First, when you are starting your house hunt, open houses are a great way to famiiarize yourself with floorplans, features, price points and to get a very general idea of what you like and don't like. Open houses are unfortunately not the best strategy for a successful purchase, particulalrly in this seller's market. Here's why.
Not every listing is held "open" every weekend. What you'll mostly be looking at are the newest listings, many of which are most likely to sell for above the list price with multiple offers very quickly and the oldest listings that are either grossly over priced or have undersirable features and are hard to sell. Or both! The best way to find your next home is to work with Realtor who can get you into all the listings you want to see and advise you as to the buying (or selling) process.
Speaking of Real Estate Agents, the reason that most agents work at open houses, either their listings or someone elses, is to meet buyers. So, you will hear some pretty outrageous stuff from many of the agents you are likely to run into. The most common urban myth these days is that they have "off-market" and pocket listings that you'll never see unless you work with the, (Sure.) While we all have access from time to time to a few listings that are "coming soon", for the most part most properties ultimately get listed in the MLS in order to get the most visibility and have the greatest exposure to the public.
BUYER SPECIAL OFFERS
If you are buying a home in the South Bay, call me for some specials I am running for my buyer clients. These programs can help you save thousands in closing costs. These are real savings for real people that many of my clients have enjoyed over the years. Don't be shy, call 310 975 5139.
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