IF the weeks leading up to the 2014 Fall Parade of Homes are any indication, builders are going to be very busy during the three-week event that runs Sept. 13 to Oct. 5.
"People already started coming out to look at my show home in early September," reported Cheryl Thurston, the Randall Homes sales representative for the burgeoning new community situated west of the Perimeter Highway off of McGillivray Boulevard. "I think there are going to be lots of people coming out during the fall Parade."
Hilton Homes' Spencer Curtis concurred.
"We've had pretty decent weather lately, so I think people are excited about being able to come out and tour show homes with just a light jacket on," he said. "They've had to deal with a bad winter, poor spring and so-so summer. A lot of people probably put off looking at show homes in the spring when the weather was terrible, so I'd expect a very good turnout for the fall Parade, with a good percentage of people genuinely interested in buying a new home."
Several factors have combined to create an atmosphere conducive to buying, said Manitoba Home Builders' Association president Mike Moore.
"When you put things together like the world's worst winter, a lousy spring, a mediocre summer and the fact that retail sales are down, all signs point to people being ready to make a major purchase," he said. "I have a feeling it's going to be a buying Parade. I think the poor weather caused people to hold off. A lot of people have waited and are now wanting to do some new-home shopping."
Curtis said prospective buyers will be rewarded for their patience.
"This is going to be a great Parade for consumers because there's really no one strong trend that's going to run through homes. There's going to be a greater variety of colours, finishes and floor plans to choose from than ever before. Builders have really embraced the challenge of creating unique, functional designs. Consumers are going to benefit from that in a big way."
Huntington Homes' Rob Swan added if there's any trend, it will be grounded in practicality.
"You're going to see homes that put an emphasis on creating logical spaces and that use products that, along with well-designed spaces, will make people's day-to-day lives that much easier," he said. "It's incredibly important to pay attention to buyers' needs. Builders are getting better and better at doing that. The result are better-designed homes."
Thurston said her show home is evidence of builders' commitment to raising the bar in terms of form and function. The Brentwood is a newly designed 1,837-square-foot bungalow at 1 Orchard Gate in Oak Bluff West.
"It's an all-new plan that's flexible and filled with a host of absolutely gorgeous finishing materials," she said. "For $575,900, you get a bright, wide-open home that's ideal for family life or entertaining that's loaded with upgrades such as portobello maple cabinets, medium-stained hand-scraped engineered hardwoods, a quartz island with seating for five, a spa-like ensuite, den and huge basement. The layout and finishing quality is exceptional."
Likewise, Curtis is excited about how several of Hilton's show homes turned out.
"We're really excited about what we'll have to show people during the Fall Parade. We've put all kinds of cool features into our show homes -- high ceilings, huge windows stacked on top of each other in great rooms and rich finishing materials such as marble -- which we used in a couple of our show homes," he said. "Exteriors will be striking and eye-catching, while interiors will be interesting, yet functional."
With the 2014 Fall Parade of Homes set to offer 129 show homes built by 31 builders in 32 neighbourhoods and 11 different communities, Parade-goers are in for a treat, said Moore.
"Consumers are going to be able to choose from a deep, broad cross-section of homes that will provide them with the style and price they're looking for in the area they want to live in. It's just a matter of going out and having a look. Do that and you'll find the home you want at a price you can afford in a beautiful neighbourhood that's a great place to call home."
lewys@mts.net
