The Hawai'i Parade of Homes this year features its first senior-living facility and an entry in the long-absent high-rise condominium category, though overall developer participation in the new-home showcase that starts tomorrow remains slim despite the white-hot market.

The annual production, which is part marketing event and part contest in its 49th year, drew 12 entries from seven developers wanting to show off model homes priced between $299,000 and $1 million on O'ahu, Maui and the Big Island.

Entrant selection has been meager in the last three years, as many developers either were too busy building and selling to prepare model homes for the event, didn't have models ready or were sold out of inventory.

But the 12 entries marked an increase over the 11 submissions last year and the nine homes in the 2003 parade, which was the lowest turnout in 40 or so years for the event. The number of entries in previous years has ranged from 20 to 40 homes.

"The timing is always difficult," said Mary Flood, sales and marketing vice president of D.R. Horton's Schuler Division, which entered three homes this year and barely finished its Kohola model at the Sea Country master-planned community in Wai'anae.

"We were scrambling at the last minute, to complete the home," she said. "The landscaping was being installed the same morning the judges were arriving."

Fred Moore, president of Honolulu-based contractor HSI Mechanical Inc. and parade organizer Building Industry Association of Hawaii, said he was impressed with the number of entries, given market conditions.

"Inventory continues to remain very, very low, so the fact that we have actual properties competing is an extraordinary commitment," he said.

Moore said that dramatically higher costs for construction materials and labor didn't appear to hurt entries, which included more lower-priced homes than last year's event.

Of the 11 homes entered last year, only four were priced under $500,000, — with two of those under $400,000. One model was priced above $3 million.

This year among 12 entries, six are priced under $500,000 — with three of those under $400,000. All models are priced under $1 million.

Developers entering the most homes are Gentry Homes Ltd. and Schuler with three each. Stanford Carr Development has two entries. Entering one model each are Haseko Homes, Castle & Cooke Homes, A&B Properties Inc. and Kahala Nui.

The theme of this year's event is the same as last year, "Get House Smart," and highlights trends in technology, design and construction.

Featured homes will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday, and again on Oct. 8 and 9.

For more detailed information visit www.paradeofhomeshawaii.com.

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.