New trends in construction on display at open houses
When Jacques Beaulieu founded The Open House Weekends new construction showcase 23 years ago, there were six new projects featured on the list. This year, there are more than 70, making the event the largest of its kind in Quebec.
Let’s just say the market has changed a lot since 1996.
Condo construction, in particular, is booming in Montreal, with towers sprouting not just downtown but also in suburbs and once-rural areas on the perimeter of the metropolis.
Despite the volume of construction in recent years, in some areas the pace of development still doesn’t come close to slaking buyer demand. It has been a seller’s market in the single-family home and plex segments for more than a year.
On the island of Montreal, the South Shore and in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, it’s a seller’s market for condos, too. Likewise, the construction of purpose-built rental apartments has also picked up after many slow years.
Held over two weekends, March 30 and 31 and April 6 and 7, The Open House Weekends offers new condo buyers a way to explore their options (as well as a chance for looky-loos to get a peek at design trends). Newly built rental units are also featured.
Beaulieu said buyers shopping for new constructions today have around 600 projects from which to choose. The Open House Weekends (visiteslibres. info) offers a way to filter out the noise, segmenting participating projects into six categories: affordable homes (less than $250,000 plus taxes), family-oriented homes with three or more bedrooms, affordable luxury units for second-time buyers, upscale properties including both new luxury condos and houses, projects for buyers over the age of 55, as well as projects with apartments for rent.
The event also includes special tours to showcase sustainable development, interior design and “smart” home trends (incorporating internet-connected electronics to enhance safety and control lights, climate control and appliances).
While the 70 projects featured are only a small slice of the choices available on the market today, Beaulieu said the event makes it easy for buyers to comparison shop and get a sense of trends in the market.
For example, one important trend is greener development. The Open House Weekends’ sustainable-development tour spotlights around a half-dozen projects that feature environmentally friendly LEED -certified construction, or are examples of transit-oriented or pedestrian-oriented design.
Another is senior-oriented housing. Beaulieu said developers have begun to respond to demographic shifts in recent years by creating new buildings designed specifically to appeal to buyers over the age of 55. These projects are different than seniors’ homes, as they are designed for fully independent living.
Some builders are now including “smart home” electronics in these units, to improve safety for older seniors or those with disabilities who live alone, he
said. Examples of some of these features will be on display at one of the model homes at the Ambiance Plein Sud project in Longueuil during the Open House Weekends.
Those who want to get a sense of interior design trends will want to look at the list of projects participating in the Habitat Design Awards, too. Visitors to these homes can vote for their favourite model unit, and the winner will be announced in October. Beaulieu said he expects about a dozen projects to enter the contest, but noted that most of the projects featured have model homes to see.
Visitors can also explore the tour of Domus Award-winning homes, exploring the projects recognized for excellence in the building industry by the APCHQ, the provincial construction industry association.