New Homes
New Homes
Parade show homes open year-round
Although the 2012 Fall Parade of Homes has formally ended, you still have plenty of opportunity to revisit those fantastic show homes that you saw during the three weeks of Parade.
Once again, tremendous crowds enjoyed the fabulous weather and came out interested in visiting the 126 new show homes. It was a whirlwind tour for many and one couldn't be expected to visit every home, no matter how hard they tried. I know I certainly did.
Many people have the mistaken notion that show homes are only open during the Spring and Fall Parade of Homes. Therefore, they try to get in as much viewing time as possible during the three weeks of each Parade and bemoan the fact that they missed others.
In fact, they are open year-round and, although the hours may not be the same as during Parade, they are able to accommodate all interested clients.
So, now that your interest in a new home has been piqued by the Fall Parade, the timing is perfect to follow up with another visit.
The crowds are always huge for the three weeks of Parade. Although you received an excellent welcome and introduction to each new home, it was undoubtedly busy and it may have been difficult for you to have a private conversation with the sales representative regarding the more intricate details of the new home.
The purchase of a new home is an important decision and, now that you have visited the best new homes in Manitoba, you undoubtedly have a number of questions that you would like to ask.
You can see the entire Parade of Homes magazine with all 126 of the wonderful houses on the Manitoba Home Builders' Association website at www.homebuilders.mb.ca or the Winnipeg Free Press website at www.winnipegfreepress.com. The magazine has a listing of all of the homes, where they are located, a brief description of each and the base and selling prices.
Whether it was the neighbourhood or the builder or the particular home that interested you, it's all in the Parade magazine.
The important thing to remember is that almost all of the fabulous show homes that you saw during the Fall Parade of Homes are still available for viewing. The Parade may be over but the opportunity to purchase your new dream home has just begun.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Fall Parade of Homes continues to amaze
The official portion of the 2012 Fall Parade of Homes ends today at 6 p.m. but, not to worry, most of the show homes that have been part of the Parade will remain open for viewing well after it ends.
The weather has been outstanding this year and terrific crowds came to see what these 126 new homes had to offer. No one was disappointed as this year's entrants were an amazing collection of design, style, quality, craftsmanship and choice.
The Fall and Spring Parades of Homes are two showcase events hosted by the Manitoba Home Builders' Association to demonstrate the best that the new-home building industry has to offer. Whether one is in the market for a new home or just looking for ideas for their current home, nowhere else is there such a collection of unique concepts.
What many people fail to realize is that these show homes are open year-round for viewing. The hours may be slightly different than during the Parade, but the sales representatives are still available to help you with your search for the perfect home.
So, if you need to take another look at a couple of homes before making your decision, they are open and ready to welcome you.
If you recall visiting a neighbourhood or series of homes that especially interested you, but you have lost your Parade magazine, don't worry. All of the pertinent information is still available at www.homebuilders.mb.ca and the entire Fall Parade magazine will remain posted there until next year's Spring Parade. You can also access it at www.winnipegfreepress.com.
As a special feature again this year, the MHBA and the Free Press teamed up to create a Parade Facebook and Twitter site. By going to either website, you can read a review and comments about the Parade homes by a variety of different visitors.
This site has proved popular with tens of thousands of readers who have looked at the insights of others when searching for their home. The social media has definitely proved effective in getting the word out about the Fall Parade of Homes.
Thank you to all of the many partners who worked together to create a fantastic Fall Parade of Homes. This event gets better every year with the best new homes in all of Canada being showcased at one time.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Fall Parade of Homes draws intense interest
If the trend of the first two weeks continue, the 2012 Fall Parade of Homes will surpass all previous years' attendance numbers. Sales agents were reporting people were lined up in anticipation of visiting their home.
Sales representatives showing the 126 new homes have been bombarded with questions in the first two weeks. Financial items are front and centre. Interested buyers are particularly enamoured with the low mortgage rates currently available.
Given that most people visit a variety of new homes in the Parade, it's inevitable comparison shopping and the addition of different features arise.
For instance, sales representatives have been asked the cost of changing flooring to something seen elsewhere. Kitchen countertop and cabinets also stimulate discussions for changes. Bathrooms are always popular design topics.
Social media serve countless purposes, one of which includes event marketing and promoting.
In saying this, it made perfect sense to use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to build excitement, awareness and interaction for and throughout the Parade of Homes.
We wanted to create a place where we could share what the Parade of Homes is about, who is involved and where and when the Parade takes place.
We felt social media was the perfect way of achieving this.
So for the last three Parades (four, if you count this fall's), we have been utilizing Facebook and Twitter (www.twitter.com/paradeofhomesmb) to share with Manitoba the variety of homes our exceptional members have to offer as well as the areas in which you can choose to build your dream home.
You can find pictures of all the entries for this fall's Parade, organized by builder and by development area, on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ParadeOfHomesManitoba), and while there, feel free to leave your comments on which homes are your favourites and why.
Also, you can follow us on Twitter - @ParadeOfHomesMB. To join the conversation, use the hashtag #FallParadeOfHomes.
If you don't know something, don't be afraid to ask. The staff on site are a wealth of information and, if they don't immediately know the answer, they can find out and get back to you.
Remember, the 2012 Fall Parade of Homes continues through Saturday, Oct. 6. Show homes are open Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Don't forget those slip-on shoes for Parade
The 2012 Fall Parade of Homes has started with a bang. Crowds for the first week have been terrific. The weather has been a pleasant mix of warm and cool, so you could take your pick of prime new-home visiting weather.
For the benefit of Parade veteran and rookie attendees, the Manitoba Home Builders' Association offers the following tips for a successful Parade:
Wear Comfortable Slip-on Shoes
There are 126 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.
Many 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 10 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 a comfortable walking shoe that easily slips on and off. It will make your visit that much more enjoyable.
Map a Strategy
If you have a particular 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.
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.
That hidden gem might just be your next new home.
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 will make your visit interesting and informative.
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 as slow as you want, taking in the big picture or concentrating on a detail.
You can visit each home as often as you want, so as not to miss a thing.
It's all about what interests you.
Enjoy the 2012 Fall Parade of Homes.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
