For over 100 years, the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) has aided and served real estate agents, brokers, and real estate professionals in the state of California. C.A.R. works tirelessly to promote excellence and professional standards, integrity, and education, quell legal disputes, and even affect real estate and housing law. They are driven to uphold the most rigid standards of professional conduct for the real estate industry.
It’s quite an organizational task if you consider that the Golden State has an estimated 170,000 REALTORS®, REALTOR®-Associates and affiliate C.A.R. members, as well as 100 local member associations all over California.
The mission of C.A.R.:
According to the C.A.R. website, “The purpose of the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® is to serve its membership in developing and promoting programs and services that will enhance the members’ freedom and ability to conduct their individual businesses successfully with integrity and competency, and through collective action, to promote real property ownership and the preservation of real property rights.”
The vision of C.A.R.:
Per C.A.R., “The REALTOR® organization will be the pre-eminent source of essential business services and the association of choice for real estate professionals committed to excellence.”
C.A.R.’s storied past:
The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® is a statewide trade association dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. The Association develops and promotes programs and services that will enhance the members’ freedom and ability to conduct their individual businesses successfully with integrity and competency and, through collective action, promotes the preservation of real property rights.
While C.A.R. is the biggest and most influential real estate trade association in the state of California today, that wasn’t always the case. In fact, it was born as the California State Realty Federation on May 27, 1905, when a group of 70 real estate agents came together to form an organization to fight perceptions of misconduct in their industry.
At first, the association consisted of nine Boards of Realtors, electing Francis F. Ferrier, of Berkeley, California as their first president. After several unsuccessful attempts, they saw their first real victory in 1919, when they sponsored and endorsed a real estate licensing act that became law. That licensing law was the first of its kind in the entire United States and became the model for many other states after California.
Emboldened by that success, the organization grew slowly until 1920, when the name was changed to the California Real Estate Association. The name was changed again in 1975 to the current California Association of Realtors®.
Providing legal services to members:
One of C.A.R.’s most pivotal roles is providing legal guidance and services to its members. Realtors and brokers, etc. have access to a huge catalog of legal education tools, drawing on more than 150 collective years of real estate law experience from their team of attorneys.
Not only do they keep members up to date on changes in the industry, common legal issues, and the like, but members can access an entire library of legal articles covering 150 topics in 30 subject areas to better inform and prepare themselves.
To access this free legal information, visit http://www.car.org/legal.
C.A.R. also offers an invaluable Legal Hotline, where members can actually speak with a real estate attorney live from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for transactional questions.
C.A.R. also hosts a Legal Action Fund, collecting funds that are used to advocate for the real estate profession in the appellate courts, impacting several landmark cases in the past.
C.A.R. in the community:
The California Association of Realtors is dedicated to helping the very communities in which we live. They do this in part through programs like REALTORS®, where real estate agents, brokers, and professionals volunteer their time and expertise to support great local charities.
C.A.R. takes care of its own:
California’s preeminent real estate organization is loyal to its members and their families. One example of this is the C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund
C.A.R., established after the catastrophic 2003 California wildfires. C.A.R.’s Disaster Fund provides grants for members, Realtors, their families, and other staff that occurred significant losses due to wildfires or other natural disasters.
Promoting education with C.A.R.:
C.A.R. has helped students attend colleges and universities since 1948 with its Scholarship and Education Foundations, awarding scholarships and grants from $2,000 up to $4,000 for qualified students that want to pursue a career in the field of real estate.
Additionally, The C.A.R. Education Foundation was established in 2005 to further help students that wanted to pursue real estate through higher education.
Countless other resources:
The California Association of Realtors offers an incredible array of resources, information, and tools for its members, including media relations services, consumer advertising campaigns, marketing help, their award-winning monthly California Real Estate Magazine, email newsletters, a video library, market data, regional research and much more.
How to contact C.A.R.:
C.A.R.’s Legislative office is located in Sacramento at 1121 L Street, Suite 600, and they can be reached by phone at (916) 492-5200.
The executive office of C.A.R. is located at 525 South Virgil Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90020 at the number (213) 739-8200
But the easiest way to find out about C.A.R. and access their host of information and resources is to visit their official website at
www.car.org.