Ft Lauderdale Lifestyle Blog

By Paul Owers South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted April 30 2007 Broward County real estate agent Marisa DiLenge will schedule an open house to showcase a property, but only if the seller insists. "If they get cranky, OK, I'll do one," DiLenge said, adding that the staged event usually attracts more neighborhood gawkers than serious buyers. "I just don't think they're effective." Some of her peers across South Florida still preach the importance of an open house but concede the once popular weekend ritual has lost ground to the Internet as a way to corral potential buyers. Many people are used to searching for properties while sitting at their computer keyboards, but the recent growth in online videos and virtual home tours has ramped up real estate marketing on the Web during a housing downturn that has dragged into a second year. "There's no denying the power of the Internet," said Jeff Levine, of Illustrated Properties in Wellington. Open houses became popular in the 1970s, when it was common for families to drive through neighborhoods after church Sunday mornings. Cookies and punch kept the kids occupied long enough for the parents to tour the homes, ask questions and consider making offers. Read Entire Story, click here