Housing Minister Gord Mackintosh and Councillor Justin Swandel officially launched the 2009 Fall Parade of Homes on September 19 before a crowd of 250 industry professionals. The weather was perfect that day and continued through the weekend.
The warm September weather stimulated thousands of people to attend the Fall Parade on the first weekend. Crowds are expected to remain steady through October 10. For the benefit of first time and veteran Parade attendees, the Manitoba Home Builders' Association offers the following tips for a successful Parade:
"ö Wear comfortable slip-on shoes: --There are 100 fantastic new homes available to visit. Although you likely won't get to all of them, you will find yourself trying to get to as many as possible. Half of the subdivisions have multiple homes being shown and so you will probably park in one location and walk to all of the homes in that neighbourhood.
Upon entering each new home, you must take off your street shoes in order to tour. Given that some subdivisions have over a dozen homes open for viewing and you don't want to miss a thing, that's a lot of bending and lacing. Therefore, be sure to wear a comfortable walking shoe that easily slips on and off. It will make your visit that much more enjoyable.
"ö Map a strategy: --If you have a destination site, make sure you look for additional homes along the way to visit. Many of the subdivisions are in close proximity to each other and it's easy to get to a number of them in one tour.
"ö Don't forget the one-offs: --Although there is tremendous variety in those subdivisions that have multiple homes, make sure you visit those areas with a single listing. There are entire new neighbourhoods to discover and builders with unique designs.
"ö Talk to the agents: --The sales agents know their show homes. Ask them about anything --unique features, energy savings, specific materials and what makes this particular home special. These individuals are a wealth of knowledge and, in the event they don't have the answer, they will find out and get back to you.
"ö Have fun: --The Parade of Homes is an enjoyable three weeks where you can see the latest and greatest in new homes. You can go as fast or slow as you want, taking in the big picture or concentrating on a minute detail.
It's all about what interests you.
Enjoy the 2009 Fall Parade of Homes.
This column prepared by the Manitoba Home Builders' Association
