At the end of 2015, the number of RE/MAX agents outside the United States and Canada reached 25,000, resulting in an annual growth of 15.4%. Across Europe, RE/MAX agent count surpassed 15,000.
Countries with significant RE/MAX agent populations:
- Portugal – over 4,000
- Turkey – over 2,000
- South Africa – over 2,000
- Argentina – over 1,500
Led by countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Mexico, Latin America is an area where RE/MAX has been growing rapidly in recent years. RE/MAX also has an increasing presence in Asia and welcomed Malaysia as its latest global addition in December.
“RE/MAX has a unique business model that has been embraced in a great variety of economies and cultures around the world,” said Larry Oberly, Vice President, Global Development, RE/MAX, LLC.“Individuals join RE/MAX because of the worldwide brand recognition and the overall performance of our agents. Our current agents benefit from the growth of a large international referral base.”
Total sales volume in the U.S. from international buyers increased 13% from 2014 to 2015 and represented 8% of total existing home dollar volume according to the National Association of Realtors® 2015 Profile of Home Buying Activity of International Clients. The number of agents who had worked with a foreign buyer jumped from 28% to 35%.
RE/MAX global expansion began in 1991 with the sale of RE/MAX Cayman Islands and was quickly followed in 1993 with the opening of RE/MAX Mexico. In 1995, the RE/MAX Europe region was established. Today, RE/MAX has a presence in nearly 100 countries, more than any competitor.
“Since many countries have no established standards for agents or multiple listing services, RE/MAX is often seen as a means to revolutionize real estate practices and raise the level of professionalism,” Oberly added.