Your Curb Appeal

Your home is your castle, your haven, your retreat. But if you’ve been less than impressed when you arrive home after a hard day, maybe it’s time to take a fresh look … from the curb. Go ahead. Step outside and give your home’s façade a critical once over. Does it say ‘welcome?’ If not, here are four great ideas to enhance your curb appeal and make coming home the best part of your day.

Design
Home Tips & Tricks
January 11, 2019

6 Tips for an Organized Home

If you view each new year as a clean slate, the early weeks of the year are the perfect time to add “home organization” to your list of resolutions—not only for the perk of having a clean house, but also for the benefit of your family and mental health. “To us, the organization of your home kind of reflects your mindset,” says Taylor Kaupa, the marketing coordinator for Bria Hammel Interiors. “An organized, decluttered home allows you to clear your mind and focus on the things you love most at home, like spending time with your loved ones.” Here, she shares six tips that will get you in the habit of keeping a tidy home.

Design
Home Tips & Tricks
January 1, 2019

2019 Home Design Trends

New year, fresh design. If updating your home is on your list of resolutions—whether it’s one room or the whole house—look to these expert-identified trends to bring your spaces into 2019 in style.

Design
December 26, 2018

7 Tips for Creating a Welcoming Entryway

As the first space guests see when they walk through your front door, an entryway is arguably the most important room in your house. “It really sets the tone for the entire home,” says Carrie Ingalls of Ambiance Home Staging. Whether you’re throwing a party, hosting out-of-town guests, or conducting a showing, make a good first impression with these seven tips for creating a welcoming foyer.

Design
Home Tips & Tricks
December 16, 2018

Home Trends to Love From Kohler

One of our favorite things is sharing what’s trending in home colors and finishes. We checked in with our friends at Kohler Co. to see what home trends are on tap to turn heads this year in display models and renovated homes all across the nation. Here are some of the concepts they’ll be incorporating into their new products — ideas you’re sure to love.

Design