The annual Parade of Homes begins its 2008 run today. The county-wide, 394-house extravaganza displays many of the area’s newest houses and is free to the public. The show runs October 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, and 19 from Noon to 5pm. It’s a buyer’s market, so now is a good time to buy.

The guide to the tour can be found in today’s News & Observer, any parade house, or at any Porter Paints location. Inside the guide is a map showing the house site locations , which I’ve scanned. Beware that this map is oriented with WNW at the top of the map.

Generally it is most efficient to visit clusters of houses, so the best bets for ITB Parade houses are the Oaks at Fallon Park, Blount Street Commons, The Ramblewood, and the Transylvania area of Country Club Hills. Also be sure to see the unit that is open at The Oberlin ( tour house #15 , diagonally across from Daniels Middle School). The best bet or an interesting hour OTB is the tour’s most expensive house, the $2,085,000 Leukemia house in Wake Forest off highway 98 ( house #68 ).

The builders usually decorate and furnish the more expensive houses on the tour, so some good decorating ideas can be found in many of the houses. Unfortunately there is a growing photography ban on the tour, and some houses have “no pictures” signs posted.

The houses generally require that shoes be removed before entry, so plan your wardrobe accordingly. Also be aware that restrooms in the houses are not available to the public.

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