RE/MAX truly "International" with expansions

John Rebchook — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:51:04 +0000

Despite the global recession in 2009, Denver-based RE/MAX International, Inc. sold 630 franchises worldwide last year, while extending its presence into eight new countries. In North America, several former competitors joined the RE/MAX Network, bringing with them more than 650 individual sales associates.

“We continue to sell franchises in this economy, because RE/MAX offers the best value in the marketplace,” said Vinnie Tracey, President, RE/MAX International Inc. “By joining RE/MAX, our new franchisees and our former competitors know they’re getting the power of a world-class brand, and all the cutting edge technology and training that comes with it.”

A closer look at RE/MAX international franchise sales in 2009 shows explosive growth in several regions – southwest Germany increased 200%, Portugal grew 100%, and Israel was up 45%. With the addition of eight new countries, including the Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Morocco, Peru, and Uruguay, RE/MAX continues to have an international presence greater than any of its competitors.

RE/MAX experienced additional success in the U.S., selling 21 new franchises in California, a state with one of the most challenging real estate markets. There was also impressive growth in other regions. The number of new offices in New England and southeast Michigan increased by 100%, in Georgia by 80%, and in the Mountains States region, franchise sales were up 40%.

“Achieving this type of growth despite a recession is the true test of any company,” said Tracey. “And the fact that RE/MAX continues to exceed expectations and surpass the competition is the reason we’re still going strong, after 37 years.”

Conversions from competing real estate companies to RE/MAX are also increasing. A conversion in Denver allowed Prestige Real Estate Group, a major independent brokerage with 250 agents, to merge with RE/MAX Professionals, creating the third-largest real estate firm in Colorado.

With significant economic and real estate improvements in 2010, RE/MAX said it is looking forward to another successful year of franchise sales around the globe.

Contact John Rebchook at JRCHOOK@gmail.com or 303-945-6865.

Michelle Kaufmann had to shut down her company

John Rebchook — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:05:26 +0000

Here is the irony.

Architect Michelle Kaufmann was getting all of the free-publicity in the world. Media outlets from HGTV, TIME Magazine, and newspapers, including the Denver Post, the late Rocky Mountain News and now – InsideRealEstateNews.com - have featured her.

But she was forced to dissolve her company last May, as she described in this blog entry.

“The thing is, we had plenty of business,” Kaufmann told me last week, at the site of Casa Chiara at the Marycrest Convent campus in northwest Denver, where workers were installing the energy efficient, factory-built homes she designed for Susan Powers, principal of Denver-based Urban Ventures. The community is expected to be ready for occupancy in October.

Kaufmann said the trouble was that in this tough environment, lenders wanted more “predictability,” as far as having a steady number of homes being built in factories. She said lenders did not want to see “holes” in the manufacturing centers.

Factories close

For the same reason, a number of the factories closed, because they could not get financing to keep them going, because of lulls during the construction cycle.

Still, she remains a strong advocate of building homes in factories, as opposed to building them on site. After all, when you order a new car, GM or Toyota doesn’t arrive at your driveway and start putting it together. It’s not only faster, more economical, and creates less waste by building homes in factories and installing them on sites, but it eliminates the danger of weather damaging building materials.

Although shutting down her company was sad, Kaufmann said it also has a bright side.

Re-invents herself

“Like so many other people, it has forced me to re-invent myself,” she told me. “I can now make decisions very quickly and be more nimble.”

She wasn’t kidding when she has lots of work. When she left Denver last week, she was heading back to her home in California. And then she will be off to a project she is designing in the Bahamas.

Inside Real Estate News » Bahamas

RE/MAX truly "International" with expansions

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Michelle Kaufmann had to shut down her company

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