Annual RE/MAX R4 Convention draws the best from around the world.
RE/MAX, one of the world’s greatest real estate brands, is officially growing faster outside of the United States where it began 43 years ago.
RE/MAX Australia Franchise Director Joel Davoren said growth of the international footprint was highlighted in the RE/MAX organisation’s focus on tools for its agents worldwide.
“The agent count for countries excluding the US and Canada records a 15.4 per cent increase in 2015, and that’s 8.5 per cent above the gain in RE/MAX agents across the world.
“An incredibly high level of innovation drives the US market, and agents in currently 98 countries access the outcomes.”
Almost 70 Australian and New Zealand RE/MAX members joined Joel Davoren, Managing Director Michael Davoren and Finance Director Chris Chapman at the 2016 RE/MAX R4 Convention in Las Vegas, and returned with an even greater appreciation of the global reach of the RE/MAX real estate network having shared valuable experiences with approximately 6000 international colleagues.
Mr Davoren said RE/MAX Australia and RE/MAX New Zealand 2015 figures aligned with the regional growth trend, with both countries showing huge agent growth already in the 2016 calendar year.
RE/MAX New Zealand, in particular, was awarded for Top Office Growth internationally for emerging RE/MAX regions.
Dave Liniger, RE/MAX CEO, Chairman of the Board and Co-Founder used the convention forum to announce a number of 2015 year-end results, including:
- The number of RE/MAX agents worldwide grew by almost 7% to 104,826.
- RE/MAX offices grew to 6,986 – more than any real estate network.
- The number of transaction sides worldwide surpassed 1.5 million.
- RE/MAX held #1 market share in the United States for the 16th consecutive year.
- RE/MAX added four countries – Jordan, Malaysia, Mongolia and Zambia – to what was already the largest international footprint of any real estate organization.
“One of the key announcements made at the convention was the introduction of the New RE/MAX University® education platform, which provides expanded and intuitive educational content with recent views, recommendations and gamification activities,” Mr Davoren said, “and our members have access whenever they want.”
MC Jay Leno, popular comedian and former Tonight Show host, kicked off the international conference program with his trademark humor poking fun at political correctness and reliance on technology before interviewing many special guests, Mr Liniger and other RE/MAX executives over the course of the week.
“The event was a great opportunity for networking, learning and being inspired for our Australian and New Zealand delegates,” said Michael Davoren, who was invited on the Global Regional Directors Profitability Panel along with Sebastian Sosa of RE/MAX Argentina/Uruguay, RE/MAX Malta’s Kevin Buttigieg and RE/MAX Portugal’s Manuel Alvarez.
Ros Waters, from the Gladstone region in Queensland, and Nicole Carter, from the Gold Coast, were invited panelists on the R4 program.
Ms Waters, who opened RE/MAX Energy in October last year, appeared on Mobile Agent TV, a weekly, online show streamed across the United States and featuring guests who provide cutting edge insights in the real estate industry for RE/MAX agents.
Ms Carter, a broker owner with RE/MAX Regency, spoke on the ‘Women of Distinction within RE/MAX’ panel.
“RE/MAX was founded on a principle of bringing as many women into the workforce as possible,” Joel Davoren said, “and back then women in real estate represented around three per cent. NAR, America’s largest real estate association currently suggests that women make up 58 per cent of agents.”
He said the 2016 event was the most impressive he’d attended to date.
“It is hard to grasp how impressive it was, and how much energy flowed.
“It was an unbelievable experience for our Australian and New Zealand members to be part of an enormous event where thousands rubbed shoulders with, and learnt from, the best real estate agents in the industry: their RE/MAX colleagues from all over the world.
“The R4 Convention is like no other real estate industry gathering. Just the physical numbers of people, the calibre of speakers, the quality of entertainment, and knowing that it represents an industry name spanning almost 100 countries is mind-blowing,” he said.
R4 is an annual event, held early March in in Las Vegas. The venue this year was the MGM Grand Resort and Casino. The RE/MAX R4 convention for 2016 closed with an evening concert performance by Lady Antebellum.