Real Estate Agents Retooling for New Market

LAS VEGAS, March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With home sales and prices rebounding and the number of foreclosures dwindling, the U.S. housing market is recovering and RE/MAX is preparing for a new marketplace. That's the message to more than 6,000 RE/MAX agents from 64 countries who are attending the annual R4 Convention in Las Vegas this week. At Monday afternoon's Opening General Session held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, RE/MAX co-founders Dave and Gail Liniger and CEO Margaret Kelly delivered a message of success and opportunity.

"A lot of things did change over the last few years but a lot of things did not change.  Agents are information brokers who put data into context.  The consumer wants to be informed, wants integrity and wants you to give them the best advice," said Dave Liniger. "So, we need to ask ourselves what will make us better over the next 5 years and we need to challenge each other to make us all better."

Last October, during its 40^th anniversary year, RE/MAX initiated a successful initial public offering, trading under the ticker symbol RMAX on the New York Stock Exchange. After 40 years of innovation, RE/MAX continues to adapt to changing market dynamics and take its business model to increasing numbers of countries around the world.

"We added more than a dozen new nations to the RE/MAX Network in 2013 and these new franchise owners sought us out after they found out about the RE/MAX dream," RE/MAX Co-Founder Gail Liniger told the appreciative crowd. "They realized the same value and competitive advantages everyone in this room recognized when you joined RE/MAX, no matter if it was four days, four months or forty years ago."

The RE/MAX gathering occurred at the Mandalay Bay Events center and opened with a parade of international flags demonstrating the industry-leading global presence RE/MAX enjoys.  The audience was reminded of changing consumer demographics and an evolving international marketplace.

"At RE/MAX, we not only embrace change, we're excited about it. We're always looking forward to what's over the next hill," said Margaret Kelly. "The real test is how you adapt, innovate and achieve."

Margaret Kelly also interviewed Susan Credle, Chief Creative Officer with the Leo Burnett Group, about the new RE/MAX national ad campaign, "Dream with your Eyes Open."  They showed the audience a preview of the TV commercial that will anchor a year-long campaign that will include materials for radio, online video, digital and social media. 

Significant company successes celebrated at the RE/MAX R4 Opening General Session included:  

• In the U.S., RE/MAX agents were ranked the most productive among the major brands in three major industry surveys – in the RISMedia Power Broker Report, RE/MAX agents averaged 16.8 transaction sides compared to the 8.1 average of agents at all other participating brokerages.
• The 2013 REAL Trends 500 survey showed RE/MAX agents averaged 17.1 transaction sides in 2012, as compared to the 7.9 average of all competing agents in the survey.
• In the Wall Street Journal and REAL Trends "The Thousand" ranking, RE/MAX agents held 98 of the 500 spots for most transaction sides closed. That's nearly one out of five – more than any other real estate brand in the report.
• RE/MAX held the top position among all real estate brands in two prestigious franchise rankings, the Franchise Times Top 200 and the Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500.
• In 2013, for the sixth year in a row, RE/MAX, LLC was named one of the Top 50 Franchises for Minorities by the National Minority Franchising Initiative through the World Franchising Network.
• The iconic RE/MAX balloon celebrated its 35^th anniversary in 2013.
• For the third consecutive year, RE/MAX University (RU) was recognized as one of the best among corporate-sponsored training programs, capturing a place on Training magazine's Top 125 list.

For more information, to view millions of home listings or to find an agent in your community, please visit http://www.remax.com  or www.joinremax.com.

About the RE/MAX Network

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, with an innovative, entrepreneurial culture affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence. Over 90,000 agents provide RE/MAX a global reach of more than 90 countries. Nobody sells more real estate than RE/MAX.

RE/MAX, LLC, one of the world's leading franchisors of real estate brokerage services, is a subsidiary of RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:RMAX).

With a passion for the communities in which its agents live and work, RE/MAX is proud to have raised more than $130 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals^®, Susan G. Komen^® and other charities.

For more information about RE/MAX, to search home listings or find an agent in your community, please visit www.remax.com.

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SOURCE RE/MAX, LLC