High Point Realtors mark 100 years

Pat Kimbrough, The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·2 min read

Apr. 6—HIGH POINT — The last century has brought success and challenges to the real estate industry in High Point.

That was one takeaway from Tuesday's 100th anniversary celebration of the High Point Regional Association of Realtors, which was founded in 1923.

"Our association has existed for the past 100 years because of the dedication, service and commitment that has been passed down from generations of Realtor families who have and still are continuing the tradition of promoting and protecting home ownership," 2023 association President Karen Allred said. "Our association has survived the depressions and the recessions, but only because of our strong membership."

At Tuesday's event at Congdon Yards, Mayor Jay Wagner told the organization's members that their work has been instrumental in the city's growth.

"You guys are often the first face of High Point that people see when somebody is coming to town," he said.

Wagner said the Congdon Yards campus and other growth downtown should be a selling point that Realtors tout to their clients.

"There's a lot of folks in High Point who still don't know about this place. They don't know what's going on in this part of High Point," he said. "I want you to help us with that, because I think it will help you sell houses and sell properties. Even if they are looking at a house in north High Point, bring them down here."

While the growth in property values has been good for city coffers, it's driven up housing prices, and demand still outstrips supply, said Leigh Brown, president of the N.C. Association of Realtors.

"It's a hard time to be a Realtor right now. You have people who would like to buy, and there's nothing," she said. "We're having a hard time serving our workforce housing so that we have a good, diverse price point so all of our neighbors can have an opportunity at the American dream."

Brown said the state association lobbied for pending state legislation that would seek to incentivize the development of more affordable housing.