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Alberta Real Estate Association

Alberta Real Estate Association The Alberta Real Estate Association is a provincial, non-profit organization representing the interests of REALTORS® in Alberta. With about 11,000 members and 11 regional real estate boards, AREA is committed to improving the quality of the real estate profession, by unifying industry standards, educating real estate professionals, and advising governments in legislative decisions concerning real estate. AREA also promotes goodwill between the public and real estate professionals through volunteer work and charitable initiatives.

AREA's board of directors and various committees work towards improving the quality of the real estate profession, by ensuring the competency of their members. Through monthly electronic newsletters, AREA's REALTORS® get up to date information on Alberta's real estate market. The Association also offers legal help and a library of practical articles for its members. AREA is authorized by the Real Estate Council of Alberta to develop and administer all courses to license Real Estate and Mortgage professionals. They also offer many courses for the professional development of REALTORS®.

Quality of Life From its inception in 1947, the Alberta Real Estate Association has had a powerful political impact. AREA was founded with the help of Edmonton real estate agent Andy Whyte, partly as a reaction to the Veterans' Land Act of 1943, which threatened many real estate businesses with closure by preventing real estate agents from earning commission on land sales to veterans. AREA was created to be the real estate industry's voice in government, and it has lobbied for the creation of 1991's Real Estate Act, the Law of Property Act, the Condominium Act and the Residential Tenancies Act, and contributed to discussions on rent control. Through its Alberta REALTORS® Political Action Network (ARPAN), AREA maintains a close relationship with Alberta's MLAs, to continue effecting political change on behalf of the real estate industry.

The Home Project The Alberta Real Estate Association takes an interest in the community at large through its Quality of Life Initiative, to ensure Alberta's economic vitality, ample housing opportunities for Albertans, protection for property rights, environmental preservation, and the general improvement of Alberta's communities. As part of this initiative, AREA is partnered with Alberta First, a joint operation between provincial and municipal governments to boost the province's international profile. To improve the health of Alberta's environment, AREA is on a provincial committee dedicated to redeveloping contaminated sites in Alberta. In addition, as part of Alberta's Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI), AREA helps create low-income and special needs housing across the province. To further support the housing needs of Albertans, AREA runs the Home Program that offers education, support, and down-payment assistance to Albertans trying to become homeowners. AREA rewards its members for community activism by hosting the annual Quality of Life REALTOR® Awards.

References

Alberta Real Estate Association. Retrieved June 20, 2008, from www.abrea.ab.ca

Alberta Real Estate Association. "Quality of Life: The Principles at Work." Retrieved June 20, 2008, from www.abrea.ab.ca

Alberta Real Estate Association. "Strength in Numbers." Retrieved June 20, 2008, from www.abrea.ab.ca

Gilpin, John. Responsible Enterprise: A History of Real Estate & the Edmonton Real Estate Board. Edmonton: Edmonton Real Estate Board, 1997

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