RE/MAX
| File:REMAX logo.svg | |
| File:Remax HQ, Shanahan's.jpg RE/MAX Headquarters located in the Denver Technological Center. | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| NYSE: RMAX (Class A) | |
| Industry | Real estate |
| Founded | January, 1973; established by Dave and Gail Liniger (formerly Main) |
| Headquarters | Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
Key people |
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| Revenue |  $177 million (2015) |
Number of employees | 500 (2018) |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Website | remax |
RE/MAX, an abbreviation for Real Estate Maximums, is a global American real estate enterprise operating through a franchise-based system.
By the year 2015, RE/MAX encompassed more than 100,000 agents working from approximately 6,800 offices across over 100 countries and territories worldwide.
Founding years: 1970–76
RE/MAX was established in January 1973 in Denver, Colorado by entrepreneurs Dave Liniger and Gail Main. The company pioneered a unique business approach where agents kept nearly all their commissions while contributing to office expenses, thereby incentivizing agents and creating a competitive edge.
The first franchise beyond Colorado was secured in 1975 by Dennis Curtin in Kansas City, Missouri, propelling rapid growth to 100 franchises within just two years. The initial annual RE/MAX convention took place in Las Vegas in 1976, promoting network expansion and strategic collaboration among franchise leaders.
Expansion beyond U.S.: 1977–98
In 1977, RE/MAX ventured internationally by opening its first office in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, under Don Fernie’s leadership as RE/MAX South. By 1981, the firm operated 30 Canadian franchises and had become the top real estate brand in Canada by 1987.
The company's signature red, white, and blue Hot Air Balloon was introduced in 1978 at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico. It was officially adopted as RE/MAX’s emblematic logo in 1979, reinforcing its brand identity and market positioning.
RE/MAX extended its reach outside North America in 1994 with the launch of RE/MAX Europe, establishing regional bases in Germany, Italy, Spain, and South Africa. That same year saw the debut of the RE/MAX Satellite Network (RSN), later renamed RE/MAX University—a satellite-based training system delivering professional development courses and corporate communications to agents.
Further international growth included entry into Australia and New Zealand markets in 1996. In 1998, founder Dave Liniger attempted an ambitious manned balloon circumnavigation to boost brand exposure; however, technical difficulties and adverse weather conditions led to cancellation.
Digital growth and public offering: 2006–present
Beginning in 2006, RE/MAX started featuring all U.S. residential listings on its website, incorporating competitors’ properties as well. By 2009, the franchise network spanned 70 countries globally.
In April 2010, during the Obama administration’s announcement of the "Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives" (HAFA) initiative, RE/MAX hosted a nationwide live broadcast with participation from U.S. Treasury officials and Bank of America executives. The franchise count surpassed 6,000 by 2011.
A United Nations report released in 2013 implicated real estate companies like RE/MAX for involvement in marketing properties located within Israeli settlements; as of 2015, RE/MAX Israel continued operations across 18 such settlements.
RE/MAX Holdings Inc completed its initial public offering (IPO) in 2013, raising $220 million, followed by a secondary offering generating $185 million in November 2015. Share ownership was divided between REMAX Holdings (58.3%) and RIHI (41.7%), with a fully diluted share total of approximately 30.2 million as of December 2015.
The firm entered the Chinese market by establishing a Beijing office in 2014 and maintained over 15,000 agents throughout Europe. By 2016, RE/MAX was active in nearly 100 countries globally and operated the world’s largest corporate hot air balloon fleet with more than 115 balloons.
In that same year, Re/Max Results—serving most of Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin—was recognized as the largest franchisee with over 1,200 agents averaging upwards of twenty transactions each.
Leadership changes occurred in 2018 when former president Geoff Lewis and founder Dave Liniger retired; CEO Adam Contos assumed control. During this period, Liniger was found to have breached company ethics by providing Contos with a multi-million-dollar personal loan.
Subsidiaries
RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. manages three key brands, with RE/MAX LLC being one of the principal entities.
Motto Mortgage (operating as Motto Franchising, LLC) represents the first nationwide mortgage brokerage franchise in the United States, introduced by RE/MAX in 2016.
Wemlo (presented as wemlo) is a financial technology firm specializing in third-party mortgage loan processing. Established in Florida in 2019 by David Rogove and Steven Gelley, wemlo was incorporated into RE/MAX Holdings on September 1, 2020.
Philanthropy
Since 1992, RE/MAX has partnered with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, contributing $147 million through fundraising activities led by agents, such as art auctions and golf events. In 2002, RE/MAX also began supporting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s Race For The Cure initiatives across the U.S. Local branches utilize hot air balloons to support educational efforts and nonprofit fundraising campaigns.
Recognition
RE/MAX University has earned a place on Training Magazine’s list of the Top 125 U.S. organizations dedicated to employee training and development.