New Homes
New Homes
Tips for those attending Parade of Homes
The Spring Parade of Homes has started with a bang. We have been enjoying some of our best March weather in recent memory and, if the first week was any indication, crowds will continue to grow as the Parade progresses.
Last year, we printed a primer for Parade attendees; just a couple of tips to maximize your enjoyment of the Parade of Homes. 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 95 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. More than half of the subdivisions have multiple homes being shown, 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 more than 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 wear 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 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, in the event they don't have the answer, they will find out and get back to you in short order.
Have Fun
The Parade of Homes is an enjoyable couple of 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 2010 Spring Parade of Homes.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Join the Parade and see some new homes
The 2010 Spring Parade of Homes opens today, March 6, and runs through Sunday, March 21.
This year, 95 new homes will be on display for public viewing during the Parade. Hours for visiting are Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Each home will have a well-informed sales representative present to welcome you, show you all facets of the new home and answer any questions you may have.
This year, 38 builders are participating with homes in 30 subdivisions located in nine cities and towns in Manitoba. So, wherever one wants to live in Winnipeg or neighbouring communities, there's the perfect new home available. Quality, choice and affordability are all key components of a Manitoba new home.
There has never been a better time to build than now. Although last year was a cautious year economically for Manitoba and Canada, 2010 promises to be a year of growth for this province. The Manitoba new-home market is one of the strongest in Canada and is deservedly positioned for expansion.
The following are just a few items to consider while visiting the Spring Parade of Homes:
"ö Mortgage rates remain at levels historically lower than ever. The five-year rates are among the lowest in the past 50 years.
"ö Manitoba new homes are once again the most energy efficient in Canada.
"ö Manitoba's employment rate is among the highest in the country and projections have us leading the country throughout 2010.
"ö The style, selection and variety of this year's Parade offerings are tremendous.
"ö Manitoba new homes continue to increase in value.
The public is invited to visit as many homes as possible to look at innovative designs and see the latest and best in new home features. Each visitor is sure to come away with new ideas and concepts to incorporate into their new homes.
If you missed the Parade magazine in your Winnipeg Free Press delivery, it is available on line at www.winnipegfreepress.com and www.homebuilders.mb.ca or you can pick up a copy at any Steinbach Credit Union.
Enjoy the 2010 Spring Parade of Homes.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association
New Homes
Parade of Homes? It must be spring...
No, Punxsutawney Phil and Wiarton Willie didn't change their minds about their shadows, nor did a chinook suddenly sweep across the prairies.
This is much bigger news. The Spring Parade of Homes starts Mar. 6 and runs through Mar. 21. This annual display of the best new homes of the season is our surest sign that spring is just around the corner.
Tens of thousands of people will descend upon an assortment of neighbourhoods to see what's new this year; to learn about design and materials and to discover their new dream home. All of this begins to happen in just one week.
So, what does this year's Spring Parade of Homes have to offer? For starters, there will be 95 uniquely different new homes on display. That's 95 different designs, styles and tastes being presented to the consumer.
When one considers some of the larger Parades in other municipal centres of Canada max out at 30 homes, having 95 available here is truly astounding.
Nowhere else in Canada is so much variety and selection on display.
These 95 homes can be found in 30 different subdivisions. Therefore, not only can you look for the price and style of your new home, you can also investigate a wide variety of neighbourhoods in which to locate it. There is an outstanding selection both within and outside the City of Winnipeg. The discerning buyer can observe nearby amenities and transportation routes associated with each location.
The Spring Parade of Homes is delighted to present homes built by 38 unique builders. Each builder has brought their own special design, style and craft to each home. The best of the best is on display at this year's event.
It is no secret that Manitoban new homes are the best built and most energy efficient in Canada. Having such a vast selection on display makes this the perfect market for local consumers.
Look for the Spring Parade of Homes magazine in the Mar. 6 edition of the Winnipeg Free Press. After that date, it will also be accessible online at www.winnipegfreepress.com or ww.homebuilders.mb.ca.
Don't miss the 2010 Spring Parade of Homes, your first true sign of spring.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Start me up! Housing starts sweet music
WINNIPEG, our province and Canada all experienced significant increases in housing starts last month, a considerable improvement over January 2009.
According to preliminary data released by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Winnipeg increased from 128 starts last year to 248 this year. Although that represents a staggering 94 per cent increase, one needs to step back and realize that it's one month and 120 homes. However, you can't but feel optimistic at this point.
Provincially, we saw 263 starts last month as opposed to 140 in January, 2009, an increase of 88 per cent. This trend was evident right across the Prairies as Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. all had positive months. Overall, Canadian starts increased by 40 per cent in January.
Of course, some areas of the country were hit very hard in 2009 and this turnaround represents a long, slow climb back to acceptable levels. However, in Manitoba, this was not of the same scale. Our provincial starts for recession-filled 2009 ended at 4,174, up from earlier projections that could have had us fall below 4,000.
Excellent weather late into the fall and positive sales the last half of the year allowed us to exceed expectations. Although this number represented a noticeable decline from recent banner years, Manitobans did not experience nearly the economic impact of the massive declines in housing starts in Ontario, Alberta and B.C.
So, what do all of these statistics mean? First, it's just one month and typically a colder, slower month. The 'glass half-empty' crowd will take a wait-and-see approach and not read too much into the situation. They will point to an increase in the multi-family sector carrying the load. The 'glass half-full' crowd will rejoice at the good news, noting that the single-family detached sector is solid while the multi-family sector appears rejuvenated.
It may be just one month but, in any activity, a good start is important. The residential construction market is critical to Manitoba's economy and, hopefully, January is a sign of things to come.
No one is anticipating increases of this magnitude every month, but it certainly looks like Manitoba is once again taking the slow-but-sure approach to economic stability and prosperity.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Residential building crucial to the economy
For years, the weekend Homes section of the Free Press has espoused the benefits of the residential construction industry. Both new-home construction and renovations are featured on a weekly basis, with numerous articles, features and listings.
However, although one appreciates the design talent and craftsmanship that goes into a new home or a terrific renovation, seldom do we think of the major role that the industry plays in our economy.
In 2009, the MMM Group prepared an economic-impact study which demonstrated the importance of residential construction to both the Manitoba and Winnipeg markets. The results were startling.
The study found 20,723 Manitoba jobs an $853 million in wages can be directly tied to residential construction. The $2.415-billion value of new housing, residential renovations and other expenditures accounts for six per cent of Manitoba's GDP.
The study demonstrated what the industry had long known -- that residential construction is a major contributor to the welfare of our local economies.
However, it goes much deeper than that. The study showed governments rely on the residential construction industry to generate tremendous publis revenues:
* $170.1 million: total personal income taxes
* $128.7 million: --total GST revenue
* $73.7 million: --total PST revenue
* $77.2 million: total CPP premiums
* $35.8 million: total Employment Insurance premiums
In addition, in 2008, new-home construction generated $2,958,102 to the City of Winnipeg in permit fees and $10,191,780 in property taxes.
The purpose of citing these staggering numbers is not solely to demonstrate how much the residential construction industry contributes to the local economy, but also to highlight the ramifications of a sudden downturn in the industry.
New-home construction is now on the upswing, but renovations may experience a bit of a decline if Ottawa does not renew the Home Renovation Tax Credit.
It's imperative that the various levels of government do not enact punitive legislation that will impair the progress of residential construction and reduce the industry's economic contributions. Otherwise, governments will have to look elsewhere to find these funds and remember, there's only one taxpayer and it is all of us.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
