BILD Lethbridge kicks off Parade of Homes

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on September 21, 2024.

The annual BILD Lethbridge Region Parade of Homes kicked off with a champagne breakfast at the Lethbridge Country Club on Friday morning for participating building companies in this year’s event that starts today.
“This is a really exciting time for the industry because they get this opportunity to showcase the newest in housing to our community,” said Bridget Mearns, BILD Lethbridge Region’s executive officer.
“These homes are the best that they can put forward and there’s a variety of different (kinds) of housing which is fantastic for our community to come see.”
The Parade of Homes experience for builders is when the model is decided on, what’s going into it and location.
“There’s six different communities being represented and they’re all very different,” said Mearns.
“I’m excited for Lethbridgians to get their Parade of Homes app or the map and go around and check out the different places in our city because it’s amazing what we have here.”
Building homes has not come without its challenges as builders are experiencing labour shortages, the rising of material costs, project delays and the concerns surrounding interest rate inflation.
“This is the best event that’s done city wide and it’s done once a year and it’s done always very, very well ,” said Dave Bodell, Stranville Living’s sales manager.
“We get hundreds and hundreds of people through our houses and it just exposes our homes and our plans, and our ideas and what’s new in the market and what’s new in design to all of the City of Lethbridge.”
Val Lowen, owner of Van Arbor homes, thinks the Parade of Homes is always an exciting time for them.
“Often times we find there’s groups of people who wait to see, they don’t come and see show homes during the year, but they really make it fun to come,” said Lowen.
Van Arbor sees the Parade of Homes as a way to connect to the community.
“I always sit in the show homes myself during the parade and I always find I get lots of ideas, people give me feedback of things that are important, I hear about things that important to home buyers that are coming along,” said Lowen.
People who go and look at these homes are encouraged to go on the app and rate the houses and at the end as the home with the most ratings will receive the parade’s People’s Choice award.
The BILD Lethbridge Region Parade of Homes began in 1966 and starts today and runs until Oct. 6. in six city communities.
Parade Homes information can be accessed through the app and website.
There will be 12 homes to view between the Blackwolf, Copperwood, Country Meadows, Crossings, Riverstone and Southbrook neighbourhoods.
A draw can be entered to win a Backyard Prize pack that is valued at $3,000 and parade goers can enter by scanning the QR code in each home and you can enter up to 12 times.
Show home hours are Saturday and Sunday from 1 until 5 p.m. and Monday to Friday from 4-8 p.m.

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