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.