Tampa Bay associations announce merger plans
Pending NAR approval, the newly formed organization will be a Florida powerhouse and the sixth-largest Realtor association in the nation.
Two major Florida Realtor associations are planning to merge, forming one of the largest associations in the nation.
Which associations are involved? The Pinellas Realtor Organization/Central Pasco Realtor Organization (PRO/CPRO), based in Clearwater, Florida, and the Greater Tampa Realtors Association (GTA) will join to form the Tampa Bay Realtors. Members of both associations voted to approve the merger, which now goes to NAR for final approval.
The merged associations will continue to be part of Stellar MLS with no change in MLS services. All staff and offices will remain.
A new powerhouse in Florida: The merger will create the third-largest local association in Florida and the sixth-largest association in the nation, with more than 24,000 members. The association will serve Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties, which form the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, the 17th-largest metro in the country.
The new organization will be helmed by Co-CEOs David Bennett from the Pinellas organization and Jason Outman from the Greater Tampa association.
Agents who currently belong to both organizations will benefit from a single set of policies and procedures to adhere to, and will only need to pay dues to one association, the leaders said.
What the leadership had to say: "Tampa Bay Realtors will continue to bring localized services to our members while harnessing our enterprise size and scale to provide cutting-edge programs and influential advocacy," said Brad Monroe, chair of the Unification Taskforce that organized the merger.
"To consumers, Tampa Bay is one thriving region," said Adam Grenville, GTA president. "With unification, members can leverage the incredible resources across both associations to provide real estate services throughout the Tampa Bay area with three service centers for more in-person support and a larger combined staff to support member needs."
Tom Steck, president of PRO/CPRO said being a part of a single, larger association will bring better service than the separate entities could provide.
"In today's uncertain real estate market, there truly is strength in numbers," Steck said. The combined association "will enable Tampa Bay Realtors to simplify members' ability to navigate industry changes and enjoy more impactful tools, education, and coordinated advocacy to significantly increase the return on membership dues."