Parade showhomes open year-round

The 2013 Spring Parade of Homes ends tomorrow, March 24, and you didn't get to all the homes you wanted to see. Let's face it; the weather didn't cooperate as much this year and the snow was piled high.

Don't worry, you still have plenty of opportunity to visit those fantastic show homes that you missed during the three weeks of Parade. After all, there were 124 new homes on display and it's tough to get to all of them. There simply isn't enough time to do each beautiful new home justice.

If you were like most people, you concentrated on a few subdivisions and visited all of the new homes in that area. However, there were undoubtedly many homes you wanted to see but just couldn't get to in such a short time.

Many people have the mistaken notion that show homes are only open during the Spring and Fall Parade of Homes. 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 Spring Parade, the timing is perfect to follow up with another visit.

New home sales agents are still in the show homes and ready to share all of the pertinent information you need to make an informed decision about purchasing a new home.

You can still view the official Parade magazine on the Manitoba Home Builders' Association website (www.homebuilders.mb.ca) or the Winnipeg Free Press website (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 wonderful show homes that you saw during the Spring Parade of Homes are still available for viewing. Create your own personal Parade by visiting some of the homes that you weren't able to get to and revisit those that intrigued you but required more viewing time.

The 2013 Spring Parade of Homes may be ending but the opportunity to purchase your new dream home has just begun.

Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 23, 2013 F10