Parade of Homes

Castlebury Meadows Crocus Meadows Starlite Village 139 CASTLEBURY MEADOWS DRIVE PARADE OF HOMES SHOWHOME HOURS: Saturday & Sunday 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. odessyhomes.ca • 204-298-4707 FIND MORE INFORMATION AT: Carrie.com LOOK WHO'S TALKING — Cont'd from page 109 Control4 panel with Amazon Echo Think of home assistants as a complement to an automation platform, enhancing the experience of an integrated system, Banks adds. "It just ties into existing automation systems. It gives you the added feature of voice command; that's all it's really doing for you." While voice-command devices have been around for a while, they have rapidly grown in popularity, in part because the technology has improved and is now more reliable. Rosenberg says people are also more accepting of smart- home technology these days. "I think people feared the unknown, didn't really understand what it was in the past and were scared of technology. And now, technology's just evolved into everyone's life so much that that fear of the unknown is gone and it's more now an interest in the unknown," he says. While security has been a significant part of home automation for decades, security and surveillance have become increasingly popular of late. "I think residents are tired of the petty thefts of the vehicles, breaking into garages, that kind of thing," Banks says. "We've seen a huge increase in security over the last year." Rosenberg says video doorbells are a great conversation starter, and they're simple, inexpensive devices that provide comfort and peace of mind. The technology is constantly evolving and Banks and Rosenberg stay abreast of the best new additions, with a focus on those that make customers' lives easier. The greatest advantage to having an automated home is the ability to create pre-sets for everyday tasks. Turning off lights, lowering room temperature and locking the doors can be done by pressing a single button or simply by saying, "Goodnight, Alexa." VIDEO DOORBELLS ARE A GREAT CONVERSATION STARTER, AND THEY'RE SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE DEVICES THAT PROVIDE COMFORT AND PEACE OF MIND. Follow the Parade ON SOCIAL MEDIA #PARADEOFHOMESMB The Manitoba Home Builders' Association (MHBA) is making it easy to keep tabs on the Spring Parade of Homes. Check out the MHBA's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to see show home highlights and photos, and share your own shots and opinions. Parade of Homes Spring 2018 111

• Cover