FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — With plentiful inventory and record-breaking housing affordability conditions, Realtors® expect this year’s spring home buying season to be a busy one.
To kick off the season, the Staten Island Board of Realtors is joining with Realtors® from coast to coast to host Realtor® Nationwide Open House Weekend. On April 28 and 29, Realtors® on Staten Island will hold open houses all weekend long, bringing buyers and sellers together.
“This nationwide event offers buyers the chance to visit some of the many homes in their local area while learning more about homeownership,” said Georgianna Diaz, president of SIBOR. “Open houses also are an opportunity for Realtors® to connect with consumers in their communities about the housing issues that matter most to them.”
Realtors® will be available at open houses to answer consumer questions about the home buying process and local market conditions.
According to research from the National Association of Realtors®, more renters than ever aspire to become homeowners and an overwhelming majority of Americans believe buying a home is a solid financial decision.
“Homeownership matters to individuals, families, communities and our nation’s economy,” Mrs. Diaz said. “The housing market plays a vital role in both the long- and short-term health of this country. Homeownership is not just an investment in your future; it’s an investment in the future of generations to come.”
Earlier this year, the National Association of Realtors reported housing affordability conditions reached the highest level since recordkeeping began in 1970. The housing affordability index is based on the relationship between the median home price, median family income and the average mortgage interest rate. The index reached 206.1 in January, the first time the index broke the two hundred mark. The higher the index, the greater the household purchasing power. This means the typical family has roughly double the income needed to purchase a median-priced home.
For additional information and locations of the open houses, log onto http://www.siborrealtors.com and click on the “Open House Search” icon.
About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)
The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.
SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.
Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas.
SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Inc. (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.
All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).
SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at http://siborrealtors.com.
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AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS:
Sandy Krueger, CEO of SIBOR; 908-507-6397
Georgianna Diaz, president of SIBOR, 646-996-4131
Traci Cangiano, president-elect of SIBOR 9917-468-7991
MEDIA CONTACT: BARTON HOROWITZ
HEADQUARTERS: 718‑682‑1509
MOBILE: 917‑715‑8761
E‑MAIL: [email protected]
