In a general meeting, the members of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches (RAPB) recently voted to merge with the Realtors Association of St. Lucie (RASL) to form the second largest Realtor association in Florida. The merger will take effect Sept. 1.
The merger is the culmination of a decade-long strategic initiative to form a single, cross-county-line association that leverages the strengths of both organizations to deliver expanded services and support for Realtor members, while reducing the cost of operations.
“By combining our numbers, we gain tremendous purchasing power,” said RAPB’s Carol Van Gorp, who will remain as CEO of the newly formed Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches and St. Lucie County. “We also increase our influence and our capacity to provide more and better tools, resources and training, which benefits our members and the buying and selling public.”
Staci Storms, CEO of the Realtors Association of St. Lucie, agreed.
“Our associations have a shared commitment to providing innovative and high-quality resources and exceptional service to members,” she said. “We expect this merger to increase negotiating power and influence with vendors. The savings will be invested in products and services that are beneficial to our members.”
Storms will remain part of the newly formed association staff as assistant CEO.
“The merger responds to what we’ve been hearing from members of both groups for years,” Van Gorp said. “Realtors want access to cutting-edge technology and a robust education portfolio — at a lower cost. That’s exactly what this merger will enable us to provide.”
The Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches and St. Lucie County will maintain its three Palm Beach County locations, as well as the St. Lucie location.
Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches and St. Lucie represents more than 10,000 members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate. The newly formed association ranks in the top 10 nationwide. For more info., visit www.rapb.com.
ABOVE: Carol Van Gorp
