More than 50 years ago, in 1951, a group of real estate brokers in the northern part of Bristol County, which includes the cities of Attleboro and Taunton, joined together to form the North Bristol County Association of Realtors® (NBCAR). In its early days, the NBCAR operated with a volunteer leadership. Directors met at area real estate offices, and meetings of the membership were held at local restaurants.
In 1974, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts deeded 437 acres of land to the City of Taunton for industrial development. With the hope that this development would provide employment opportunities for area residents as well as an increased tax base, the City established the non-profit Taunton Development Corporation to develop an Industrial Park. It was clear that the success of the Park was dependent on a link to the planned extension of Route 495. Local Realtors® joined in the effort to secure this important interchange. With the completion of Route 495, in 1983, the Myles Standish Industrial Park attracted the interest of a substantial number of companies. A combination of convenient access, a plentiful water supply, low cost electricity provided by the municipally owned Lighting Plant, and available labor supply were important to companies searching for building sites. The Myles Standish Industrial Park has now grown to 680 acres and includes 80 companies with almost 6,700 employees.
During the 1980s continued NBCAR growth and the increasing complexity of issues faced by a Realtor® made it apparent that an Office Building and Executive Officer were needed. In 1986 the Board purchased the building located at 22 Sherwood Drive and renovations were completed in 1987. During this time period that a growth in "bedroom" communities appeared. Areas such as Berkley, Dighton, and Norton, which were considered to be more rural and therefore more desirable, saw young families moving into the area to raise their children while still continuing to working in Boston and Providence areas. All of these changes were part and parcel to the huge boom in construction and the economy.
In the 1990s there were many more changes in the NBCAR organization, a Full Time Executive Officer was hired. Also, at this time there were changes on the National level. Board of Choice was now in effect. This meant that real estate professionals could belong to any Board they chose regardless of the area they worked in. The Internet now connected all people to valuable and unimaginable amounts of information.
The membership in the board has grown to over 600 Members. The NBCAR strives to keep up with the changing times and offer its members the latest technology and a professional staff to meet all of their needs.