Real Estate Insights in North Carolina

Survey: Open houses still have their place | Inman News

Real estate professionals have scheduled at least 31,078 open houses this weekend with a total listing price of $14.3 billion in conjunction with Realtors Nationwide Open House Weekend, according to data from Realtor.com.

via www.inman.com

Open houses have gained a lot of attention recently regarding their effectiveness and purpose. In our current market where 98% (Inman) of agents advertise on line and with social media...what is the purpose of a "traditional" and old fashioned form of promotion?

What most agents are using open houses for now is to network mostly, according to Inman. Rather than relying on the open house to bring a sale, the agent can create a buzz about a certain neighborhood and find future buyer prospects.

Open houses still have a strong place in the real estate industry because of the tradition they bring. In a society where everything is advertised and sold on line, its nice to be able to make your home buying or selling process a little more intimate and "real".

Interested in attending an Open House? Check out Our Open Houses for this weekend!

 

Now really is a great time to buy

The spring has sprung, house showings are up and buyers have awoken from their hibernation for the winter and are out in force looking at houses. Why are they out there looking? Because the market is great for buyers right now. Yes, yes you have heard that phrase a thousand times but think about it...we really do have a unique opportunity right now for buyers that will not last forever.

Could this be a good opportunity for you to buy? Think about it this way, a new home is out there right now that has all the features you wished your current abode had,  is just the right size and in the right location etc, etc.

A few more points about your future home....

it is on the market now. You can only buy what's on the market, so the good news for buyers right now is the selection is great in every price point. Open houses are a great way to shop around without an appointment for what's in your price point and there are going every weekend (Find open houses near you)

it is on sale right now. By "on sale" I don't just mean available to buy but really "on sale" like at Macy's. With interest rates at historical lows, you can buy more house for less money because of where interest rates are right now.

buying it now can get you a tax credit. April 15 is quickly approaching and whether you have filed your 2009 tax return yet or not, if you are a repeat or first-time home buyer and are under contract for a new home by April 30th you can qualify for a tax credit. It's not too late to find a house and get under contract before the deadline but you have to act fast.

If you combine all three of these factors it equals an opportunity to buy that we do not see often in the real estate market.

A home is an important purchase and for most the largest investment they have and is certainly not something to rush into lightly, but if you have thought about downsizing or moving up or if you are just curious about what is out there in your price range...now is really a good time to buy.

130+ open houses this weekend

This weekend we are hosting more than 130 open houses across the Carolinas.

Click on the area you are interested below to find open houses for this weekend. You can even print a customized itinerary of the ones you want to see complete with directions so you don't get lost!

Triad area open houses

Charlotte area open houses

Triangle area open houses

We hope to see you at one of our open houses this weekend.