History of RE/MAX
Dave and Gail Liniger founded RE/MAX in Denver, Colo., in 1973, prompted by their dissatisfaction with the way real estate business was conducted at the time.
Most real estate offices used the commission-split system, requiring sales professionals to forfeit half of their commissions to their brokers in exchange for an office environment and company services. The top producers contributed the most to the operation's overhead, thus supporting the amateur, part-time and low-producing agents. Support services were lacking in quality.
The Linigers wanted to change all that.
They believed that to attract and retain the best agents, brokers must offer maximum compensation, advanced support services and the freedom to succeed. Agents would share office overhead and pay management fees, and in return receive a wide variety of real estate services and more control over their business.
The strategy worked.
In every year since 1998, nobody in the world has sold more real estate than RE/MAX. The network’s red, white and blue hot air balloon logo is familiar to homebuyers and sellers in more than 80 countries.
The most significant growth for RE/MAX in recent years has come from expansion into Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe and South America. RE/MAX takes proven techniques and adapts them to local markets, thereby developing a series of tools that real estate professionals find invaluable.
Some of the innovative services created by RE/MAX to help its members become ever more professional and successful include:
- An international agent-to-agent referral network
- Advanced training courses, both on-demand online and in the classroom, via RE/MAX University
- State-of-the-art technological tools and Internet and extranet websites
- Television advertising campaigns that are seen by more viewers in the U.S. than those
of all national competitors combined
In an industry rife with frequent turnover in ownership and management of major real estate networks, RE/MAX remains owned and directed by its founders.
Milestones
- 1973: First office opened in Denver
- 1975: First franchise office opened outside Colorado
- 1978: RE/MAX Balloon adopted as official logo
- 1987: Became No. 1 in Canadian real estate sales
- 1994: First offices opened outside North America
- 1997: Became No. 1 in real estate sales worldwide
- 2005: Created U.S. collection of IDX websites to allow consumers to see virtually all real estate
listings on remax.com
- 2007: Launched RE/MAX University
- 2009: Promoted legislation and trained agents to address distressed properties in U.S.