In 1966, local real estate professionals established the Jamaica Association of Real Estate Brokers and Appraisers, known as “JAREBA,” to formalize the industry in Jamaica. Later, on January 14, 1970, the association was rebranded as the REALTORS® Association of Jamaica (RAJ) after affiliating with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the world’s largest real estate body.
The RAJ’s inaugural meeting was held at the Institute of Jamaica in Kingston with approximately eighty real estate practitioners, including twelve founding members. Lord Ronald Graham was elected as the first president at this historic gathering. Despite its early days, the RAJ was proactive, presenting a private member bill to the government in 1968 to introduce industry regulation. Years of advocacy led to the passing of the Real Estate (Dealers and Developers) Act in 1987, creating the Real Estate Board (REB) as the regulatory authority.
Today, RAJ is Jamaica’s only professional association for licensed real…
