The Long Island Board of REALTORS®, Inc. (LIBOR) is pleased to announce that REALTOR® Joseph L. Canfora, broker/owner of Selmar Realty in East Islip, has been named the recipient of the distinguished REALTOR®-Broker of the Year award. The announcement was made at the association’s Annual Installation and Awards Dinner held on November 20, 2018 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury.
Joseph “Joe” Canfora has been an active real estate professional for the past 48 years. As the owner/broker of Selmar Realty, Joe’s office consistently ranks among the top offices throughout the Long Island Metro area. He is a licensed Real Estate Broker in New York and Florida and holds the GRI, CRS, CRB and CIPS designations.
Joe started his career in 1970, when he formed Selmar Associates Corp., a company which evolved into one of the leading Real Estate organizations on Long Island. In 1983, Joe affiliated with the Realty World System, where, for a 5-year period, it was the top Realty World residential office in Nassau, Suffolk, Staten Island and Queens. In 1991, Joe joined Century 21 and consistently ranked among the top Century 21 offices throughout the Long Island Metro area. In 1984 Joe established Suffolk Funding Corp., which became the 23rd registered mortgage broker in New York State, making him one of the first Broker/owners to own and operate a mortgage company.
Joe joined the Long Island Board of REALTORS®, Inc. (LIBOR) in 1975 and has served on hundreds of committees, as both chairman and member during his 48 years of service. Joe was a LIBOR Director for over 20 years, served as Treasurer in 1983 and 1996, President Elect in 1997 and President in 1998. His service with the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island (MLSLI) has been extensive, as well. Joe was President from 1980-81, Zone Chairman for five years and was a Director for 23 years. Joe has been an active member of the Professional Standards Committee for more than 10 years and served as a mediation officer. Additionally, he has been extremely active on the LIBOR and NYS Long Range Planning Committees.
Nationally, Joe was the National Vice President for Region 2 of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Joe sat on the Executive committee for NAR, and was an NAR Director for over 11 years. He has served on the MLS, Professional Standards and Membership Policy & Board Jurisdiction committees. He also served on the Conventional Financing committee for six years, where he gained a detailed working knowledge of the real estate and mortgage processes in New York State.
On the state level, Joe has been a Director for over 10 years and was the 2004 President of the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR). He has chaired and served on numerous committees, including the Long-Range Planning committee and as chairman of the Legislative, the Budget and Finance, and the MLS committees. He has served for over five years on the Professional Standards and Legal Assistance committees. Joe has actively participated in countless RPAC actives and functions and has maintained his Golden R membership since 2001. Joe has consistently taken an active role in all Local, State and National REALTOR® lobby activities, meeting with the representatives from our state on a regular basis.
In 2001, Joe was chosen to be a 9/11 REALTOR® Housing Relief Fund review team member. And in 2005 Joe was named the New York State REALTOR® of the Year.
Joe has been a vigorous advocate for the real estate industry, dedicating himself to improving the real estate and mortgage processes for both buyers and sellers. In the past four and a half decades, Joe has worked with industry professionals to raise the standards of practice and refine the transaction process for all consumers.
Joe served in the US Army from October 1968 – December 1969, where he was stationed in Vietnam, assigned to the 127th Military Police Battalion in Qui Nhon. Joe was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device for heroism against a hostile force, when he entered a hospital under enemy fire and carried children and injured personnel form the building.
He has been married to his wife Joanne for 47 years, they reside in Great River and have two sons, Joseph and Jeffrey.