Parade of Homes

homebuilders.mb.ca VALUE Our members possess the highest degree of skill and professionalism in the home building and renovations industry, providing you with peace of mind. PiCK a winner You're invited to be a judge in the 2014 Spring Parade of Homes >> sometimes a show home just clicks with visitors. Now you can click right back as a judge for the 2014 Spring Parade of Homes. For the first time, everyone who visits a show home can cast a vote to determine the winners among 122 show homes in 31 communities during the Parade from March 1-23. "You can vote for as many homes as you want or for just one or two spe- cific homes," says Mani- toba Home Builders' As- sociation president Mike Moore. "If you visit 30 or 40 homes, feel free to vote for all 30 or 40. Perhaps you're just out for a Sunday visit and you just go down one street — let us know what you think about the houses on that street." The voting process couldn't be easier, and judges have two options: Keep track of the houses you visit and vote online at www.paradeofhomes- select.ca, or use your smartphone to vote on the spot. It takes less than a minute to download a free QR code-reader app to your smartphone to begin. Just fol- low the instructions on the page at right. Each show home will be judged on four criteria: Overall value and quality; functionality, traffic flow and room pro- portion; interior visual appeal and, finally, special design features such as windows, lighting, trim and fireplaces. Sim- ply scan a QR code that's posted in each home and rank the categories on a scale of one to five. "Point, click and vote — it's that simple," Moore says. Moore says opening the voting to everyone adds a fun new element to the Parade, and unlike the Grammys, Golden Globes and Oscars, this is one awards race where your choice affects the outcome. Once scores are tallied, a list of winners will be published in the Winnipeg Free Press. You can compare your rankings with those of other voters, and since show homes are open year-round, you'll still have a chance to visit winning homes in 30 categories — 25 for single-family homes and five for condominiums, with Gold, Medal and Bronze awards in each category. Your vote may even have an impact on future designs after builders see the voting data. "We'll be able to break it down to your favourite style of house — whether it's a two-storey or a bungalow or what- ever it may be — your favourite house in a certain neigh- bourhood and your favourite house on a certain street," Moore says. The 2013 Fall Parade of Homes chalked up 40,000 visits to a record 131 show homes. Typically, a small panel of official judges determines the winners, but Moore says he'd like to see tens of thousands of votes cast over the next three weeks. "Now we're allowing anyone, anywhere to judge any home, any time during the Parade." 96 Parade of Homes Spring 2014 'Point, click and vote — it's that simple'

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