The National Association of REALTORS celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2008. Below are some of the highlights from the past 100 years:

1908 The National Association of Real Estate Exchanges is founded in Chicago. Dues are $1 per year, with a one-time membership fee of $50.

1913 The Code of Ethics for Real Estate is adopted with the Golden Rule as its theme.

1916 The term “REALTOR” is adopted to identify members.

1920 NAR moves its headquarters from Minneapolis to Chicago.

1924 Dues are raised to $5.

1928 NAR’s three-way agreement is born, which links membership in a local board with membership in the state and national associations.

1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt launches “The New Deal” to save farmers and home owners from foreclosure. NAR provides the appraisal standards for the Home Owners Loan Corporation, which saves about 1 million home owners from foreclosure.

1942 NAR establishes a permanent presence in Washington, DC.

1944 NAR cancels its convention in support of the war effort.

1949 The Patent and Trademark Office approves NAR’s registration of the term “REALTOR”.

1962 NAR launches its first national advertising and public relations campaign. The first full-page ad appeared in U.S. News & World Report.

1968 President Lyndon Johnson signs the Fair Housing Act.

1972 The Association’s name is changed to the National Association of REALTORS and membership is opened up to salespeople.

1980 With inflation running at 13% and an unemployment rate near 8%, single-family home sales plunge by 22% from the previous year.

1981 Mortgage rates surpass 18%.

1987 NAR initiates a REALTOR Pride campaign to teach members to identify themselves as REALTORS on their signs and business cards.

1991 Mortgage interest rates dip below 10% for the first time in 12 years.

1992 Dorcas Helfant of Virginia Beach becomes the first woman president of NAR.

1996 NAR launches REALTOR.com.

2000 Dennis Cronk of Roanoke serves as NAR President.

2001 Within 48 hours of the September 11^th terrorist attacks, NAR establishes the REALTORS Housing Relief Fund, which raises and distributes more than $8 million to assist with housing costs for families of victims.

2003 Residential mortgage interest rates dip below 6% -- the lowest level since the early 1960s – and more than 6 million existing homes are sold.

2004 NAR membership breaks the 1 million mark. NAR’s new Washington, DC building opens and becomes the capital’s first newly constructed ‘green’ building.

2005 NAR launches two major disaster relief efforts, raising millions of dollars in aid for victims of the December 2004 South Asian tsunami and August 2005 Hurricane Katrina.

2007 NAR’s Board of Directors elects Charles McMillan president-elect for 2008. McMillan becomes the first African American in line for NAR presidency.