Chicago-area Realtor associations consider merging

The Mainstreet Organization of Realtors and the Realtor Association of NorthWest Chicagoland proposed a merger that, if approved, will create the fourth largest Realtors’ association in the nation. The two agencies combined have 16,000 members on the street, serving 185 communities in Cook County, DuPage County and Lake County, Ill. Members will vote on the proposed merger in July. “This merger represents a great opportunity for a partnership between two of the strongest and most active Realtor associations in the nation,” said RANWC President Bob Dohn. The Mainstreet Organization of Realtors currently covers real estate activities in DuPage County, which includes most of the suburban areas west of Chicago. The merger would expand the entity’s reach into the northern suburbs of the nation’s third largest city. Operations for both will continue under the Mainstreet brand. By combining the associations’ resources, the Realtors expect to have an expanded government affairs program to better monitor municipalities and advocate for homeowners when it comes to issues related to taxes and housing regulation. Write to: Kerri Panchuk.