Dozens of newly built homes across Miami, Darke and Shelby counties will open their doors to the public the following weekend, free of charge, as the region's housing market shows little sign of cooling. The Western Ohio Home Builders Association's annual Parade of Homes runs from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, October 24 and 25, the following weekend, giving visitors a firsthand look at new construction in Troy, Piqua, Tipp City, Pleasant Hill, Brookville, Arcanum, Greenville and Botkins.
The free event is sponsored by Minster Bank. As This Local Life reports, visitors can tour homes built by area contractors and explore a range of neighborhoods and home styles, picking up ideas for layouts, finishes and design features along the way.
In Troy, featured homes sit in the Somerset Reserve, Villas of Halifax, Cottages of Halifax, Emerson Crossing and Villages of Concord subdivisions, as well as on standalone country lots. Tipp City's stops are in the Summit Landing and the Brooks Cottages of Tippecanoe developments, while Piqua's lone entry, located in the Pointe at Indian Ridge, will only be open on Saturday, October 24. Pleasant Hill rounds out the tour with a single additional home.
Virtual Tours and Builder Details
For those who can't make it in person, virtual tours will be available for homes built by Harlow Builders Inc. and SCT Builders, with addresses and directions for every participating property listed on the event website. Harlow Builders, founded in 1995 by Frank Harlow and based in Troy, reports that it has constructed more than 1,000 homes across the Miami Valley over three decades and backs its new construction with an unusual two-year builder warranty, according to the company's own account on its website. The builder offers semi-customizable plans and communities.
The Western Ohio Home Builders Association represents builders, suppliers, subcontractors and other residential construction professionals. Beyond the Parade of Homes, the organization also hosts the Miami County Home & Outdoor Living Show at Hobart Arena in Troy.
Why the Timing Matters for Buyers
The parade lands squarely in a seller's market. Miami County's median home sold price reached $326,000 in September 2026, a 7.8% jump from August, with homes spending a median of just 17 days on the market, according to data from the Midwestern Ohio Association of REALTORS reported by Miami Valley Today. The outlet also noted a sold-to-list price ratio of 99.3% that month, meaning sellers are routinely collecting nearly their full asking price, while September inventory across the six-county Midwestern Ohio region ranged from 1.70 months in Mercer County to 4.21 months in Logan County.
That local heat tracks with the wider Dayton region. Dayton REALTORS reported that average single-family and condominium sale prices rose 5.3% year-over-year in August 2026 to $317,580. Statewide, though, the picture looks tighter for buyers overall: the Ohio Housing Finance Agency's FY 2026 Housing Needs Assessment found home purchases fell 24% between 2019 and 2024, to roughly 179,000 homes, as average 30-year fixed mortgage rates hovered near 6.7% and purchase prices climbed.
Permits and Regulations Behind the Builds
Ohio's residential code enforcement for one- to three-family homes depends on local certification; where no department is certified, an owner is not required to submit construction documents or seek approvals, and permit requirements depend on the local jurisdiction, according to a guide published by Build Your House.
For now, the Parade of Homes offers a rare, no-cost chance for Miami Valley residents to walk through finished product rather than browse listings online. With inventory tight and prices still climbing, builders and lenders alike have an obvious incentive to turn curious walkers into buyers before the weekend ends.
