Open houses say welcome home

Online maps at navarrepress.com. For more information, call 939-8040.

NAVARRE PRESS’ Guide to

By Karina OrrNavarre Press

At times looking for the per-fect house to become home canfeel more like a hassle than a piv-otal step in a person’s life.

Setting up meetings to viewhomes, searching online databas-es and wondering if pictures aretrue to life can have the pressurebuilding. However, all that pres-sure and work will fade away withthe second annual statewide Flori-da Open House Weekend March26 and 27, according to AngelaCampbell, executive director of theNavarre Area Board of Realtors.

“It’s a home shopper’s dream,”Campbell said. “For the seriousbuyer, the opportunity to tourdozens of homes in one week-end is a real time saver. … It’s anopportunity for them to tour avail-able properties in a ‘no pressure’environment.”

Last year April 10 – 11 wasdeclared Florida Open Housebecause the April 30 deadline for

a federal homebuyer tax creditwas coming up. As a result Flori-da Realtors decided to nudgepotential home buyers in the rightdirection, according to Marla Mar-tin, communications managerfor Florida Realtors.

“It was a reminder and anopportunity to buy in time to getthe federal tax credit. We want-ed to tell buyers out there that,‘hey, this is about to end and nowis the time to buy,’” Martin said.

With more than 15,000 openhouses, it was dubbed a hugesuccess.

“We are anticipating it to be assuccessful or even more so thisyear,” Martin said. “This is thelargest open house event in thenation.”

From the Panhandle to KeyWest, more than 50,000 blue bal-loons with the Realtor white “R”will be bouncing above mailbox-es signaling that someone’s dreamhome is open for perspective buy-ers this weekend, according toCampbell. Some of those balloons

will be flying in our backyard.“Clients will be opening their

homes all across the Navarre area,”Campbell said. “The timing could-n’t be better for buyers. Interestrates are low. There’s a supply ofhomes at all price points.”

This weekend is also an idealpoint of the year since spring timehas been historically the besthome selling season, accordingCampbell and Mike Simpson, anagent with Coldwell Banker Unit-ed Realtors.

“Right now you have a lot of tran-sition, especially the military look-ing for their summer moves. You alsohave a lot of vacation people look-ing into investment properties andfor second homes,” Simpson said.

Regardless of the timing Mar-tin said open houses give poten-tial buyers a chance to speak torealtors about all the steps ofhome buying.

“There is never, not a goodhome buying season in Floridabecause of the weather. This[weekend] is a good opportuni-

ty to speak with realtors. Peoplesimply don’t know what theydon’t know. Visiting an open houseis a great way to learn more aboutthat process,” Martin said.

The weekend is also the cul-mination of the recently declared“Welcome Home Week” by Gov.Rick Scott, which is March 21through 27. According to a Flori-da Realtors’ press release, “In rec-ognizing March 21-27 as Wel-come Home Week, Gov. Scottand the Cabinet acknowledgethe important role of Florida Real-tors and its 115,000 members inpromoting the benefits of home-ownership as they work withexisting and future Florida resi-dents on a daily basis.”

Campbell said she recognizesthe benefits of this weekend

because realtors are able to guidebuyers or sellers through oneof the largest purchases they’llmake.

“Buying or selling a home isone of the biggest, most compli-cated decisions that an individ-ual, couple or family will evermake. It’s a major investment ofmoney, time, effort and emotions.Taking steps to safeguard thatinvestment by using a FloridaRealtor® – a trained profession-al who voluntarily agrees to actunder a Code of Ethics – simplymakes sense,” Campbell said.

Talk to a realtor this weekendat any number of open houses.To search for open houses, con-sumers should check with:www.mynavarrebeach.com andclick on the open house tab.

March 26 and 27

6A / NAVARRE PRESS THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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