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Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS recognized at a Roanoke County Board of Supervisors meeting.
RVAR: 100 years of Roanoke real estate By Aila Boyd This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS (RVAR). Throughout its long history, many aspects of the association have changed. When it was started, the RVAR was comprised of 25 firms in the City of Roanoke. Today, it represents over 140 firms, 1,480 REALTOR® members and more than 285 affiliate company members throughout seven jurisdictions.
exterior pictures of properties were printed every two weeks. Agents and prospective homebuyers would patiently wait for new books to be printed, before heading out to properties of interest.
"Today, buyers expect beautiful photos and videos. They look at all of that before contacting a realtor. Realtors don't spend Laura Benjamin, chief executive officer, four weeks with someone in their has witnessed many changes throughout backseat anymore," she explained. her 30 years with the association. One of the most notable developments, she As a result of the increase in technology, said, has been the way technology has the process for buying and selling homes changed the nature of the industry. Back has become more immediate. in the 1980s when the Roanoke MLS (multiple listing service) was started, "It was such a longer process back in the large books with descriptions and small day," she said, adding that it isn't unusual
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