As so often turns out to be true, the naysayers got it all wrong when they turned their attention in recent months to the Homearama that was to take place in North Suffolk. From the time that the event was announced, there was a significant contingent of Suffolk residents that took great satisfaction in sounding a note of discord about it.

Why would people come to such an event in the midst of a recession? People aren’t interested in homes that are selling for so much money. Why doesn’t the Tidewater Builders Association build homes that everybody can afford for these events? The builders who participate in the event are going to lose their shirts. The homes that are built are going to sit vacant and unsold for months or years. Nobody’s going to want to come to Suffolk just to look at a bunch of houses in a community where they can’t afford to live, anyway.

Their complaints and their criticisms rang about as true as a cracked bell, yet many continued their onslaught anyway. Their dire predictions of a failed event and cobwebbed homes awaiting buyers who would never come seemed unlikely, predicated as they were not on an objective consideration of the market or the desirability of the area, but on class envy and even a misguided bias against any signs of progress in the North Suffolk area.

As it turns out, Homearama was a hit for all who were involved. More than 80,000 people filed through the gates at The Riverfront, the Harbour View community where the event was held. They picked up information from dozens of vendors on their way to the street where nine homes had been built specially for the event. Tens of thousands of people toured those homes during the event, enjoying special events in several of them and taking away ideas for their own homes.

And the best evidence of that Homearama was a success? Six of the nine homes that were on display have sold without contingencies. Another is on a contingency contract. That leaves just two homes awaiting buyers. Furthermore, builders have received contracts for homes to be built in other parts of the community and in other parts of Western Tidewater, as well.

Suffolk did well to land its third Homearama event in 10 years, despite what the naysayers might have thought. Considering the success that everyone had here this time around, perhaps less time will elapse before the Tidewater Builders Association brings the party back to town.