UPSTAR Celebrates 100 Years

1913 – 2013

CENTENNIAL_UPSTAR_Logo_woTagLine_Hi-Res.jpg The year 2013 marked 100 years of UPSTAR service to Fort Wayne and northeastern Indiana. The REALTOR® organization is the oldest trade association in Allen County, and its members have played a vital role in the American dream of homeownership in our local communities.

UPSTAR Celebration Video

The UPSTAR Celebration Video was revealed at the Centennial Gala on December 12, 2013.

Road to 100 Years – Association History Presentation

The following Prezi was presented by Emcees Tamara Braun and Jack McCombs at UPSTAR’s Centennial Gala on December 12, 2013.

UPSTAR Historical Timeline

1913:

The “Fort Wayne Real Estate Exchange” was formed on April 22, 1913 as a not-for-profit organization, only five years after the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) was established. The organization became affiliated with NAR and the Indiana Association of REALTORS® (IAR) that same year.

1917:

The name was changed to the Fort Wayne Real Estate Board on February 28, 1917 and it was incorporated under the laws of Indiana as a not-for-profit corporation.

1953:

On January 27, 1953, the organization underwent another name change to the Fort Wayne Board of REALTORS® and then to the Fort Wayne Area Association of REALTORS® (FWAAR).

1977:

The first formal Association offices were in the Central Building on Fairfield Avenue in 1977, using the motto, “REALTORS®, We do our homework.”

1982:

The Association office moved to a small, unique triangular-shaped office building which was purchased on St. Joe Boulevard. Also in 1982, the Association purchased the Multiple Listing Exchange/Association, formerly operated by area brokers using weekly paper listing exchanges. It was renamed to the Fort Wayne Area Multiple Listing Service (FWAMLS) and became a wholly owned, for profit subsidiary, with its own Board of Directors.

1986:

Growing membership and increased services required another move to 3124 Lake Avenue.

1996:

In 1996, the then Fort Wayne Area Association of REALTORS® experienced its first merger with the Whitley County Association of REALTORS®.

1997:

The building at 3124 Lake was sold and the offices were moved to temporary quarters at 3401 Lake Avenue until a new building could be built. The move allowed the FWAMLS to be housed on-site with the newest computer system available, a legacy system provided by Interealty. The hardware needed the space of an entire room but response time was greatly improved.

2002:

The Association moved into its new headquarters at 3403 E. Dupont Road, situated with close access to I-69 for the convenience of service to outlying regions. Also in 2002, the FWAMLS went live with a new MLS vendor, the Rapattoni Corporation.

2004:

FWAAR reached an agreement with the Huntington Association to provide MLS services to their members.

2005:

A public facing website, where consumers could search for homes, was offered to the community.

2007:

FWAAR reached an agreement with the Adams, Jay, Wells County Board of REALTORS® (AJW) to provide MLS services to their members.

2008:

The Fort Wayne and Huntington Associations merged to become one.

2009:

FWAAR and the AJW association merged to become one.

2010:

The Huntington and AJW mergers prompted the name change to “Upstate Alliance of REALTORS®” in 2010 to better reflect the expanded membership jurisdiction.

2012:

Always looking to enhance the MLS for members, the LPS Real Estate Group, featuring the new Paragon 5 MLS system, was selected as the new vendor for UPSTAR MLS. The conversion from Rapattoni to Paragon 5 MLS took place in February 2012. This year also marked the achievement of a long-term strategic goal for UPSTAR—MLS regionalization. UPSTAR was among the 13 founding MLSs to form a new company called “Indiana Regional MLS.” The new LLC was formed and the new Board of Directors was seated in September 2012.

2013:

UPSTAR celebrates its 100th year anniversary.On February 25, 2013, UPSTAR MLS was the first of 13 MLSs to migrate to the new Indiana Regional MLS system. MARKET CONDITIONS: With double-digit decreases in housing inventory for months, the inventory level dipped below 3,000 units, a level UPSTAR had not seen for nearly a decade.

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