Real Estate Briefs

Meet and greet

GLVAR to organize Realtor open house this weekend

Rick Shelton, president of the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors, said hundreds of GLVAR members are expected to join thousands of others around the country in participating in the first annual Realtor Nationwide Open House Weekend, to be held today and Sunday.

"We expect to see hundreds of open houses at homes listed for sale all over Southern Nevada," Shelton said. "We've never done anything like this and are hoping to make it an annual event."

He said the nationwide open house event provides "a back-to-basics opportunity" for Realtors to connect with potential buyers and future clients, "Who should realize what a rare opportunity they have right now to buy a home, especially here in the Las Vegas area."

Shelton said home shoppers are encouraged just to look and won't be pressured to buy. "They will find Realtors at these open houses who can answer their questions on homeownership, the local housing market and ins and outs of buying and selling homes.

"It's really a great opportunity for sellers to get more exposure for their home," he said. "At the same time, it's an opportunity for homebuyers to shop for a home while mortgage interest rates are still low, choices are plentiful and home prices are lower than they've been in years. It also helps us remind people that federal tax credits for first-time and repeat homebuyers will expire on April 30."

GLVAR members, homebuyers and sellers are encouraged to participate in this free event. Shelton said GLVAR will be providing signature blue Realtor R balloons for participating agents to tie to their open house signs. For more information, visit LasVegasRealtor.com.

CALV to host mixer for commercial Realtors

Commercial Alliance Las Vegas will host its annual spring networking mixer for local commercial real estate professionals May 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Cili Restaurant at the Bali Hai Golf Club.

Admission is $20 for CALV members, as well as for members of other leading commercial real estate organizations in Southern Nevada. Admission is $35 for nonmembers. Contact CALV at 784-5050 to register for the event.

Event sponsors include CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) Southern Nevada; CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Las Vegas; CMG, the Commercial Marketing Group; In Business Las Vegas; the Restrepo Consulting Group; and SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office Realtors).

CALV President Robin Civish said the spring mixer "is another way CALV is bringing the commercial real estate industry in Southern Nevada together, especially during these trying times in our economy."