Today's Winnipeg Free Press features a beautiful two-page spread listing the medal winners in 25 categories of the 2009 Fall Parade of Homes (pages E6-E7). These new homes were selected by panels of volunteer judges who looked at each home in a pre-selected group and ranked them on a 90-point scale.
In many of the categories, the total scores were extremely close, with only a couple of points separating first place from second. On these two pages, 48 homes are shown, with 25 builders represented along with 19 subdivisions.
What does it all mean? It means there are no losers, only winners.
There were 100 homes featured in the Fall Parade of Homes, with selling prices ranging from $169,900 to $1,142,500. This variety in selection, price and location is unprecedented in Canada. One can truly find their new dream home at any price range.
Manitoba new homes are also the most energy-efficient in all of Canada and are built to last. Each new home is unique in design and function.
A new home is a reflection of the buyer. Who wins in this contest? The new-home buyer.
As mentioned in earlier columns and in the Parade of Homes magazine, 28 subdivisions were featured in the Fall Parade. That's 28 uniquely different subdivisions in different parts of the province. Each has its own characteristics. Each has its own amenities. Each has been designed and developed to maximize attractiveness to the buyer.
The various developers who create these subdivisions must think decades in advance, taking future shopping, school, transportation and other needs into consideration. A developer needs to be a visionary who can perceive not only what a neighbourhood is, but also what it can be. The developers are an instrumental part of the Parade of Homes competition, but the winner is, once again, the new-home buyer.
One of the primary reasons that we celebrate the Parade of Homes twice each year is to create awareness and appreciation for Manitoba's new-home market. The public eagerly looks forward to this event to see what is new and available on the market.
Interest in buying a new home increases tremendously during and after the Parade. Of course, one of the primary factors in the decision to buy a new home is affordability. Right now, banks and credit unions are offering the lowest interest rates in more than 50 years. Mortgages have been available at rates less than four per cent.
So there has never been a more economical time to secure a new-home mortgage. Once again, the winner is the buyer.
Within each home, there's also a competition among suppliers of goods and fixtures. What types of countertops and cupboards are available for the kitchen? What styles of shower heads, sinks and toilets are available for the bathroom? What types of flooring are best for me? What levels of window and furnace energy efficiency are best for my new home?
The choices are many and each new home offers variety and selection. Who wins by having all of these choices available? The new-home buyer, of course.
So when you look at the list of category entrants and winners from the Fall Parade of Homes, think beyond those two pages.
Although there is definitely a spirited competition among builders, developers, financial institutions, manufacturers and suppliers, the big winner from each Parade of Homes is always you, the Manitoba new-home buyer.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
