Statewide Open House April 10-11, 2010

ORLANDO, Fla. – Feb. 9, 2010 – Meet the neighbors and find your Florida dream home at the same time by taking part in Florida Open House Weekend, set for April 10-11, 2010. Realtors will host open houses on behalf of home sellers in neighborhoods and communities across the Sunshine State, giving buyers a rare opportunity to visit many homes for sale in just one weekend. This first-ever statewide open house weekend is sponsored by the 115,000-member Florida Realtors®.

“It’s a home shopper’s dream,” says 2010 Florida Realtors President Wendell Davis, a broker and regional vice president with Watson Realty Corp. in Jacksonville. “For the serious buyer, the opportunity to tour dozens of homes in one weekend is a real time saver. Others who didn’t think they could afford a home may be drawn into the market by affordable prices and low interest rates. It’s a win-win!”

The Florida Open House Weekend takes place just ahead of the deadline for the federal homebuyer tax credit. Homes need to be under contract by April 30, 2010, and the purchase closed by June 30, 2010, to take advantage of up to $8,000 in the tax credit for eligible first-time buyers and up to $6,500 for eligible repeat buyers.

“This event offers people a convenient way to see as many homes as they wish in one weekend and gives Realtors a chance to be part of this massive effort to match buyers to their dream homes,” Davis says.

He adds that the Florida Open House Weekend will be a fun way to capture buyers’ attention and help them learn more about what is available in the local housing market. Blue balloons featuring the Realtor “R” logo in white – 50,000 of them – will be on display simultaneously at open houses from the Panhandle to Key West as part of the Florida Open House Weekend.

As the date for the Florida Open House draws closer, consumers can get the latest information about the event at Florida Realtors’ website: http://www.floridarealtors.org/AboutFar/OpenHouse/index.cfm

Florida Realtors®, formerly known as the Florida Association of Realtors®, serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 115,000 members in 67 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Media Center website is available at http://media.floridarealtors.org.