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ST. GEORGE — Just what does it take to build a home to enter in a parade of homes?
Like an auto show, a parade of homes event is a way to get a look at what's new and ask a lot of questions about it. From the latest in stone and rock work, electronics, lighting and water features, anything is possible these days.
Ron and Jane Stoughton, whose home is featured in the St. George Parade of Homes, met the man who built their house, Austin Anderson of AJ Construction, two years ago. They have since been collaborating to complete their dream home.
"It's a very detailed process before you ever put a shovel in the ground," Anderson said
The Stoughtons brought priorities with them. They knew they wanted a large bronze sculpture they had bought previously to be the focal point of the home.
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St. George Parade of Homes shows boost in housing market
According to specialists, the housing market is an indicator of how well the economy is doing. The 23rd annual St. George Parade of Homes has shown that the economy is looking up by tying the record for their largest show ever."So when we decided to build this house, that had to have a prominent place," Jane Stoughton said. "That's what it was built around. Where do we place it so I can see it every day? Because I loved it."
Through each phase of planning and construction, the Stoughtons had detailed decisions to make and Anderson had to make it possible.
"I could not believe all the bits and pieces that had to be decided and perfected for what we wanted," Jane Stoughton said.
Anderson calls the process a labor of love, and one in which he has to get to know the person well.
"You have to take a lot of time with the homeowner, because we've got to figure out what's in their head and have to get it in our head," Anderson said. "That's the toughest thing to do."
Now that it's completed, the Stoughtons are sharing their vision and agreed to include their house in this year's parade. They've enjoyed the reaction of the several thousand people who have dropped by.
"Being in here when the people are in here, it gives me enjoyment that people appreciate what we've done so much," Ron Stoughton said.
The St. George Area Parade of Homes concludes Sunday. There are a number of other parade of home events in northern Utah this year which take place during the summer months.
