Tested tips for a successful Spring Parade of Homes

By Lanny McInnes
Date Posted: March 6, 2021

The 2021 Spring Parade of Homes is well underway! Despite some winter weather stubbornly sticking around, visitors were still able to head out during the first week of the Spring Parade and visit many of the great show homes on display.

For the benefit of Parade veteran and rookie attendees, the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association once again offers the following tried and true tips for a successful Parade:

Know before you go

Our builder members have put measures in place to make the visiting experience during the Parade of Homes as safe as possible for their guests and their staff. These measures are in place to ensure that anyone visiting our builders’ show homes are doing so as safely as possible. Masks or face coverings are required to be worn by anyone visiting a show home at all times. All visitors will also be required to answer pre-screening questions and to sanitize their hands upon entering a home. To cut down on time, you can download the pre-screening form at our website homebuilders.mb.ca and fill it in before you visit the show homes. If you plan on visiting more than one show home this is a handy tip as you can make multiple copies and just fill in the address at each show home, rather than filling in the entire form multiple times. Visitors should also be aware that each parade show home’s capacity will be limited to a maximum of four visitors at a time.

The MHBA and our builder members thank you in advance for your cooperation and in following these measures while you visit during the Spring Parade of Homes. While these requirements may mean it may take a bit longer to enter your favourite parade show homes, these steps are being implemented to help ensure that your visit is a safe as possible.

Wear comfortable slip-on shoes

There are 99 stunning new homes available to visit in this Spring’s parade. Although you likely won’t get to all of them, you will find yourself trying to get to as many as possible. Most of the new neighbourhoods have multiple homes being shown and so you will probably park in one location and walk to all of the homes in that area. Upon entering each new home, you must take off your street shoes in order to walk through and tour the home. Given that some subdivisions have 10 or more homes 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 locations are in close proximity to each other and it’s easy to get to a number of them in one tour. Bring along your Parade Magazine or follow the listings on your smartphone by visiting homebuilders.mb.ca.

Visit different neighbourhoods

Finding the right home layout and design is extremely important when deciding to build a new home, but so is finding the neighbourhood that’s right for you. Parade is a great chance to explore our newest communities and developments. Each one has unique features and amenities. Ask the agents about the community’s development plan. Visiting multiple neighbourhoods also lets you see a wider variety of show homes too.

Don’t forget the one-offs

While the Parade features a variety in neighbourhoods that have multiple show homes for viewing, make sure you visit those areas with a single or just a few listings. There are entire neighbourhoods to discover and builders with unique designs. That hidden gem might just be your next new home.

Talk to the agents

This is vitally important in order to get the most out of your parade experience. 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. If there is a show home that you want to learn more about, we encourage you to book a private viewing to allow yourself plenty of time to ask the sales agent everything you want to know about the home, builder and neighbourhood.

Have fun!

The Parade of Homes is an enjoyable three weeks where you can see the latest and greatest in new homes with no admission fees. You can go as fast or 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. Follow the MHBA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and see each of the homes featured in the parade. Watch for #PARADEOFHOMESMB on social media for show home profiles, pictures and great contests!

Enjoy the 2021 Spring Parade of Homes!

 

Lanny McInnes is the President & CEO of the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association.

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