The National Association of Realtors’ month-long ‘Home Ownership Matters Bus Tour’ kicked off this weekend in Chicago outside of the Chicago Flower & Garden Show on Saturday, March 5.

Navy pier Downtown Chicago USA - Image by Goran Assner/Johnér Images/Corbis

“Home ownership matters to individuals, families and communities across this country,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. “This bus tour gives Realtors a chance to interact and communicate directly with consumers about what housing issues matter most to them.”

The NAR Home Ownership Matters Bus was parked at the Navy Pier outside Festival Hall B from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday. Attendees registered to win prizes worth up to $2,500 and enjoyed food, beverage and entertainment.

According to NAR’s Housing Opportunity Pulse Survey, more than three-fourths of Americans in the Central region of the U.S. believe that buying a home is a good financial decision. More than two-thirds of those surveyed also say now is a good time to buy a home.

“The decision to become a homeowner is a very personal one, but we believe that anyone who is able and willing to assume the responsibilities of owning a home should have the opportunity to pursue that dream,” said Phipps.

Other major stops on the tour include Denver on March 19 and Portland, Ore., on March 26, with additional stops in cities along the way. Ongoing news and information for the tour will be posted on HouseLogic at www.HouseLogic.com/bus. HouseLogic is a free source of information from NAR that helps home owners maintain and enhance the value of their homes and engage in issues that affect their local communities.