Press Releases

San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® Participates in the First REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend

Tuesday, April 6, 2010 , Julie Ziemelis, SAMCAR Director of Public Affairs

** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **
San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® Participates in the First REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend

San Mateo, CA -The San Mateo County Association of REALTORS (SAMCAR) has announced that the association is participating in the REALTOR® Nationwide Open House event Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11. The nationwide effort is to increase consumer awareness of the benefits of buying a home and give sellers an opportunity to increase the exposure for their home for sale. Most importantly, the open house event is a collective effort on behalf of SAMCAR and its participating members to continue to spread the word about the expanded first-time homebuyer and long-term homebuyer tax credits, which end April 30. Qualified buyers wishing to take advantage of the credits, which provide up to $8,000 for first-time homebuyers and up to $6,500 forexisting homeowners, must enter into a contract by April 30 and close no later thanJune 30.

With interest rates remaining at historically low levels and average home prices as low as they have been in five years combined with the Federal Tax Credit, this spring home buying season is a great time to get out and look at what’s available on the market. Furthermore, the state of California has re-instated the $10,000 tax credit for first time home buyers which will take effect on May 1st and expire on December 30th, 2010. “REALTORS® are guided by a Code of Ethics in the work we do. Having a REALTOR® in a real estate transaction, whether it is buying or selling a home, makes a difference. REALTORS® have a level of expertise and experience that can guide people through a challenging yet rewarding process. REALTORS®, in this case, are working together to help would-be homeowners by highlighting the benefits of homeownership, including the tax credits and with sellers, to showcase their listings,” Jennifer Tasto, 2010 SAMCAR President stated.

REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend, April 10-11, will provide potential home buyers with an opportunity to view homes in their desired market area, obtain information and answers to questions about specific homes, market conditions and the home buying process. To see a list of all the open homes available within a zip code, go to www.mlslistings.com and click on “Open Homes”. Look for participating Open Houses with the blue and white REALTOR® balloons!

DETAILS:
- REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend is a collaborative effort sponsored by REALTOR® Associations around the nation.
- Agents and brokers will participate by hosting open houses throughout San Mateo County.
- All open houses will be individually coordinated between agents and brokers and their respective clients. Not all homes for sale will be open or be open both days. Hours for the open houses will vary among participating clients.

The San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® (SAMCAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 3,100 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula. SAMCAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in San Mateo County. For more information, please contact SAMCAR at 650.696.8200. San Mateo County sales statistics, news stories and press releases are available on SAMCAR’s web site at www.samcar.org.

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The San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® (SAMCAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 3,800 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula. SAMCAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in San Mateo County.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

For further information, please contact Julie Ziemelis, Director of Public Affairs, e-mail , or phone (650) 696-8214.

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