UPSTAR Celebrates 100 Years
1913 – 2013
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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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