In the midst of a real estate downturn, organizers of the first-ever Tooele County Showcase of Homes are hoping the weekend event will convince buyers to jump back into the local market.

The showcase, being held this Thursday through Saturday, will highlight 22 new homes ranging from $189,000 to $600,000. The homes — some of which are up for sale and others just for display — were selected for their design and architectural qualities, according to Nicole Cloward, owner/president of the Tooele County Showcase of Homes. Other organizers for the event include Melissa Collings and Carol Haddock, who serve as chief executives for the showcase.

“I came up with the idea for this showcase because I felt that Tooele County was now big enough to have its own,” Cloward said. “We had a meeting where we invited all the builders in the Tooele Valley, and we presented the idea to them and got some positive feedback. Together we decided which homes to show. A lot of the builders are really excited about this.”

Cloward said continued residential growth in the valley meant the time was right for the event.

“Other communities in Utah have had their own Parade of Homes, so there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have our own now,” Cloward said. “During the most recent Salt Lake Parade of Homes there were two big homes showcased in Stockton, and 865 people showed up to view them. We knew we could have our own event if that many people came out for just two homes.”

The 22 homes being showcased are scattered across the Tooele Valley, and were built either this year or last year, according to Cloward.

“One of the homes will be in Lake Point, seven will be in Stansbury Park, two will be in Erda, five will be in Tooele, and seven will be in Grantsville,” Cloward said. “The homes will be 2,300 square feet and above, and they will range from ramblers to two-story homes. We’ll be trying to pattern our event on the St. George Parade of Homes.”

Some of the cheaper homes can be found in Tooele and Stansbury Park, while some of the most expensive ones can also be found Stansbury Park, as well as Grantsville and Erda. Each home will feature a greeter who can answer any questions, and participants are free to wander throughout the home on their own once they are inside.

“Builders or someone representing the builder may also be at the homes to help answer questions,” Cloward said.

Cloward thinks the Showcase will help potential buyers see why Tooele County homes remain a good deal.

“When people from Salt Lake or other areas around Utah see that homes here can be as low as $189,000, they are truly amazed at what they can get for their money in Tooele County,” Cloward said. “People are just finally starting to catch on to what good deals there are for homes out here, and they’re seeing that they can get more for their money. We’re definitely seeing a difference in our market because people are finding out that we’re more affordable than other places close by.”

Cloward expects the showcase to reach the level of other well-known home parades scattered throughout the state.

“The Salt Lake Parade of Homes has been around for over 60 years, and the St. George Parade of Homes has been around for over 20,” she said. “This is our first one ever, and we hope to build on it and make it bigger and better each year. We don’t really have any attendance goals yet, just because this is our first one, but we have sold a good number of tickets already.”

Tickets for the Showcase of Homes are $10 per person. Visitors 6 years old and older are required to have a ticket, which are available at the Tooele Transcript-Bulletin, Macey’s in Tooele, Soelberg’s and Casa Del Rey in Grantsville, and at each of the 22 homes. 

“People can come to the front door of the homes and buy tickets, and the tickets are good for all three days,” Cloward said. “People will also receive a map and program guide as part of the showcase.”

Showcase hours for the homes are Thursday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Two-dollar discount coupons are available throughout the county, as well as in many mailers and magazines coming to local homes. They can also be found online at www.kbull93.com. 

Doug Radunich: dougrad@tooeletranscript.com