This spring's Parade of Homes surprised many by showing the strongest attendance in recent years.
With tens of thousands of people flocking to see Winnipeg's finest show homes, the Manitoba Home Builder's Association (MHBA) expects this Parade to have set an attendance record by the time it ends at 6 p.m. today.
"It's been outstanding--the traffic to the homes has been just tremendous. Every builder I've talked to is very impressed with the turnout this year," says MHBA president Mike Moore. "Manitoba won't be as hard hit (by the economic downturn) as the rest of the country, and people here are getting their confidence back."
With mortgage rates at an all-time low, Moore is hopeful that Manitobans will bring the local housing market back up to the strong showing it enjoyed last year.
"The quality of homes available here has always been outstanding, housing prices are still good, and mortgage rates have never been better," Moore adds. "A Manitoba home is a good investment. Even in this economy, homes here have not lost their value. We haven't experienced the downturn that other major centres are experiencing. Our housing market is still strong."
If you missed the chance to experience the Parade of Homes, you can still view the show homes. Most of the public doesn't realize that the homes are open for viewing year-round, says Moore.
"The Parade is a celebration we hold twice a year to promote the excellent home builders in Manitoba, but people have the opportunity to set up a one-on-one appointment all year long, when they can look at the homes a bit longer," he explains.
Potential homebuyers often look at dozens of homes during the Parade, and then set up a few one-on-one appointments with the sales agents afterwards. The sales agent can also show you other potential locations for the home of your dreams.
"We do sell homes during the Parade, but the most homes are purchased after it's over, when people have had the time to narrow down their list to the homes they're most interested in," says Moore. "You can arrange to have a private viewing of a home, which is something that's very difficult to achieve during the Parade."
If you're interested in visiting a show home after the Parade, the contact numbers for all of the builders are listed in the Parade of Homes magazine, available on the Free Press website at winnipegfreepress.com.
Each builder will be happy to put you in touch with a sales agent, who will set up a personal appointment for you.
"We've been very, very happy with both the quality and the quantity of this year's Parade visitors," Moore adds. "Manitobans are getting ready to come out of their shells--they're realizing things aren't that bad here, and that with mortgage rates this low, it's a great time to buy a new home."
Even if you're not currently in the market for a new home, many people visit the Parade to get ideas for their existing homes.
"A lot of our visitors are looking for ideas for appliances, design, kitchens and bathrooms," says Moore. "It's a good way to find out about the best contractors, and how to get in touch with them. With the home renovation tax credit, our renovators are also very busy right now."
The most common questions asked by Parade of Home patrons relate to energy efficiency.
"People always want to know about efficiency, which is always a concern, given our cold climate," Moore says.
Since the show homes are furnished and professionally finished by interior designers, the second most common questions relate to the furnishings.
"People always want to know if they can purchase the home with the drapes or appliances included," laughs Moore. "This is Winnipeg--everything's negotiable."
More information on the Parade of Homes is available on the MHBA website at http://www.homebuilders.mb.ca/parade-of-homes.html. Show homes are also available for view in communities outside the city, including Oakbank, Lorette, and Niverville. Another Parade of Homes will take place in the fall.
