| 1858 |
Founded as the Baltimore Board of Real Estate Brokers and Property Agents,
William Warfield was President and Samuel Snowden was
Secretary-Treasurer. There were eleven members. The purpose of the
Board was to insure that brokers were ethical. In addition, it wanted
to enhance the value of real estate.
|
| 1902 |
Re-organization took place.
|
| 1908 |
The
Baltimore Board of Real Estate Brokers and Property Agents was among
the founders of the National Association of Real Estate Exchange (now
known as the National Association of REALTORS®, or NAR).
|
| 1909 |
Pamphlet
published by the Real Estate Exchange of Baltimore noted the growth of
the Baltimore Board. There were 44 members including two of the
original eleven.
|
| 1913 |
NAR
adopted a strict Code of Ethics. The Baltimore Board of Real Estate
Brokers and Property Agents played a key role as the original concept
was included in GBBR by-laws in 1958.
|
| 1914 |
The
Board re-organized under the leadership of the late B. Howard Richards
and leased office space at 15 E. Fayette Street, in Baltimore City.
|
| 1915 |
Name changed to Real Estate Board of Baltimore.
|
| 1916 |
A multiple list service, sponsored by Real Estate Board of Baltimore, was organized.
|
| WWI |
The
Board opposed rent control and established a Fair Rent Committee. To
honor World War I hero, George B. Redwood, the Board proposed and
successfully endorsed the change of German Street to the name of
Redwood Street in Baltimore City.
|
| 1918 |
The Board began a movement to bring all lines of business related to real estate under one organization.
|
| 1925 |
The Board formed a multiple listing bureau.
|
| 1920's through 1950's |
The Board supported or advocated construction projects such as:
-
Howard Street extension
-
Franklin Street Viaduct
-
Bay Bridge
-
Memorial Stadium
-
Civic Center
|
| 1938 |
Twenty-five
real estate brokers from Baltimore City and several counties met to
create an organization to lobby for enactment of real estate license
laws. This organization was called Maryland Real Estate Association
(now known as the Maryland Association of REALTORS® or MAR).
|
| 1942 |
The
Board accepted Rent Control as a necessary evil during the World War
II, and fought a constant battle against unjust laws until the Federal
law was repealed.
|
| 1951 |
The Real Estate Board of Baltimore moved from 7 Saint Paul Street to 7 E. Lexington Street in Baltimore City.
|
| 1958 |
The
Board supported an ordinance requiring tenants to give adequate notice
before moving, clean up the property, and return all keys to the owner
of the property.
|
| 1958 |
Encouraged
by the Board, the Sunday edition of the Baltimore American and the
Baltimore Sun began publishing separate real estate sections.
|
| 1965 |
During
the Johnson administration, the Board initiated the procedure to extend
non-discriminatory prohibition to all federally funded institutions.
|
| 1967 |
MAR moved to its own offices in Annapolis - until then the Baltimore Board maintained its activities and records.
|
| 1972 |
The
Board moved to 1501 W. Mount Royal Avenue in Baltimore City. The
Central Maryland Multiple List Service (MARIT) occupied part of the
building.
|
| 1974 |
The Board changed its name from the Real Estate Board of Greater Baltimore to the Greater Baltimore Board of REALTORS® -- this provided better identification with NAR and enforcement of the Code of Ethics.
|
| 1976 |
The Board was the first local organization to sign the "Equal Opportunity in Housing" with HUD.
|
| 1982 |
The Board allows all REALTORS® to maintain membership -- New salespersons as well as Brokers that meet REALTOR® requirements and can hold Board voting rights and be elected to Board office.
|
| 1996 |
GBBR opens a satellite office in Ellicott City, in Howard County.
|
| 1997 |
The
Board moved to its current location in Baltimore County at 1306 Bellona
Avenue, Lutherville, Maryland 21093. GBBR launches its first website,
www.RealtorsBaltimore.com. |
| 1999 |
The Greater Baltimore Board of REALTORS®
Foundation, Inc. (The GBBR Foundation) is formed to support and engage
in charitable, civic, educational and humanitarian activities and
programs designed to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods
within the Baltimore metropolitan area.
|
| 2001 |
GBBR
earns national recognition in receiving the HOPE Award for its
media/public awareness campaign "Know Housing Fraud When You See It."
The campaign educated first-time homebuyers on how to avoid being
victimized in fraudulent real estate transactions by encouraging the
use of a REALTOR® Buyer's Agent to represent clients throughout the transaction. |
| 2003 |
GBBR
teams with the Baltimore City government and private foundations to
create the innovative SCOPE Project, (Selling City Owned Properties
Efficiently), a streamlined and industry-friendly approach to marketing
city owned, vacant properties to investors and homeowners alike. |
| 2004 |
GBBR
expanded its efforts to support the Adopt-A-Classroom program by
hosting a yearlong fundraising campaign which raised $13,000, far
surpassing the original goal of $10,000. A total of 26 classrooms - 13
in Baltimore City, 13 in Baltimore County - were adopted for the
2004-05 school year, and each classroom received a $500 contribution
for supplies and materials to supplement their classroom activities.
the Adopt-A-Classroom program is a 501(c)(3) non-profit nationwide
organization, working to enrich the local classroom experience and
increase both teachers' and students' chances for success. Members are
encouraged to visit http://www.adoptaclassroom.com/ to find out more about the program and how to participate! |
| 2005 |
Our
Playground at Stadium Place is a community designed one-acre playground
built between April and July 2005 on a portion of the former Memorial
Stadium site in Baltimore City. The GBBR Foundation, Inc. mad e major
pledge of dollars and in0kind support for the playground, which is the
first of its kind developed in Baltimore City. The Foundation pledge is
comprised of a $25,000 cash grant and a commitment to solicit in-kind
donations of building materials and volunteer labor valued at $25,000,
for a combined value of $50,000. |
| 2006 |
In
response to continued rapid growth in membership, GBBR moved its
headquarters to the second floor at 1306 Bellona Avenue. With
membership reaching over 4,950 -- up more than 13 percent over the
previous year and 33 percent above its 2004 level - larger quarters
were needed to expand service offerings to members. The move allowed
GBBR to double its office space, the number of classrooms and
conference rooms, and to provide expanded space for its federal credit
union. In addition, the office now hosts an updated computer lab and
training room for Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc., the
nation's largest multiple listing service and a major source of
Maryland real estate information. GBBR was named the third largest
trade association in the Baltimore metropolitan area by the Baltimore
Business Journal in December 2006. |
