Association Of Realtors

Richardson, Myers & Donofrio, the Baltimore advertising agency, said yesterday that it will share a $32.4 million account to create a nationwide advertising campaign for the National Association of Realtors.The account will be one of the largest ever for the agency, said Chuck Donofrio, president of RM&D.RM&D will share the three-year account with Townsend & O'Leary, a Laguna Hills, Calif., advertising group which handled a successful media campaign for the California Association of Realtors last year.

Realtor groups closing Sept. 11 fund at $8.2 million The Maryland Association of Realtors and other state Realtor associations involved with the National Association of Realtors' Housing Relief Fund for Sept. 11 victims' families are closing down the fund after raising and distributing $8.2 million to help 1,223 families. Staff and members of the state Realtor associations worked directly with victim's families, processed applications and delivered checks. On average, families received checks within a week to help with their rent or mortgage payments.

Superior Realty of Del. merges with O'ConorSuperior Realty, a residential real estate company serving Bethany Beach, Del., has merged with O'Conor, Piper & Flynn.Peter DeMarie II, president of 15-year-old Superior Realty, will be broker of record for the new O'Conor, Piper & Flynn office at U.S. 1 and Bayberry Street. His four salespeople will remain with the ++ office.O'Conor, Piper & Flynn, headquartered in Timonium, recently expanded to the Delaware coast, said C. Terry Hough, managing partner of O'Conor, Piper & Flynn Coastal.

Adam Cockey, vice president for real estate conglomerate NRT Mid-Atlantic Inc., which oversees O'Conor, Piper & Flynn ERA, was elected president of the Maryland Association of Realtors last week at its annual convention in Ocean City. Cockey, a former president of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors, has held several positions with the MAR since 1992. A 25-year real estate veteran, Cockey was the state's Realtor of the Year in 1996. He has also served on the National Association of Realtors, the Central Maryland Multiple List and the Real Estate Brokers Round Table.

Nancy Hubble, an associate broker and vice president of O'Conor, Piper & Flynn ERA, has been honored by the Maryland Association of Realtors with its President's Award. Hubble was noted by the association for her 40 years in the real estate industry, her political activity and her volunteer work. The award is given to a Realtor who "gives of their time and talents [and who] are the heart and soul of our organization," said Adam D. Cockey Jr., departing MAR president and vice president of NRT Mid-Atlantic Ancillary Services.

Hoping to draw members from outside Baltimore County and the city, the region's largest real estate trade association will open a branch in Howard County later this month.The new Ellicott City office will put the 3,300-member Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors in direct competition with the Howard County Association of Realtors, a trade group serving that county.Both groups are affiliates of the National Association of Realtors, which agents and brokers must join to use the Realtor designation.

Homebuyers beware: Insurance claims history can come into play for those seeking to purchase or sell a home. "Claims history is definitely a major bump in the road," said Beverly Rasmussen, a Realtor with ReMax100 and chair of the Maryland Association of Realtors' state legislative committee. A recent sale almost fell through because of a prior claim on the property, Rasmussen recalled. The sellers had filed a claim after a storm damaged the house. That claim was a red flag for potential insurers, who deemed the property high-risk.

William F. Bittner Jr. was recently appointed the Maryland real estate commissioner by Gov. Parris N. Glendening, replacing the vacancy created by Billie Landbeck.As commissioner, Bittner will be responsible for enforcing state law relating to licensed agents and brokers.Also, he will be responsible for protecting the interest of the public and upholding the Guaranty Fund, which was developed to protect the consumer from monetary loss caused by the negligence of a licensee.Bittner has more than 25 years' experience in the real estate industry, including serving as a director of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors, and is a past president of the Howard County Association of Realtors.

The Maryland Association of Realtors elected its officers for 2000 at its 47th annual meeting held recently in Ocean City.William J. Armstrong III, associate broker and vice president of Long & Foster Real Estate Inc., was elected president. Armstrong has been in the industry since 1983.O'Conor, Piper & Flynn ERA Vice President Adam Cockey was named president-elect. A 24-year real estate veteran, he was the Maryland State Realtor of the Year in 1996. He has also served on the National Association of Realtors Board of directors since 1996.

Edna J. Wolf, who worked in real estate sales for 30 years, died of cancer Aug. 29 at a daughter's Pikesville home. She was 77. Edna Jacobs was born and raised in Norfolk, Va., and moved to Washington in 1952. She attended Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., and earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from George Washington University in the 1970s. Since 1980, Ms. Jacobs had worked in real estate sales for Long & Foster in Washington. She had been honored by the Washington, D.C., Association of Realtors for her work and was an active member of the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors.