This year marks the 40th anniversary of one of the world’s largest real estate franchises, RE/MAX, the leading global real estate brand which has continued to flout industry norms despite the challenging economic climate and housing market over the past few years.

Peter Gilmour, Chairman of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, says that around the world RE/MAX will commemorate this remarkable achievement on 30 January 2013, the day on which the RE/MAX brand was founded, known by those in the company as Founder’s Day.

From a single office that opened in 1973 in Denver, Colorado USA by Dave and Gail Liniger, who are still at the forefront of the RE/MAX leadership today, the brand has experienced every possible type of market that can be experienced in the real estate realm and has still grown from strength to strength and achieved great success despite the economic challenges of recent years.

Gilmour says that RE/MAX is recognised as one of the leading real estate franchise companies with the most productive sales force in the property industry around the world. "Simply put, nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX. This is largely due to the passionate network of real estate professionals working under the RE/MAX brand, who have helped buyers and sellers in more than 90 countries globally," he says. "During 2012, RE/MAX continued its international expansion into an additional five countries including mainland China."

It comes as no surprise that RE/MAX was named the number one real estate franchise in the USA in the 34th annual Franchise 500 survey appearing in the January 2013 edition of Entrepreneur magazine.  This is the tenth time in the last 14 years that RE/MAX has earned top honours. In October, USA magazine Franchise Times also named RE/MAX the number one real estate franchise in its annual Top 200 ranking based on worldwide sales.

Additionally, RE/MAX offers its Affiliates a worldwide referral network of 90 000 agents across the globe, giving the RE/MAX brand the largest international presence of any real estate organisation. 

Locally the RE/MAX brand has enjoyed great success since the original franchise rights for RE/MAX of Southern African were purchased by Peter and Val Gilmour, together with their partners in 1994.

RE/MAX of Southern Africa was ranked as South Africa’s Franchisor of the Year for all categories by FASA in 2003 and has since grown to be the largest real estate franchisor in the sub continent. 

Today, RE/MAX of Southern Africa is regarded as the pioneer of the RE/MAX international expansion as it was the first country franchise to be sold outside of North America.

"RE/MAX of Southern Africa still remains one of the top three performing regions in the world, and was ranked as the largest real estate brand in the country in a Finweek feature during 2011. More than 30 new RE/MAX franchises opened in the Southern African region -- which includes South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mauritius and the Seychelles as well - during 2012," says Gilmour. "This brings the RE/MAX of Southern Africa network to over 170 offices and 1800 agents."

With a passion for the communities in which its agents live and work, RE/MAX has, over the past 40 years, taken the opportunity to celebrate Founder’s Day by giving back to local communities in various ways. Gilmour says that globally RE/MAX is proud to have raised more than $120 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Komen for the Cure, Reach for a Dream and other charities.

"Locally RE/MAX of Southern Africa has donated in excess of R7million in the past seven years to charitable causes. While RE/MAX offices around the world will mark Founder’s Day with a number of events and celebrations, RE/MAX of Southern Africa will celebrate by launching the first initiative of The RE/MAX Foundation, a non-profit charitable organisation that aims to uplift the lives of families and individuals in need.

"RE/MAX looks forward to another 40 years of giving back to the communities in which it operates and assisting buyers and sellers in the most important investment decision they may ever make," Gilmour concludes.

ISSUED BY SQUARED COMMUNICATIONS
ON BEHALF OF RE/MAX OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT WESLEY BARNARD AT
wesley@squaredcommunications.co.za