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Real estate in the Lehigh Valley is 100 years old.

The Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS®, a trade association that represents over 3,000 real estate professionals throughout Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, is celebrating its centennial in 2021.

GLVR Launches Grant Program to Celebrate 100 Years

In celebration of the milestone birthday, the association’s Board of Directors has created a grant program to support non-profit organizations in Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties.

“Coming out of a pandemic year, the ramifications of which continue to be felt, we decided that instead of spending 100th anniversary money on gifts and internal recognition, we wanted it to be forward facing and to go into our community,” said Tim Tepes, 2021 president of the association.

GLVR CEO Justin Porembo added, “REALTORS® have been a cornerstone of this community since 1921. We have never been here just for the transaction. We are here – and have always been here, for the last 100 years – to help build the community. These grants will allow our organization to aid non-profits and community organizations that have been hit hard by the pandemic. We look forward to hearing from them and helping our community exactly where it’s needed.”

What to know about the grant application process:

  • Organizations applying must be a non-profit.
  • Each organization must highlight the community impact of their project and the financial investment into the program that they are requesting funding.
  • Grant applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis up until the application deadline of November 30, 2021.
  • If a grant is awarded to an organization, the proceeds of that grant cannot be distributed to or be used to benefit any organization or individual supporting or engaged in violations of private property rights or used for any other unlawful purpose.
  • The grant application is AVAILABLE HERE for viewing, downloading and printing.

History of Becoming the Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS®

Multiple puzzle pieces have fallen into place over the last 100 years to form today’s association, which is based at 10 S. Commerce Way in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

April 27, 1921, is the official birthday of the association, which traces its roots back to that date and the opening of the Allentown-Lehigh County Association of REALTORS®.

Two years after the creation of the Allentown-Lehigh County Board, the Bethlehem Association of REALTORS® opened its doors in April of 1924, followed by the Eastern Northampton County Association of REALTORS® on June 22, 1925.

The association prides itself on being the first organization in the area to recognize we are better together – the Lehigh Valley should be thought of as a whole instead of as a separate municipality or as one county on its own. The Lehigh Valley Association of REALTORS® was established in 1996 by the merger of the Allentown-Lehigh County Association, Bethlehem Association and Eastern Northampton County Association of REALTORS®.

In 2014, the Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS®, the association as it is known today, was established by the merger of the Lehigh Valley Association of REALTORS® and the Carbon County Association of REALTORS®. The Carbon Association was first established on November 15, 1979.