The show, billed as Southwest Ontario's largest home show, opened Friday afternoon with more than 300 vendors at the Western Fair District Agriplex.
“I think there's been a lot of excitement,” said Rembrandt President Michelle Kinney. “We've got a lot of vendors here this year. Last year we did a little trial run, but we've got great expectations for this event.” “I was being bullied,” he said. Holmes has been on the show for the past 16 years.
The Lifestyle Home Show is in its 29th year, but only the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic made trade shows impossible.
“Last year was really exciting, but last year we weren't full, so I'm really excited to say that this year all of our spaces are completely sold out. There was so much interest and excitement.” said Jared Zeifman, CEO of the London Association of House Builders, which is organizing the event.
When the show opened on Friday afternoon, excitement was high as people lined up waiting to get in.
“Get out of the house. Yeah, it's good to get outside. You've been cooped up all winter, so it's a chance to get outside,” said Will Mulder, who was first through the door with Vicky Hull. explained.
“And we're also doing renovations,” Hull added.
Part of the excitement stems from signals from the Bank of Canada that it will begin easing interest rates in 2024. Interest rates were left unchanged at 5% this week, but there are speculations that they could be lowered as early as this spring.
“Knowing from a financial and even confidence perspective that interest rates are going to stay the same or at least have a chance of going down in the future gives us a lot of confidence,” Zaifman said. “It will be done,” he said. [that] It will drive the market very strongly over the next few years.
According to Better Bin Company GM Cleveland Brownlee, this is great news for the entire industry.
“If this housing market turns around, I think we'll all be as prosperous as we were a few years ago. It's going to provide a lot of jobs for Ontarians in this region, and mainly Londoners, and we're going to have better jobs and , we will have a more sustainable future,” he said.
The show will feature vendors from all areas of home construction and design, as well as those interested in entering the industry.
“Our skilled trades will be showcased again this year.Certainly, as you know, one of the big things is that this market is growing in the industry and there is demand, and we want more of our skilled trades. We know we need more people to come in,” Zeifman said.
Shows run until 7pm on Friday nights, 10am to 8pm on Saturdays, and 10am to 5pm on Sundays.
