In 1909 the Edmonton Real Estate Exchange was created. It introduced a shared listing concept, a uniform rate of commission for services and endeavored to create a high standard of integrity and encourage a spirit of fair and honourable competition in the marketplace. The exchange operated only to 1913, overwhelmed by the political and economic upheaval of the times. Reflecting better economic times of the late 1920s, members of the Edmonton real estate industry established the Edmonton Real Estate Association in 1927.

This organization adopted a code of ethics, established a two-tier membership system of salesmen and agents and a committee system of operating. Its most important accomplishment was the passage in 1929 of the Real Estate Agents’ Licensing Act, a bill to require persons to furnish qualifications to act as real estate agents. The Association evolved into the Edmonton Real Estate Board Co-operative Listing Bureau Ltd. in 1952, just in time to service the needs of the post war boom. The next three decades would be the golden age of real estate in Edmonton.

The REALTORS® Association of Edmonton is a professional services association comprised of over 3,200 Brokers and Associates serving the greater Edmonton area. The strategic affairs of the Association are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, comprised of working REALTORS® and administered by an Executive Officer and a staff of fifty.

The REALTORS® Association delivers professional education and advertises property listings on the Internet at REALTOR.ca (formerly mls.ca), as well as in the Real Estate Weekly for the benefit of REALTORS® and their clients. Commercial listings are advertised on cls.ca and albertafirst.com.

REALTORS® in Edmonton and area also hold membership in both the Canadian Real Estate Association and the Alberta Real Estate Association.

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada's largest single-industry trade associations, representing approximately 94,000 real estate brokers/agents and salespeople working through 96 real estate boards, 10 provincial associations and one territorial association. CREA's primary mission is to represent its members at the federal level of government and to act as a watchdog on national legislation which pertains to the real estate industry. CREA has frequently taken strong stands to defend the public's right to own and enjoy property. CREA owns the MLS® trademark; owns and operates MLS Online®, also known as REALTOR.ca (formerly mls.ca) and has a proprietary interest in the REALTOR® trademark.

Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) is a trade association of 10,800 members in 11 local real estate boards in Alberta. AREA works to improve and promote the real estate industry for it members and supports its members in their philanthropic activities at the community level.

Some interesting events to note

• The Multiple Listing Service® was introduced in the early ‘60s.
• A catalogue, introduced in 1973, replaced daily perforated listing sheets for REALTORS® .
• Computerized operations at the Board began in 1979 with the conversion of its membership records.
• Members accessed MLS® information from their first database using the Vandat system in 1984.
• The EREB acquired an existing real estate weekly in 1985, renaming it the Real Estate Weekly.
• In 1990 the EREB became the first board in Canada to use secure electronic keyboxes to store keys on listed properties. in 2007, the keyboxes were updated with new wireless technology and security systems.
• Today, REALTORS® use enhanced software programs to coordinate their clients’ homebuying and selling needs.
• Entering its second century of service, the Edmonton Real Estate Board celebrated its 80th Anniversary in 2007.
• On May 18, 2007, the 80th anniversary, the EREB changed its name to the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton to reflect its role as a professional association of REALTORS®.