History of the
1902 |
The Berkeley Association of REALTORS® was founded in 1902 as the Berkeley Board of Realtors. Frances Ferrari was our first president, as well as the first president of the California Real Estate Federation (now the California Association of REALTORS®), founded in 1905. The National Association of REALTORS® was founded in 1908. Following World War II, the Berkeley Board of Realtors moved into two small rooms on the second floor at 2171 Shattuck Ave. (built cira 1904). During some lean periods at that time, President Ormsby Donogh held the Board together with his strong commitment of time and experience. Ormsby was an unusual combination of integrity, determination, and leadership. He was also a Member of the Appraisal Institute of the NAR, one of the few at that time to hold that distinction. Ormsby was a teacher and mentor to many. It was then that Helen Greely became our executive secretary. George Hoyt was our next president and was also an appraiser of recognized ability. George and Ormsby always had time to give advice. Both were Honorary Lifetime Directors of the Board and regularly gave talks at our Breakfast Meetings. |
1945 |
In 1945, Maurice G. Read was president of our Board. He was also president of Mason McDuffie Co., then a single office real estate company on the southeast corner of Shattuck Ave. and Addison St. Berkeley Savings & Loan Co. (now American Savings Bank) started in the building. Maury was a strong leader and a major influence on the real estate industry. In 1965, Maury became president of the National Association of REALTORS®, the only Board member to do so. During this time, before the days of 100 percent cooperation on listings, Realtors personally visited each other's offices to exchange information on "exclusive" listings. Commission splits were generally one-third to the listing office and two-thirds to the selling office. |
1950 |
In the early 1950's, our Board office was moved to 2054 University Ave. (the Kroeber Building). A rickety elevator rattled up to our 3rd or 4th floor where Helen Greely ran the office. At that time, the Board had breakfast meetings at the Whitecotton Hotel (now the Shattuck Hotel). The meetings were hold on Saturday morning so all of the part-time salespeople--some of them school teachers--could attend. Eventually Henry Crevelt moved the meetings to Spenger's on Thursdays. Before Helen Greely was our executive secretary, she and David M. Robinson were real estate broker partners on north Shattuck Ave. as Greely-Robinson. Dave was a past Board president as well as the president of CAR in 1965. Jerome Blank became a Realtor in September 1946 with an older partner, Ben F. Adams. They called themselves Live Oak Realty and were located on north Shattuck Ave. Jerry was a Board president in 1957 and president of CAR in 1977. He is also a Life Director of NAR, receiving its Distinguished Service Award in 1994. We are fortunate to have him as a leader in the Board and in the City of Albany. |
1956 |
In 1956, David Robinson, chairman of the Acquisition Committee, oversaw the purchase of the old Louis Food Store on Grove St. (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way). The following year, Jerry Blank was in charge of remodeling it for our use. During the tumult of the 1960's, the Board office was fire bombed, then restored. It was at this Board office on MLK Way that our Multiple Listing Service began. Ruel Watson of Watson & Watson Realtors helped establish the service. Listing were reproduced on a manually-operated mimeograph machine and then distributed to the various offices once a week. Photographs were sent out the following week to be tediously matched with the listing sheets. |
1965 |
A. Gordon Nicholson Jr. was president of our Board in 1965. He became president of the Contra Costa Board of Realtors in 1977 and was president of CAR in 1983. Gordy was the fifth Board member to be made president of CAR. This is certainly a notable accomplishment for an Association of about 500 members and may even be a record. His mother and father were Realtor partners as The Nicholsons on north Shattuck Ave. Jack Whiting became our executive officer after Helen Greely. In 1984, after Jack retired, Frank Battino became our executive officer. He was recognized as a leader in real estate throughout the state. |
Many more have given of themselves or are still giving to continue the success of the Berkeley Association of REALTORS®. Anyone with more history is encouraged to fax it to (510) 848-2439, Attn: Executive Officer. |