Realtor Nationwide Open House this weekend

See previous story in the ShorelineAreaNews

by Cheri Brennan, for Seattle KingCounty REALTORS

Prospective homeowners will have plenty to preview this weekend. More than 1,600 Open Houses are scheduled around King County on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 in conjunction with the first REALTOR Nationwide Open House event. Seattle KingCounty REALTORS are among local associations taking part in the promotion.

House hunters can plan self-directed tours of open houses without being escorted by an agent, and can arrange their own itinerary using online tools. Most REALTOR brokerages participate in the “Public Open House Service” of the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. When visiting a participating brokerage’s website, consumers can click on an open house symbol, and then specify certain criteria such as price range, number of bedrooms, and geographic preferences. A list of open houses that match the criteria, regardless of which brokerage has the listing, is produced so house-hunters can plan their tour schedules and routes.