A Brief History

Re/Max was created by top producers for top producers.  That, more than any other single thing differentiates Re/Max from the rest of the real estate industry.

Back in 1973 a young salesperson, a top producer by the name of Dave Liniger, had an idea.  Having worked for a large regional real estate firm in the southern United States, he saw the benefits a well established conventional real estate firm could offer:  the brand name recognition, the training, the secretarial and managerial support, etc.  But, he also experienced the many frustrations a top producer experiences in a conventional real estate firm, the lack of control over marketing, the difficulty to do personal promotion, the many mandatory activities designed around marginal producers, and the requirement to give up half of the commission, essentially subsidizing the non-producers who weren’t carrying their weight.

From there, Dave went to work for a ‘rent-a-desk’ operation.  A real estate company that charged you a fixed monthly fee, but allowed you to keep virtually all your commission.  Now he had the freedom to advertise and promote as he wished, to control his business.  But received absolutely no support.  No name recognition, no adequate facilities, no broker support.

And from those two experiences an idea began to form that would eventually revolutionize the real estate industry.  ‘What if’ David said,’ we designed a real estate company that incorporated the best of the two systems.  The full service, full support of the conven-tional real estate company and the freedom and maximum compensation offered by the ‘rent-a-desk’.   Such a company would embrace the maximum benefit from each, and for the top producer it would be a system of Real Estate Maximum.  Re/Max.  A revolution was about to begin.

The first Re/Max office opened its doors in Denver, Colorado in 1973.  Within one year it grew to a very respectably sized office.  The next year it doubled, and doubled again the next.  By 1975 requests were coming in from across North America to develop the Re/Max system in local markektplaces.  In response, Re/Max began to purchase its operation in 1977.  North America was divided into master franchises or regions.  Our region, Re/Max Ontario-Atlantic Canada, came into existence in 1980.

In spite of heavy obstacles, the Re/Max concept flourished.  In market after market the Re/Max vision was shared, franchises purchased, and offices opened.  And as these offices opened in large center or small, north or south, east coast, west coast, the United States and Canada, the results were the same.  As the story was told and top producers began to understand what the Re/Max revolution was all about, they began making the move to Re/Max.  With their newfound freedom and natural entrepreneurial spirit, these top producers began to excel like never before.  Before long, in market after market, Re/Max began to take over the number one market share position.

It’s been over 32 years now since the Re/Max concept was born, that’s over 384 months.  And here’s an amazing fact.  In every one of those 384 months, through good market times and bad, through tough recessions and 20% interest rates, Re/Max grew.  That’s right, every single month since its inception; Re/Max has experienced positive growth.  No other real estate franchise in human history can make that claim.  And here’s another amazing fact.  The Re/Max growth is increasing every single year.  It’s almost exponential.  In the first 10 years Re/Max grew to 3,796.  In the next 10 years, it grew to 32,311.  In the third 10 years in grew to 77,896.  Re/Max has grown in the last 2 years by over 22,500.  At the end of 2004, Re/Max had reached the 100,000 agent mark.  Based on past growth trends, it’s projected that Re/Max will hit 150,000 agents by the end of 2007.

Along with the explosive growth of Re/Max in North America, Re/Max has also expanded to become a truly worldwide company.  Today Re/Max has offices in over 50 countries worldwide.  When you travel abroad, whether in the U.K. or Saudi Arabia, France or South Africa, you’ll see Re/Max signs wherever you look.  Today the word Re/Max, together with the red, white and blue Re/Max balloon logo, is synonymous with outstanding real estate service around the globe.