“They started camping there on Monday,” said Jocelyn Cayer, co-owner of Maisons SACA Homes. “They just wanted to be in line to be first to select their homes.”

Cayer estimated about a dozen would-be homeowners spent the past few days camped out Maison SACA Homes’ Bruge Street office. Most of them are from Ottawa, Oshawa, or Toronto.

He admitted he’s never seen anything like this happen in the 15 years that he and his partner have been doing residential development projects. The company’s focus is on projects in Embrun, Casselman, Crysler, and Limoges.

Maison SACA Homes’  current Embrun project, Place St-Thomas at St-Thomas Road, is a work-in-progress with more than 400 homes planned when completed.

The next phase of the project begins Friday, September 18, with 10 lots becoming available on a first-come-first-choice basis for prospective buyers. Once those 10 lots are claimed, their new owners then tell Maison SACA Homes which one of 16 residence models they want built on the lot.

Cayer noted that even if there are more than 10 people present when the 10 lots become available Friday, those who are not among the fortunate group of 10 will not leave disappointed.

“Everyone who shows up, we will take their names,” Cayer said, adding that Maison SACA Homes will contact them in advance when the next group of lots becomes available in February and March 2021.