Success story
The History of RE/MAX Is Rooted in Passion and Dedication
It all began in 1973, when real estate agents Dave and Gail Liniger founded the RE/MAX brand in Denver, Colorado. In 1995, the company expanded into Europe, as Walter J. Schneider and Frank J. Polzler brought the iconic hot air balloon—RE/MAX’s symbol—across the Atlantic. Today, RE/MAX is a global organization, collaborating with over 115,000 agents worldwide, including 20,000 in 38 European countries.
Below is a brief overview of RE/MAX’s journey to success—both locally and globally.
1973
RE/MAX is founded. Gail and Dave Liniger, two young Denver-based agents in their twenties, set out to develop a new kind of real estate concept. They establish RE/MAX—short for “Real Estate Maximums”—based on a system that empowers quality-focused agents to realize their full business potential and explore new growth opportunities.
1974
RE/MAX begins to expand. Gail and Dave’s team grows to 42 agents, working toward transformative changes to achieve their vision.
1975
A major milestone: the first RE/MAX franchise outside of Colorado is launched.
1978
RE/MAX celebrates its fifth anniversary with 1,000 agents and the debut of its now-famous symbol—the RE/MAX hot air balloon. This emblem remains globally recognized to this day.
1979
RE/MAX crosses U.S. borders. Austrian-Canadians Frank J. Polzler and Walter J. Schneider reach out to Dave Liniger with plans to bring RE/MAX to Eastern Canada. RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada is born.
1988
RE/MAX reaches 20,000 agents and becomes a leading real estate brand in Canada.
1995
RE/MAX expands into Europe. Schneider and Polzler bring the hot air balloon across the Atlantic. Within a year, the RE/MAX brand appears in real estate offices in Spain and Israel.
1996
The RE/MAX balloon lands in Italy!
1997
RE/MAX celebrates its 25th anniversary with 48,000 agents in 2,900 offices worldwide. The brand expands into Australia, Singapore, Germany, and Greece. Soon after, Turkey joins, followed by the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
1999
Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, and Southern France become part of the RE/MAX Europe family.
2000
The new millennium is marked by the addition of Norway, Sweden, and Iceland. RE/MAX now operates 3,422 offices across 32 countries, with 57,467 agents.
2002–2004
Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Malta join the network. Europe now boasts 1,000 RE/MAX agents.
2005–2006
RE/MAX signs agreements in the Baltic States, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia—making it the fastest-growing real estate franchise in Europe.
2007–2008
Poland, Macedonia, and Slovenia become the newest members of RE/MAX Europe.
2009
RE/MAX comprises 7,000 independently owned offices with over 102,000 agents in 80 countries. In Europe alone, 10,200 agents work across more than 1,600 offices in 36 countries.
2011
RE/MAX Europe expands into Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The brand is now active in 33 European countries, represented by over 11,000 agents in 1,480 offices.
2012
The familiar red-white-and-blue RE/MAX hot air balloon can be seen in more than 80 countries, making RE/MAX the most internationally widespread real estate network in the world.