Ray Grant Recalls Early PROPERTY Roots In Severna Park

Ray Grant’s heyday due to an agent looks nothing just like the real estate marketplace today. Back the 1950s, possible clients would walk into his office on Baltimore & Annapolis Boulevard, browse listings shown on the wall structure, and finalize the offer by using a two-page carbon copy contract, unlike today’s 50-plus page contracts.

That was almost 70 years ago. Ray, who turns 98 years previous on April 19, even now includes a sharp memory of these days.

Before he joined the true estate industry, Ray flew torpedo bombers and dive bombers in the Navy. He offered from April 1943 to November 1945, missing Community War II. He then went to university and was providing insurance around the Washington beltway in 1945 when he received a contact from his father, Raymond Grant, a Baltimore Metropolis resident who purchased a waterfront lot for $1,500 in Linstead on the Severn.

Raymond asked his son to move to Severna Park and purchase the lot up coming to his for $2,500. Ray’s response? “I don’t have even a girlfriend. What perform I desire a lot for?” That could soon modification when Ray married Ruth Porter in 1947 and finally built a home nearby locally of Olde Severna Park.

While Ray was even now in college, a Baltimore property broker, Colonel Rutherford, encouraged both him and his father to pursue a career in real estate. After receiving their licenses in the past due 1940s, Ray would have the streetcar to Baltimore to sit down open up houses for Colonel Rutherford for just two years.

When Raymond and Ray opened Arundel Realty along in 1951, they settled on downtown Severna Park, in the strip that's now occupied simply by Sofi’s Crepes, The Big Bean and Pedal Pushers.

After Raymond Grant died in 1962, his son changed the business’ name to Ray Grant Realty. Ray started construction the business as his agents were the simply Realtors representing the builders in the brand new engineering communities of Severna Gardens, and in the future, Severna Forest.

“When we came to Severna Park, there is no new engineering,” Ray said. “You'd to look for a builder.”

Later, as Severna Park began to end up being developed, he represented builders found in new construction sales in sections of Oakleigh Forest, Fair Oaks over the Magothy, Westridge and Ulmstead Estates (found in Arnold).

“There was one Cape Cod [in Fair Oaks] with a sizable dining area, two bathrooms, maybe four bedrooms,” Ray said. “I don’t believe it had been $40,000.” Per Ray’s advertisement that ran in the Baltimore Sun, starting prices were $33,500 in 1961. According to Ray’s grandson and local Realtor Matt Wyble, the Fair Oaks network regularly views list prices over $800,000 nowadays.

Decades before the internet arrived and multiple listing companies became common practice found in Maryland, Ray and other realtors relied on walk-ins and referrals. Another notable practice was that agents could represent both a buyer and seller in the same transaction. “It was properly legal, and I didn’t feel just like I had been favorable to the buyer or seller,” Ray stated.

Agents would show their listings first, but if clients wanted to see a home listed by another broker, Ray would have to have a good co-op with that broker. Since there were no lockboxes, Ray would need to grab the keys from the various other broker’s business office and get permission showing the home. On the other hand, today’s real estate market includes computerized co-ops, instant new-listing notifications, and virtual 3D tours.

Ray’s reputation helped him get referrals from Westinghouse Electric Company when the business transferred employees from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Different people advised Ray after meeting him through the Severna Recreation area Kiwanis Club or Chartwell Golf and Region Club, where Ray became a member of 60 years back as a charter member. Furthermore, all of the households who moved to Severna Park new development communities became repeat clients when they moved.

“He was well-liked, supportive to the city and helped increase four daughters,” said his youngest daughter, Betsy Grant Wyble, who explained that her dad would always support the Severna Recreation area community by donating when native corporations needed advertisements, sponsorships and/or fundraising.

Ray’s career lasted a lot more than 30 years, a milestone that did not come across accident as his business survived at least several economic downturns where the market was hit very hard.

Asked about his success, Ray explained he had four good brokers, a desire to help people, and a committed action to community. When you consult others, his honesty and integrity were memorable characteristics, too.

Around late 1989 or early on 1990, Ray closed his office and visited work for O’Connor, Piper & Flynn, which includes since been acquired by Coldwell Banker. His previous sale was a waterfront house that sold for over $1 million, a lofty price that was rarely observed in 1997.

Property still runs on the family. Ray’s grandson, Matt Wyble of The Matt Wyble Workforce of CENTURY 21 New Millennium, is now the fourth technology to be in the real estate business.

Like Matt, Ray cites personal relationships and meeting persons as his favorite areas of property. He remembers spending one of his brokers to Baltimore for supper several years ago. “At least five people came up if you ask me and stated, ‘Hi Ray, you marketed us a house,’” he recalled.

Ray could possibly be turning 98 years old found in April, but his fond memories of his Severna Park real estate career remain as vivid due to when he started advertising Severna Park practically seven decades ago.