How RE/MAX Became the World’s Greatest Real Estate Success Story
- Jan Halik
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Some brands are born in boardrooms. Others at spreadsheets and presentations.And then there are those that are born from a simple yet bold idea.RE/MAX belongs firmly in that last group.
The story of the world’s largest real estate company didn’t begin with an expansion strategy or a global master plan. It began with a question asked in 1973 by a real estate agent named Dave Liniger:Why shouldn’t the best agents earn the maximum for their work?
🔄 When the real estate business decided to change itself
In the 1970s, the real estate market worked very differently than it does today. Agents handed over a large portion of their commissions to office owners, and their motivation often hit a ceiling that couldn’t be broken.
Dave Liniger and his wife Gail decided to turn this model upside down.
Instead of holding agents back, they gave them freedom. Instead of control, they offered trust. Instead of average results, they made room for maximum performance.
That’s how the name RE/MAX – Real Estate Maximums was born. And with it, a brand that changed the real estate business forever.
🚀 From a handful of agents to a global network
At first, it was an experiment. But by 1976, RE/MAX already had 100 agents. A year later, the company expanded into Canada, and it became clear that this was no longer just a local project.
In 1978, a hot air balloon with the RE/MAX logo took to the skies over the United States for the first time. What was meant to be a one-time marketing idea quickly became an iconic brand symbol.
Growth continued at an incredible pace:
1986 – 10,000 agents and 1,000 offices
1987 – RE/MAX becomes the number one real estate brand in the USA
1995 – expansion into Europe, Africa, and Israel
2004 – 100,000 agents worldwide
A bold idea had turned into the largest real estate network on the planet.
🌍 RE/MAX as a global phenomenon
RE/MAX has never been just about numbers. It has always been about people, systems, and trust. That’s why it has been able to grow across continents and cultures.
As early as 1994, RE/MAX launched its own satellite television network to educate and connect agents across North America—long before online academies became the norm.
Today, RE/MAX operates in more than 110 countries, with nearly 9,000 offices and over 140,000 agents worldwide.
🇨🇿 RE/MAX in the Czech Republic: setting the standard for quality
RE/MAX entered the Czech market in April 2005—and it didn’t arrive quietly. It was the first to introduce an ethical code, a complaints procedure, and a service quality guarantee.
Key milestones followed:
mandatory certification for all agents
specialized Collection and Commercial offices
the opening of the RE/MAX Real Estate Academy in Prague
repeated SUPERBRANDS awards
RE/MAX became a market leader not only by numbers, but by client trust.
🎈 The hot air balloon as a brand symbol
When people see a RE/MAX hot air balloon in the sky today, they usually know what it represents. Freedom. Perspective. And real estate services on a higher level.
More than 100 RE/MAX balloons now fly worldwide, including two in the Czech Republic—often soaring above future homes of RE/MAX clients.
⭐ Why RE/MAX is the world’s largest real estate company
The success of RE/MAX isn’t built solely on the size of its network. It’s built on the belief that when you give top professionals the space to grow, exceptional results follow.
Perhaps that’s why RE/MAX has been a symbol of stability, professionalism, and trust for more than 50 years. And perhaps that’s why one simple idea became the greatest real estate success story in the world.
Jan Halík
Real Estate Agent
📞 +420 603 377 791
RE/MAX Atrium
Podolská 811/138
140 00 Praha 4 – Podolí
