For the past 14 years the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville has hosted the Carolina Home Show every spring. Vendors and experts in all things home-related gather at the Crown ready to assist in making every house a home and every home a more personal and distinct place. This year the event takes place Feb. 23-24, and there are some exciting changes that are designed to make the show even better.

“We are not charging admission this year, we think it is better for our vendors and will attract more people,” said Kevin Shore, event chairman. “We always have about 3,000 people show up but the vendors have always said ‘Let’s not charge admission and see who else will come,’ so we are giving it a try this year.”

Home Builders Association Executive Officer Natalie Fryer added that, “This year we really tried to pull in the real-estate community. There will be real-estate agents there that can answer questions about home buying and selling. We also have some builders in the show.”

So whether you are looking to buy, sell, build, update or improve a home, there will be experts at the Crown ready to answer questions and share their expertise.

While many areas of the country have not hosted home shows this year because of the economy and the national dip in home prices, Shore noted that this is not the case in Fayetteville.

“It is amazing to me how this community always pulls together and continues to put on great events for Fayetteville and the surrounding area. We pull people from Wilmington, Raleigh, Southern Pines and even South Carolina. We get a lot of people coming from outside this area, which is exciting,” said Shore.

No matter what a person has in mind — from indulging in the latest technologies and trends in home design to getting ideas for how to organize a room — there is no project, idea or budget too big or too small. This event has something everyone can use.

“If you think you have seen it before, you should still plan to come, every year there is something new,” said Shore. “It is good to see what you can do to your home and get ideas about what you can do to make your house a home. We have such a variety of vendors from bath renovation specialists to masons to handymen and home improvement businesses to carpenters. There will be vendors who can take you from start to finish and do an entire project or even build a house for you to people who can show you how to do things yourself and give you the tools and ideas you need to be successful in your project.”

In addition to great vendors, the weekend is packed with informative talks and presentations.

“These are local people who are experts in their fi elds, and they will be speaking on a variety of topics,” said Fryer.

Saturday’s topics include “Potted Plants: Problems and Joys” by Roger Mercer; “Yes! You Can Buy a House” by Steve Cohen; “Yes, You Can Get Money to Buy a House” by Kevin Rodriguez; “The Finishing Touch Your Home May Be Missing” by CJ Malson; “Stage, Show, Sold!” by Jay Dowdy; “Plan. Plant. Protect.” By George Quigley; “Staging Your Home to Sell” by Lorna Ricotta; “You Can Build Wealth by Investing in Real Estate” by Zan Monroe; “Year Round Color for Your Yard” by Charles Allen; and “Organizing Your House to Function” by Lorna Ricotta. Sunday, the topics scheduled are: “Plants in Pots: Problems and Joys” by Roger Mercer; “Buying a Home is Easier Than You Think” by Doug Nunnally; “Build Wealth by Investing in Real Estate” by Zan Monroe; ”Why Shade Matters” by Charles Allen; “Staging to Sell and Beyond” by Donna Clayton-Lloyd; “How to Get Money for the Home You Want to Buy” by Melody Spaulding; and “Grow What You Eat” by George Quigley.

Besides all the vendors, the products, the experts and the education, many of the vendors are offering raffles and giveaways at their booths. All in all, the presenting sponsors, First Alliance Mortgage and Carolina Mortgage, along with Shore and Fryer are expecting a big crowd and a top-notch event.

“What I have enjoyed about being a part of this is the amount of local vendors that are willing to come together in one venue to promote their trade,” said Shore. “There are a lot of proud vendors and tradesmen in our area. If you think you have seen it all before, come anyway. There is always some new technology, idea or trend that comes from home ownership and renovation. It is good to see what you can do to your home and get ideas about what you can do to make your house a home.”

The show lasts from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24. It’s free. Find out more about the Carolina Home Show at www.carolinahomeandgardenshow.com