Home Builder Marketing in Grand Rapids
Kent County issued 2,398 building permits in 2025 and Ottawa County 1,411, according to Census QuickFacts, and both counties have grown since 2020. We help West Michigan builders show off communities and plans, put open houses and Parade of Homes entries in front of qualified buyers, and keep prospects warm from their first website visit until they sign a contract.
Permits, Parade season and suburbs
New construction in two counties
Census permit counts for 2025 show 2,398 in Kent County and 1,411 in Ottawa County, 3,809 combined. Ottawa grew 4.1 percent from 2020 to 2025 and Kent 2.6 percent. About 35 percent of Kent County homes were built in 1990 or later (ACS 2020-24), so newer subdivisions sit alongside older city neighborhoods.
Parade of Homes twice a year
The Home Builders Association of Greater Grand Rapids holds a Parade of Homes each spring and fall; the fall 2026 edition ran October 2 to 10 with entries in Ada, Byron Center, Grand Rapids, Grandville and Kentwood, and spring 2027 is set for June 4 to 12. The HBA counts over 350 member companies, about a third of them licensed builders. Parade weeks are a concentrated chance to collect buyer contacts.
A short building season
Weather service normals put Grand Rapids' last spring freeze around April 25 and the first fall freeze around October 27. Construction schedules, model openings and buyer tours bunch into the warmer months, so marketing for spring releases has to start while there is still snow on the ground.
Selling homes from blueprints
Community stories
Schools, commute times, lot sizes and nearby parks differ from Ada to Wyoming. Each community page should answer the questions buyers in that area actually ask.
Long decision windows
Many shoppers tour models for a season or more before choosing. Steady, useful contact keeps your plans in the running without pressure.
Parade follow-up
Parade visitors walk through many homes in a single week. A sign-in system and automatic follow-up turn those visits into appointments before the memories blur.
Builder marketing services
Areas we serve
Builder campaigns can focus on buyers shopping in these Grand Rapids neighborhoods and suburbs:
- Downtown Grand Rapids
- Heritage Hill
- Eastown
- East Grand Rapids
- Wyoming
- Kentwood
- Grandville
- Walker
- Ada
- Rockford
Questions and answers
Across both Kent and Ottawa counties, which together issued 3,809 building permits in 2025, per Census QuickFacts. The HBA's fall 2026 Parade of Homes featured new and remodeled homes in Ada, Byron Center, Grandville, Kentwood and Grand Rapids itself, a fair sample of where builders are active.
Promote your entry for weeks beforehand, capture every visitor's contact details at the door, and follow up within a day with plans, specs and an appointment link. Parade visitors are comparing several builders at once, so speed and a clear next step matter.
In winter. With the normal last freeze around April 25, many buyers plan tours for spring and summer, so interest lists, renderings and early details should go out in January and February. The HBA's Remodeling and New Homes Show is set for January 8 to 10, 2027, a useful early touchpoint.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Grand Rapids city and Kent County, Michigan
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Ottawa County, Wyoming, Kentwood and Walker, Michigan
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024, Table B25034: year structure built, Kent County
- Home Builders Association of Greater Grand Rapids
- We Build West Michigan: Fall 2026 Parade of Homes
- National Weather Service Grand Rapids: annual climate report with 1991 to 2020 normals
Checked 2026-10-31.