Atlanta Real Estate Board appraisals
Scope and Contents
These records comprise approximately 10,000 appraisals produced by the Atlanta Real Estate Board. These appraisals detail properties in Atlanta and surrounding cities within the Metro Atlanta area, including East Point, Decatur, Druid Hills, Sandy Springs, College Park, Brookhaven, and Marietta, as well as other areas in Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Clayton, Gwinnett, and other neighboring counties.
The appraisals document the monetary value of properties throughout Metro Atlanta, serving homeowners, businesses, landlords, and local governments in assessing property values. Each appraisal typically includes a report, visual materials, correspondence, and related applications and forms. Appraisals often feature a legal description which includes the land district, land lot, city, county, and state, detailing property boundaries in relation to nearby roadways and structures.
A discussion section provides insights into the property and its surroundings, covering utilities, topography, neighborhood descriptions, zoning, suggested socioeconomic area trends, property improvements, ownership, occupancy, and demographics. The valuation section states the market value of the property, often including separate values for land and improvements. Additionally, correspondence regarding service requests or compensation, along with applications and forms completed by property owners or appraisers, is included.
The appraisals often include photographic prints, negatives, blueprints, architectural drawings, sketches of streets, and annotated property maps. These materials enhance understanding of the appraised properties and are frequently referenced within the appraisal reports. They depict a range of structures, including residences, commercial buildings, religious sites, schools, government buildings, and city infrastructure development.
Noteworthy appraisals include documentation related to the planning and development of the Atlanta Express Highway System (Interstate 20, Interstate 75, and Interstate 85), the expansion of the Atlanta Municipal Airport (now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport), and the construction of public housing developments such as Techwood Homes and University Homes. The collection also features appraisals of estates belonging to prominent individuals such as Asa G. Candler (1851-1929), Walter McElreath (1867-1951), and Alonzo F. Herdon (1858-1927), along with appraisals for the Georgia Institute of Technology, Stone Mountain Memorial State Park, the Fernbank area, and the Atlanta Historical Society, including the Swan House and Swan Coach House.
Dates
- 1919-1983, undated
- Majority of material found in 1924-1983
Creator
- Atlanta Real Estate Board (Ga.) (Organization)
- Atlanta Board of Realtors (Ga.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Most appraisals include both manuscript and visual materials and have different conditions regarding rights and reproduction. Please see an archivist for more information.
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. All requests to publish, quote, or reproduce must be submitted through the Kenan Research Center.
This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use
must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center.
Licensing agreement may be required.
Biographical / Historical
Atlanta Real Estate Board (AREB) was established as the Atlanta Real Estate Men’s Exchange in 1909. On July 21, 1910, it was succeeded by the Atlanta Real Estate Men’s Association, with Ralph O. Cochran (1873-1952) as its first president. In February 1911, the Association became a member of the National Association of Real Estate Boards (later known as the National Association of Realtors). On July 16, 1912, the organization changed its name to the Atlanta Real Estate Board, with Charles P. Glover (1872-1944) as its president. The board received its charter as a corporation in 1922.
AREB was created to “bring together the real estate brokers of Atlanta and vicinity to promote their best interests and welfare,” and to “unite those engaged in recognized branches of the real estate profession in this community to exert a beneficial influence on matters affecting the real estate profession and related interests.” AREB was organized with a board of directors, executive leadership, and various committees, which lobbied for the interests of realtors, promoted higher standards of professional conduct, and sponsored social events for members. Key committees included: membership, entertainment, legislation, public good, arbitration, appraisement, renting, and special committees. Notably, the Appraisement Committee provided appraisal services from 1924 to 1983, generating over ten thousand appraisals for commercial, industrial, government, church, and residential properties.
In 1924, the Board was headquartered in the Georgia Savings Bank Building (also known as the Flatiron Building) on Peachtree Street. From 1934 to 1982, it occupied various office spaces in the Healey Building on Forsyth Street. In the 1970s, the organization rebranded as the Atlanta Board of Realtors. In 1983, the Atlanta Board of Realtors moved to new office spaces at One Northside 75.
In 1993, the Board restructured into two distinct organizations: the Atlanta Board of Realtors and the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors. In 2016, the Atlanta Board of Realtors was renamed the Atlanta Realtors Association.
Extent
196.41 linear ft. (470 document cases and two half document cases)
Language
English
Arrangement
These appraisals are arranged in alphabetically according to titles supplied by staff.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift, 1987
Bias in Description
As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information. We choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, and bias is reflected in our descriptions, which may not accurately convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materials. Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment. In working with this collection, we often re-use language used by the former owners of the material. This language provides context but often includes bias and prejudices reflective of the time in which it was created. The Kenan Research Center’s work is ongoing to implement reparative language where Library of Congress subject terms are inaccurate and obsolete.
Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or descriptions, please let us know by emailing reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.
Processing Information
This collection was processed in 2025.
- Acquisition of property -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Administration of estates -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Administration of estates -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Administration of estates -- Georgia -- Fulton County
- African American neighborhoods -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- African American neighborhoods -- Georgia -- Atlanta -- Social conditions
- African Americans -- Georgia -- Atlanta -- Social conditions -- 20th century
- African Americans -- Housing -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- African Americans -- Relocation -- Georgia -- Atlanta -- History
- Airports -- Design and construction -- Social aspects -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Airports -- Georgia
- Airports -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Alleys -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Apartment houses -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Apartments -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Architecture, Domestic -- Georgia
- Architecture, Domestic -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Atlanta (Ga.) -- Buildings, structures, etc.
- Atlanta Municipal Airport (Ga.)
- Automobiles -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Brookhaven (Ga.)
- Building inspection -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Buildings -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Business records -- Georgia
- Business records -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Cemeteries -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Central business districts -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Churches -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- City planning -- Social aspects -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Classism -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Clayton County (Ga.)
- Cobb County (Ga.)
- College Park (Ga.)
- Commercial buildings -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Construction -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- DeKalb County (Ga.)
- Decatur (Ga.)
- Deeds -- Georgia
- Deeds -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Discrimination against African Americans, [Mexican Americans, etc.]
- Discrimination in mortgage loans
- Druid Hills (Atlanta, Ga.)
- East Point (Ga.)
- Express highways -- Design and construction -- Social aspects -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Express highways -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Fulton County (Ga.)
- General stores -- Georgia -- Fulton County
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Government facilities -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Gwinnett County (Ga.)
- Hardware stores -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Historic buildings -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Historic districts -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Home ownership -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Home ownership -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Home ownership -- Georgia -- Fulton County
- Hotels -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- House selling
- Houses -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Housing -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Interstate 20
- Interstate 75
- Interstate 85
- Land use -- DeKalb County
- Land use -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Landscape architecture -- Designs and plans
- Low-income housing -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Marietta (Ga.)
- Neighborhoods -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Neighborhoods -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Office buildings -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Parks -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Parks -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Poor African Americans -- Georgia -- Economic conditions
- Poor people -- Georgia -- Economic conditions
- Poor white people -- Georgia -- Economic conditions
- Property tax -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Property tax -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Property tax -- Georgia -- Fulton County
- Public housing -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Public spaces -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Real estate -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Real estate -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Real estate -- Georgia -- Fulton County
- Real estate business -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Real estate development -- Corrupt practices
- Real estate development -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Real estate development -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Real estate development -- Georgia -- Fulton County
- Real property -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Real property -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Real property -- Valuation -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Real property -- Valuation -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Real property -- Valuation -- Georgia -- Fulton County
- Redlining -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Relocation (Housing) -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Rental housing -- Finance -- Law and legislation
- Rental housing -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Rental housing -- Georgia -- DeKalb County
- Rental housing -- Georgia -- Fulton County
- Residential real estate -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Residential streets
- Restaurants -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Roads -- Design and construction
- Roads -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Roads -- Georgia -- Fulton County
- Sandy Springs (Ga.)
- Schools -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Stone Mountain (Ga.)
- Stone Mountain Memorial (Ga.)
- Stone Mountain Memorial State Park (Ga.)
- Stores, Retail -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Streets -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Techwood Drive (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Techwood Homes (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Universities and colleges -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- University Homes (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Urban renewal -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- White flight -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- White people -- Housing -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Title
- Atlanta Real Estate Board appraisals
- Subtitle
- ahc.MSS1281
- Author
- Mariah Isbell
- Date
- January 2026
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository