Real estate open houses (lack thereof) (Orlando, Apopka: neighborhood, buyers, schools)

[jadidonato]

Every weekend I look online (usually Zillow) for lists of open houses in Central Florida and really do not see a lot. Is this not a big thing in Florida?

In NY there were tons every weekend. Trying to start looking at what my money can/can't buy here... just moved back a few months ago from NYC/Long Island.

Don't want to get an agent yet because I'm not ready to buy until Spring-ish.

[annerk]

We've had several every weekend for as long as I can remember in my neighborhood. Just because they aren't on Zillow it doesn't mean the don't exist.

[AONE]

It requires an agent to advertise their open houses on Zillow in order for you to see them there. Realtor.com, and Trulia as well as Craigslist also are places to find them.

[Rabflmom]

I don't think there are as many open houses here in my area anyway as there were in the boom when all the builders hired people to show off all their models. With the internet why pay someone to sit in a home for hours and hours when you can put the tour on line. If someone likes what they see and really want to see it they will call an agent. That eliminates the middle man and gets real buyers instead of the looky loos who spent weekends touring homes just for fun with no intent to buy. I remember being one of those looky loos way back in the 80s. Never even looked into any of the homes we toured.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by jadidonato

Every weekend I look online (usually Zillow) for lists of open houses in Central Florida and really do not see a lot. Is this not a big thing in Florida?

In NY there were tons every weekend. Trying to start looking at what my money can/can't buy here... just moved back a few months ago from NYC/Long Island.

Don't want to get an agent yet because I'm not ready to buy until Spring-ish.

Redfin.com is much better than Zillow, they recently started in Orlando. They are the best for viewing all open houses.

[kyle19125]

It speaks to the economic conditions of the area. In the Northeast US for example where in most areas the average list price is in the neighborhood of 300K-350K (or more) the return on investment of having an open house is obviously much higher than here where it's a third less or more on average to sit in a house and wait for potential buyers to roll through. The potential audience for those able to afford a home at 300K or more in Central Florida is quite limited comparatively speaking, with a median price on all active homes hovering just under 200K.

[annerk]

There are at least six open houses in my neighborhood today. I just drove past all teh signs on my way to the Post Office.

By the way, homes in my neighborhood range $275K to $700K and up.

[Buckeye77]

We've had an "open house" 3 times in the past six weeks - where you been?

[miakelly]

Our office has several open houses every weekend. I live in the Dr. Phillips area and most Saturdays or Sundays if I am driving on Apopka-Vineland Rd, Conroy-Windermere or Dr. Phillips Blvd, I usually see quite a few open house signs. I would check all the sites that have already been mentioned (Zillow, Craigslist, Trulia, Realtor.com, Redfin) as different agents may use different methods of advertising.

[totsuka]

You should contact several agents now to feel them out. Some are just lazy and won't do much leg work beyond sending you the listings. Ask them about the schools, crime, traffic, taxes, etc...go with the one that will do some homework for you.