Florida Open House Weekend

 

What Florida Realtors need to know about the Florida Open House Weekend

 
Picture this: On April 10 & 11, 2010, more than 35,000 blue balloons featuring the Realtor® logo will be flying above mailboxes at open houses from the Panhandle to Key West. It’s all part of the first-ever statewide open house weekend! But Florida Realtors aren’t the only ones showcasing properties during that weekend. State and local associations across the country have also designated April 10 & 11 as Open House Weekend. From coast to coast, the signature blue balloons will showcase thousands of open houses. It’s a buyer’s dream!

The timing couldn’t be better for buyers. Interest rates are low. There’s a supply of homes at all price points. And the Florida Open House Weekend is two weeks before the April 30 deadline for the homebuyer tax credit. Take time now to prime move-up and first-time buyers to go to contract that weekend.

Florida Realtors’ Role
Your state association will provide balloons FREE OF CHARGE to local boards/associations for distribution to brokers. Also, Florida Realtors has produced an array of marketing materials — event logos, radio/audio files, customizable media releases, artwork for yard signs and more — to help you promote the event to colleagues and consumers. Materials are available below.

How to Get Involved
There are a variety of ways you can help make Florida’s first Open House Weekend a huge success:

  • Open house. Consider which listing(s) you wish to promote during the Open House Weekend April 10 and 11, 2010.

  • Balloons. Consumers will be encouraged to look for the blue balloons signaling homes participating in the Florida Open House Weekend. Florida Realtors is providing a large quantity of balloons to every local board/association in the state. Contact your local association to arrange for balloons.

  • Post a sign. Create more awareness of your open houses by printing inexpensive yard signs. We’ve created sign artwork in two sizes: 28x18-inch and 18x12-inch. Download the PDFs and take them to your local sign company.

  • Educate prospective buyers about the home buying process and the $8K tax credit:

  1. Everything your buyers need to know about the homebuyer tax credit (PDF)

  2. Consumer handout explaining the $8,000 tax credit (PDF)

  3. IRS form 5405: This IRS form must be used when filing taxes to claim the tax credit (PDF)

  4. IRS form 5405 information: The official IRS instruction form (PDF)

  5. Marketing tips to create buyer interest in the tax credit (Doc)

  6. 15 Steps to Buying Your Florida Dream Home (PDF)

  • Start speading the news about the Florida Open House Weekend on your Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages, company website, email signature, and in print ads. Or send a media release to your local newspaper. Download these materials:

  1. Broker media announcement of Open House Weekend (.doc)

  2. Graphics: Small graphic to add to your email signature ; Graphic for print advertisements, including classified ads the week of the event ; Small graphic for your company website ; and a Large graphic for your company website.

  • Other ideas. Here are other ways to promote the Florida Open House Weekend in your area:    

  1. Direct the public to the MLS to view houses that will be open over the weekend.

  2. Print an insert in your local paper that list open houses in your area. Use the artwork provided above.

  3. Highlight the weekend in your social media posts (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn)