Crown Point Board of Realtors

Don Fullam named Realtor Emeritus

As an active member of the National Association of Realtors, Vermont Association of Realtors and the Crown Point Board of Realtors, Don Fullam, with over 49 years of service has been awarded the Realtor Emeritus Award. At a recent ceremony Don, affectionately known as “Rambo” to his fellow agents, related some experiences of how life and his profession have changed for Realtors over the past 50 years.

In September 1959, at the age of 21, Don obtained his real estate license. He was one of eight applicants who passed the test out of 32 who had attempted it. After the three-hour exam requiring an 80% passing rate, Don immersed himself in the world of real estate. He went on to a flourishing career selling properties throughout the southeastern Vermont region for the next 49 years. When Don was breaking his path in the real estate world, there were about 200 brokers and sales people working throughout the entire state of Vermont.

Back then most listings were not required to be put into writing; the majority of them were Open listings or Net listings which were legal until about the mid-1960s. There was no MLS to keep track of home listings and most co-brokerage agreements were done over the telephone. The normal down payment was one third of the sale price and second mortgages were only occasionally allowed. Contracts were one page long and escrow accounts were not monitored nearly as closely back then, as they are today.

Vermont State Real Estate Commission Inspections were practically nonexistent and only if there was a complaint waged in writing. With the bankers inspecting the property the turn around time was about two to three weeks. Both house inspections and land surveys were largely uncommon until more recent years. Water potability tests were rare and at times there was dubious behavior suspected. Don said he heard of tests where the water was boiled before the test or samples were taken from some another location. There was very little zoning and ACT 250 did not exist.

Susan LeCours was just named Realtor of the Year by the Crown Point Board of Realtors.  Susan began her real estate career in Massachusetts in a large Better Homes & Gardens® office.  She and husband Bob moved to Vermont in 1999 and Susan joined the firm of Berkley & Veller Greenwood Country Realtors in Brattleboro and enjoyed 5 years there.  In January of 2005 she purchased Barrett & Company in Grafton, and just this December 2007 Susan purchased Valley Real Estate Group and combined the two companies under Barrett & Valley Associates Inc, with offices in Grafton, Chester, Springfield and Bellows Falls. 

Susan was the 2007 president of the Crown Point Board and now serves that association as State Director. Other activities include; teaching preschool bible studies, a commissioner on the Townshend Planning Commission, a member of the Townshend Business Association and the Grafton Promotional Association.