Emerson B. Read, Sr., GRI, ABR
843/576-2050 - direct dial
843/577-5400 - office
843/568-5150 - cell
843/724-6352 - fax
ebrs@readrealtors.com
When it comes to designating a “Grandfather of Charleston Real Estate,” few could lay a better claim to the title than Emerson B. Read, Sr, CCIM, CPM, IFAS.
A veteran of World War II, Read was discharged from active duty in 1945 (due to the end of the war) while enrolled in Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Pilot Training. Following active duty, he subsequently received an officer’s commission and served in the AF Reserves.
With America now victorious, Read wasted no time enrolling in The Citadel as a day student to pursue a degree in civil engineering. His grandfather had been one of the first realtors in the NAR, so the pull to follow his lead was strong, and while still a student, Read founded Read & Read, Inc., Realtors in 1947. Juggling both a new business and his status as a full-time student, he graduated from The Citadel with his BS in civil engineering in March, 1950.
Prior to graduating, Read had convinced his father to join the firm at Read & Read and then, desiring a faster-paced atmosphere than 1950’s Charleston could offer, he withdrew and left the company in his father’s hands and headed south to participate in the hot, new Real Estate market known as Miami and Miami Beach. Read remained in Florida for fifteen years, eventually rising to become the Executive VP and Sales CEO of The Keyes Company, at the time the South’s largest real estate organization. His responsibilities included all facets of the company’s residential and commercial property endeavors, and required the management of 275 sales agents and 12 branch offices.
Called by the siren song of his beloved Charleston, Read returned home in 1965 to once again take the reins of Read & Read, with his brother, Thomas, and since then has served as its Chairman and CEO. Utilizing his vast background in residential and commercial real estate, Read led his company to become the market leader in all facets of residential sales, commercial sales, leasing, brokerage, appraisal and investments. It was during his early years back with Read & Read that he became South Carolina’s first recipient of the vaunted CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation. Because of his unique insights into residential and commercial real estate, Read was tapped to write a newspaper column for The News and Courier, and became a sought-after lecturer on real estate investing, taxation and exchanges.
Read’s professional achievements and designations are long and storied. In addition to managing his successful company and personal real estate investments, he served as president of the Charleston Association of Realtors in 1987. He also served for 13 years on the boards of the Charleston Association of Realtors, SC Association of Realtors and National Association of Realtors. He earned the designation of CPM (Certified Property Manager), and IFAS as a senior member of the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers, and was bestowed the honor of Realtor Emeritus by the National Association of Realtors in 1997. His studied understanding in his chosen profession eventually led to his being called as an expert witness on commercial real estate matters in city, county, state and federal courts.
In 2005, at the age of 81 and still at the helm of his company, Read became involved in the fight to reduce state property taxes. Charleston was in the midst of an unprecedented 30+ year real estate boom, and with those skyrocketing property values came skyrocketing property tax bills. In fact, many locals who inherited the family home were having to sell, simply because they could not pay the taxes. For Read, it was painful to see these seniors and working class folks having to “sell out” in order to feed the government’s insatiable appetite for money and out-of-control spending.
Within a few months, Read was voted chairman of “NoHomeTax.org,” a grassroots, statewide organization representing the interests of SC homeowners and other property owners. While under Read’s leadership, the group launched a property tax relief campaign, lobbied, raised money to promote awareness and fought to rein in the confiscatory tax rates. To make a very long story short, Read and his fellow volunteers from across the state orchestrated a plan that took $670,000,000 in taxes off South Carolina residents’ homes, which brought the average homeowner’s bill down by 50%. In addition, their group pushed through a constitutional amendment that stated a home’s value for tax purposes could not be increased by more than 15% every five years. For his tenacious work and leadership on behalf of this cause, Governor Mark Sanford bestowed upon him The Order of the Palmetto — the highest honor a South Carolina civilian can receive.
In 2008, at the age of 83, Read works like a man half his age, as he continues to run the company he founded, with his son, Emerson, Jr., Vice-President and Broker-in-Charge and nephew, Thomas, Jr., President. He continues to work through NoHomeTax.org to lower property taxes more, and remains an active member of his church and his community, as well as an avid snow skier. It’s been a good run for Emerson Read thus far, and he shows no signs of slowing down.