How to Make the Most of Local Home Shows
July 12, 2018When you start thinking about a custom home, all the details can be overwhelming. You may know exactly what you want or you may have no idea. Either way, attending local home shows can be a big help. You’ll be able to see products and options are out there and what’s possible. From there, you’ll either confirm your existing ideas, create new ones, or just get a feel for what you might actually want to have in your custom home. Here’s how to make the most of local home shows:
Consider the Type of Home Show
There are several types of home shows and each one will offer you a different experience. Some home shows take place in conference centers filled with booths of products while others allow you to tour the homes themselves, like the Parade of Homes. Each type will provide different ideas and you’ll want to go into each of them with different expectations.
At a home show filled with booths, you’ll see a ton of different things and gain a lot of ideas, even if you may not see the finished home with all of the pieces put together. Touring a home in a show like Parade of Homes will allow you to experience a custom home in person when all the pieces are put together and you’ll get the full picture of what that home is like. Both types of shows will give you some ideas about you might want in your own custom home.
Set Expectations Ahead of Time
What are you hoping to gain from the home show? Are you simply curious and exploring what’s out there or are you looking for information on specific products? Identifying why you are attending the home show and what you hope to gain from it will help you set your expectations. It will also help you maintain focus when faced with a number of distractions.
Plus, you’ll be able to manage your time to make the most of it while at the home show, especially if you are on a schedule. If you are really tight on time or think you might get overwhelmed, going in with a game plan can help you get the information you want and ensure the experience stays a positive one. For example, if you’re just interested in figuring out what type of bathtub you’d like to have in your custom master bath, you can identify those product booths in advance and focus your time on them.
Doing some preliminary research can help you set expectations and form the game plan that works best for you. In doing so, you can narrow down where you really want to focus your time and avoid anything you know you don’t need or want to see. This also allows you to spend more time on the things that really matter to you, whether that’s a particular booth or a home you really want to explore.
Take Notes & Pictures
Bring something to take notes with. You’re going to be seeing a ton of different things and getting plenty of ideas. You’ll want to record your experience and thoughts somehow so you can reference them later and share them with your custom home builder. Also, bring a camera or use your phone to take pictures.
There may be some restrictions on what you can take pictures of, but it will certainly be helpful to have on hand. By taking notes and pictures, you have a strong reference for what you saw and the inspiration you got from it. Plus, you don’t have to then try to remember all the details and ideas later. Additionally, that information will help your custom home builder obtain the products you want in order to build your dream home.
Visit More Than Once
As you make the rounds visiting booths or homes, take note of those you’re interested in so you can go back for another visit. If you see something interesting, don’t be afraid to visit again to really get a feel for the products you would want in your own custom home.
This can be particularly helpful if you have questions or are comparing products or ideas. The better feel you can get for the products you would like to use, the better you’ll know whether you’ll be happy with them in your custom home.
Navigating local home shows is a great way to see new designs and trends and get ideas for your own custom home. Then, you need to partner with the right custom home builder that is willing to research and is capable of installing the products you’re interested in. To get started on the journey towards your custom home, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!