Over 120 Years of History

The Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association has a long and distinguished history. The name and jurisdiction has changed periodically during its 120 years of existence, but the community leadership and accomplishments have been consistently outstanding.

The Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association began as the Norfolk Real Estate and Stock Exchange, formed on July 23, 1886. Nine men of vision recognized the critical need to organize a professional association for their industry. The jurisdiction included all of Southside Hampton Roads and membership grew rapidly.

On May 31, 1913, the local group affiliated with the National Real Estate Board - a forerunner of NAR. Effective June 27, 1924, the name was changed to the Norfolk Real Estate Board. The Virginia Beach area established a separate Board of REALTORS® on November 13, 1951. The Norfolk Board adopted the name Norfolk-Portsmouth Board of REALTORS® on January 1, 1952. Six years later in May 1958, Portsmouth organized an independent board, which evolved into the Portsmouth-Chesapeake Association of REALTORS®. The original group became known as the Norfolk-Chesapeake Board of REALTORS®.

On January 31, 1981, history moved toward full circle as REALTORS® in Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach recombined their resources to create the Tidewater Board of REALTORS®.

In 1991, NAR approved a name change to the Tidewater Association of REALTORS®, to make it easier for the public to distinguish between the Tidewater Association of REALTORS® as a trade association with voluntary membership, and the Real Estate Board which governs licensing for all real estate agents.

In 2000, the Tidewater Association of REALTORS® and the Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association merged to form the Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association.

The Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association, in its many forms, has supported this area for over a full century by providing its members with information on education, community service, and governmental affairs. It has established an impressive track record of service to both the community and the real estate industry. And, as it has in the past, the Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association will continue to evolve as the needs of the membership change and grow.