2012: Year of the Housing Recovery

LAS VEGAS, March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Culminating a series of regional events that have attracted nearly 20,000 RE/MAX agents, a single audience of over 4,000 from more than 50 countries around the world came together in Las Vegas this week to reignite their passion for real estate.  At the Opening General Session Monday evening, the message from CEO Margaret Kelly was clear, the energy of the housing market is now moving in a positive direction.

"We're seeing many positive signs of a recovering marketplace," Kelly said. "The spring buying season has started early this year and is setting the stage for a great story in 2012."

Kelly cited improving economic conditions and falling inventories, which are resulting in multiple offers on homes for sale in several communities.  Referring to the superior performance of thousands of RE/MAX agents in more than 80 countries, Kelly also spoke about housing trends around the world; in Canada, India, South Africa, Brazil and in Europe. 

"With the global.remax.com website launched in November now providing over one million searches from 159 countries, RE/MAX is positioned better than anyone to capitalize on an increasingly global market place," Kelly added.

Also speaking to the energized crowd was RE/MAX Vice Chairman and Co-Founder Gail Liniger, who relayed a personal message from her husband, RE/MAX Chairman and Co-Founder Dave Liniger, who is recovering from back surgery in a Denver hospital.  She said, "Dave is frustrated that he can't be here, but he thanks you for your well wishes and hopes you have a great convention."

Marking the company's 39th anniversary, Kelly pleased the crowd with two innovative technology announcements. The RE/MAX Mobile App is a new generation of mobile search technology now available for iPhone and Android users at www.getmobile.remax.com.  In addition, RE/MAX has signed a marketing agreement with LTech to provide a discounted suite of Google Business Apps to RE/MAX agents and offices, the first such offering to a real estate organization.

Also taking the stage at the Mandalay Bay Events Center was RE/MAX President Vinnie Tracey, who cited several recent achievements that distinguish RE/MAX as the #1 global real estate network. Most significantly, the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Home Buyer/Seller Study(SM) recognized RE/MAX for providing the highest overall customer satisfaction for both homebuyers and home sellers.  For more information, please visit www.jdpower.com.  

Other recent accomplishments that Tracey mentioned include:

1. Dave Liniger named The People's Choice: Most Influential Real Estate Leader. 
2. Highest ranking real estate firm in Franchise Times Top 200
3. 24 of the 25 top brokerages ranked by agent productivity  in the REAL Trends 500 national survey.
4. In the RIS Media Power Broker Survey, RE/MAX agents ranked highest among national franchises with 14.7 transaction sides, an impressive 49.7% better than its closest competitor.
5. Launched global.remax.com, a real estate website with true global reach in 32 languages and 70 foreign countries
6. Surpassed 10 million referral-free sales leads from the LeadStreet online system since 2006
7. Remax.com drew 49.5 million total visitors in 2011, the highest of any real estate brand website

To close out the Opening General Session, Tracey brought popular recording artist, Marie Osmond on stage to present the Children's Miracle Network Hospital's "Founders Award" to Dave and Gail Liniger.  As a founding member of the charity, Osmond thanked the Linigers and RE/MAX affiliates for raising over $117 million for injured and sick children over the past 20 years. RE/MAX is one of only three organizations to break the $100 million mark.

About the RE/MAX Network:

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, real estate industry visionaries who still lead the Denver-based global franchisor today. RE/MAX is recognized as one of the leading real estate franchise companies with the most productive sales force in the industry and a global reach of more than 80 countries.

With a passion for the communities in which its agents live and work, RE/MAX is proud to have raised more than $117 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and other charities.

Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX. Please visit www.remax.com  or www.joinremax.com.

SOURCE RE/MAX LLC