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MEDIA ALERT: The Georgia Association of REALTORS(R) Announces REALTOR(R) Open House Weekend April 10-11, 2010

WHO: REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend is a collaborative effort sponsored by REALTOR® Associations around the nation.

WHAT: The first annual REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend will be held April 10-11, 2010. Blue REALTOR® "R" balloons will indicate which homes are participating in this event. REALTORS® in communities throughout Georgia will open the doors to a variety of homes for public viewing, and are prepared to answer questions about the current housing market, the home buying and selling process in general and the specific home they are representing. There will be no hard-pressure sales tactics, just open and honest dialogue between consumers and REALTORS®.

WHEN: April 10-11, 2010

WHY: The purpose of the nationwide Open House campaign is to increase consumer awareness of the benefits of buying a home, give sellers an opportunity to increase the exposure for their home for sale and to encourage open dialogue between the public and REALTORS®. Benefits of buying a home in the current market include:

• Low interest rates
• Low home prices
• A variety of home choices available
• The Federal Homebuyer's Tax Credit is still available, which was also expanded to include individuals who wish to purchase a new primary residence, as well as first-time homebuyers. Contracts must in place by April 30, 2010, in order to acquire the tax credit. Click here for more information on the tax credit.

PARTICIPANTS: Over 10,000 REALTORS® are expected to participate in every corner of Georgia -- Atlanta, Savannah, Athens, Columbus, Macon, and several smaller cities and towns in between.

CONTACT: Please contact Brandie Miner, Director of Communications and Marketing at GAR, if you are interested in interviewing a representative from GAR or would like to schedule an on-site interview at an open house this weekend.