In the early 1900's a small group of real estate brokers in Kalamazoo would meet over a cup of coffee at a downtown restaurant and share information about properties for which they had contracts to sell.These gentlemen would take notes on napkins and occasionally strike a deal. As business started to improve and the number of brokers increased, this group eventually realized they should establish some basic guidelines and rules and perhaps hire a secretary to record the property detail and mail each broker a copy.

It was 1911, and the Kalamazoo Real Estate Exchange was formed. The office was located on Exchange Place, downtown Kalamazoo, the site of the current Title Bond and Mortgage office.

The Association later changed its name to the Kalamazoo Board of REALTORS® and eventually changed again to the Greater Kalamazoo Association of REALTORS®.

In1962, the Board of REALTORS® lost its Executive Officer, William Magel,who had been hired to run the National Association of REALTORS® as its top executive. President Bob Early and the Board of Directors hired Ray Becker to replace Bill Magel, and he filled that position until his retirement 38 years later. Mr. Magel unfortunately never began his new career with NAR because he died of a heart attack the evening that he signed his new employment contract. An award in his name, the William R. Magel Award of Excellence, is awarded each year by the National Association of REALTORS® to the REALTOR® association executive that best exemplifies the ethics and professionalism of the association.This is the highest, most prestigious honor a REALTOR® association executive can receive.

In 1956 the first listings with pictures were printed and made available to members.

In 1969, the REALTORS® contracted with a company named Realtron as the fifth Board nationwide to have a computerized MLS.

After outgrowing a number of locations, in 1972 the Association built a new facility on South Rose Street, which included a full service print shop and drive-up window. The drive up window allowed members to pick up their listing materials without having to get out of their cars.

In the early 1980's, the economy took a plunge and interest rates went into the upper teens, membership fell from nearly 1100 to below 700. At this point, many of the purchases were made through Land Contracts at 11%,which, at the time seemed like a terrific deal.

In 1985, GKAR became the first MLS in the country to have computerized listing photos with the Real/Net system.

Upon the retirement of Ray Becker in 2000, the Board of Directors hired Matt Maire, who currently serves as its Executive Vice President.

Since that time, GKAR has moved into a new facility, including a state-of-the-art auditorium which seats over 150 people, fully operational tech lab, a classroom that seats 40 and a complete service kitchen; created a new user friendly, interactive website and contracted along with 5 other REALTOR® Associations in Southwest Michigan with Rapattoni for a web-based MLS system.