WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The original Western Mass Home and Garden Show wrapped its 2023 run on Sunday at the Eastern States Exhibition.
With home prices high and mortgage rates more than double that of last year, fewer Americans are buying homes these days. Instead, they’re choosing to stay put repairing, renovating, and improving the properties they already have to better fit their lifestyle and needs.
The annual expo, which is produced by the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Western Massachusetts, features contractors and tradespeople on everything from heating and cooling to landscaping, decking, fences, flooring, siding, windows, tree removal, kitchen and bath remodel, and much more. There were over 100 booths and those who represented these businesses told 22News just how important this show is to their companies.
Mark Gelinas of Casanova Remodeling said, “Oh this means a tremendous amount. I mean it’s great exposure, it’s great branding it’s just a great place to get a lot of foot traffic with people who are looking to get these projects done.”
Bob Rueter of Rueter Foundation Repair told 22News, “It definitely gives me a boost to see the season start off there was one year a few years ago when I didn’t do it and it was an experiment and it was a dip and so I’ve been back every year since.”
For many of the businesses here, this isn’t their first year at the show but what they have noticed is an increase of traffic this go around.
Matt Talbot of NextGen Roofing said, “I think it’s been more popular, post covid. It’s been really nice to see the world spinning again so people are getting itching and antsy to get their projects done and so if you could do it sooner rather than later in today’s economy now’s the time to do it.”
This event is expected to attract a crowd. According to data from the home services platform Thumbtack, 9 out of 10 current homeowners are planning to improve their property in some way over the next year and another 65% have plans to turn their existing house into their “dream
home.”
Sunday was the last day of the 4-day event and the show will begin at 10:00 a.m. and run all the way through until 8:00 p.m.