ABOVE Winter 2013

PLUS MyRU DEBUTS 23 | GARY VEE! 29 | NEXT BIG THINGS 39

T H E R E / M A X M A G A Z I N EWINTER 2013 REMAX.COM/ABOVE

YOU’RE INVITED TO THE PARTY!

PLAN FOR R4PAGE 26

VISIBILITYCREDIBILITYFOUNDATION

Enjoying the Advantages of Four Decades on Top

8PAGES OF HISTORY INSIDE!PAGE 30

When you’re working on a short sale, communication between the agent and the servicer is critical to success. That’s why Bank of America has provided a convenient escalation web tool for RE/MAX agents that can help resolve short sale issues quickly and keep the process moving.

Understand when it may be appropriate to escalate. Resolving an issue always begins with contacting your assigned Short Sale specialist through Equator.® The welcome page of the escalation web tool provides guidelines to help you understand when it may be appropriate to submit an escalation as well as how to use the tool.

Connect to a dedicated team. If an escalation is appropriate, simply complete all required fields on the escalations form and click Submit. Your escalation will be sent directly to the RE/MAX Escalations team, who will contact you within two business days. Actual resolution of an issue can take up to 30 days depending on the situation.

A resource for buyer’s agents. Buyer’s agents may also submit escalations that will be reviewed and acknowledged. However, to protect the seller’s privacy, specific transaction information will be provided only to the listing agent.

This escalation web tool is just one more way Bank of America is working to make the short sale process easier for RE/MAX agents.

To learn more, please visit the REO-Short Sale Initiatives page on RE/MAX Mainstreet.®

THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED OR AUTHORIZED FOR CONSUMER DISTRIBUTION.All trademarks are the property of Bank of America Corporation or their respective owners. Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; each is independently responsible for its products, services and incentives. Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2011 Bank of America Corporation.AD-08-12-1060 09-2012 ARD53427

With an escalation web tool for RE/MAX®agentsKeep your short sales moving

REMAX.COM/ABOVE • WINTER 2013 1

OPENING REMARKS

That’s what happens with a brand

presence built up over a long time and

viewed as the cream of the crop. It

brings the sort of awareness and trust

new brands would kill for. And we – all

of us – have it, because for 40 years

RE/MAX has attracted the best agents

and been defined by their actions.

Every agent who has worn a

RE/MAX pin has contributed to what

we are today. Every interaction,

situation and transaction is woven into

our collective image.

Whether you’ve been with us for 20

days, 20 months or 20 years, you are

the face of the company to the people

you work with or know. And because

you’re so good at what you do, the

foundation we have grows even

stronger every day.

So as we highlight the 40th

anniversary throughout the year – and

I really hope you’ll be at R4 for the big

celebration – you should know that it’s

as much about you as it is about Dave

and Gail. They started the ball rolling –

and continue to lead us, with amazing

courage and vision – but the rest

wouldn’t have been possible without

people like you.

Happy 40th. I’ll see you soon in

Las Vegas!

IT’S BEEN 40 YEARS SINCE DAVE

and Gail Liniger made their huge

leap of faith, betting their futures on

a belief in themselves and a great idea.

Richard Nixon was president, “All in

the Family” was must-see TV and the

average price of a home was about

$32,000.

It’s fun to think about what the

world looked like – and what we all

looked like – in 1973, but the real

meaning of our 40th anniversary goes

far beyond nostalgia.

The essence of the 40th is the

competitive edge it represents,

involving elements like credibility,

stability and reputation. An agent who

joined RE/MAX last month – even if he

wasn’t born in 1973 – already has all

of those things working for him. It’s a

built-in edge.

You know the old line about buying

a certain make of car and then seeing it

everywhere? A similar thing happens

in our profession, but with a twist.

Consider a couple on the verge of

buying their first home. They’ve seen

RE/MAX yard signs and ads for years,

but they’ve never really paid attention

because they had no need to. Now,

though, when it’s time to care about real

estate and choose an agent, RE/MAX is

top of mind.

What 40 years really meansBY MARGARET KELLY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, RE/MAX, LLC

ABOUT THIS COLUMN

Opening Remarks

features the thoughts

of top RE/MAX leaders,

speaking on major

themes within ABOVE.

Margaret Kelly is one of the most well-known, well-liked and highly respected leaders in the real estate industry. In her 25 years with RE/MAX, she has initiated and inspired tremendous growth, innovation, creativity, compassion and results. As CEO of RE/MAX, she dedicates her efforts to maintaining a culture of collaboration across the network and across the industry for the benefit of real estate professionals and the consumers they serve.

2 ABOVE THE RE/MAX MAGAZINE • WINTER 2013

FEBRUARY 25 – 28, 2013

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

features

ABOVE ONLINE View this and past editions of ABOVE at remax.com/above. Enhanced with videos and additional resources, the ABOVE website is a fun, interactive way to experience and share the magazine.

AN EPIC CELEBRATIONThe 2013 RE/MAX R4 Convention will

celebrate the network’s legendary history while

looking ahead to what Associates will need to

stay competitive and on top.

26RE/MAX AT 40A lot can happen in 40 years – and did! In celebration

of the 40th anniversary of RE/MAX, here’s a year-by-

year timeline that highlights just a fraction of what made

RE/MAX the powerhouse it is today.

30

CONTENTS

Back then, women were turned away

from real estate offices, and

the maximum commission concept was very new. Our competitors

said we’d never survive. But

RE/MAX was innovative.

– MARY GEDACK, RE/MAX ALLIANCE,

WESTMINSTER, COLO. JOINED IN 1976

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23

departments

IN EVERY ISSUE: 01 OPENING REMARKS 48 JUST FOR FUN

Copyright © 2013 RE/MAX, LLC. All rights reserved. ABOVE is a regis-tered trademark of RE/MAX, LLC. The material herein may not be dupli-cated, copied or reproduced – in whole or in part – in any way without written permission. ABOVE magazine is provided to RE/MAX Affiliates as one of many benefits. The opinions of guest contributors and inter-viewed guests are their own and not necessarily those of RE/MAX, LLC, or its Affiliates, or any of its owners, officers, employees or agents.

RE/MAX, LLC, is not responsible for the content of advertisements and assumes no liability for any claims arising therefrom.

RE/MAX, LLC, is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports the Fair Housing Act. Each RE/MAX® office is independently owned and operated.

RE/MAX, LLCCHAIRMAN & CO-FOUNDER Dave Liniger

VICE-CHAIRMAN & CO-FOUNDER Gail Liniger

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Margaret Kelly

PRESIDENT Vinnie Tracey

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS AND BRANDING Mike Ryan

ABOVEDIRECTOR, CHIEF NEWS EDITOR George White

CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Collin Meek

SENIOR EDITOR Amanda Derengowski

EDITOR Deborah Ball Kearns

To reach the editors of ABOVE, call 303.796.3573 or email [email protected].

To order additional copies, call the RE/MAX Order Desk at 303.796.3672

or visit www.remax.net.

ABOVE®

WINTER 2013, VOL. 3, NO. 1

ABOVE, a quarterly publication (January, April, July, October), is the official magazine of RE/MAX, LLC, the international real estate franchisor serving the

industry’s most productive Sales Associates.

RE/MAX World Headquarters5075 S. Syracuse St.

Denver, CO 80237-2712

PO Box 3907 Englewood, CO 80155

remax.com®

www.hungryeyemedia.com 800.852.0857

PRESIDENT Brendan Harrington

EDITOR Tom Wilmes

ART DIRECTOR Lindsay Burke

PROJECT MANAGER Susan Humphrey

NATIONAL AD SALES Susan Wist

303.378.1626 [email protected]

15 39

INSIDE STORY

6 SNAPSHOTSRelief after Superstorm Sandy, RE/MAX Commercial website debuts, RE/MAX tops Entrepreneur’s 2013 Franchise 500, and more!

15 LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR GREATNESSThe leaders of RE/MAX China foresee limitless opportunities and positive consumer reception as RE/MAX launches in China.

18 LEADING THE CHARGEJohn Veneziano and the 70 Sales Associates in his brokerage are enjoying the results after moving from ERA to RE/MAX.

BUILDING BLOCKS

20 UNDER THE HOODThe new remax.com delivers more leads, more listings, more customization – and more business to RE/MAX Associates.

23 MEET THE NEW MyRUMyRU, the latest evolution in the industry-leading education offered by RE/MAX University, delivers an interactive, custom-tailored eLearning experience.

FULL SPECTRUM

39 THE NEXT BIG THINGSFrom attracting clients around the globe to honing their digital marketing strategies, these agents are paying attention to emerging opportunities.

42 STAY THE COURSEWayne Moen, President of the Canadian Real Estate Association, discusses his tenure and what lies ahead for the Canadian market.

ABOVE & BEYOND

44 SERVING THOSE WHO SERVERE/MAX agents find success and fulfillment helping military families buy and sell homes.

47 SCOUT’S HONORThrough her longtime com-mitment to Scouting, Sharon Watson has helped generations of young people learn to lead.

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Perfect Soil for

Your Flower Beds

With proper preparation your flower beds can

produce beautifully, even in times of drought.

• Take time to improve the soil early in the spring

before setting out bedding plants. Plants that go

into beds of prepared soil, instead of into individual

planting holes, will grow large, spreading root

systems. The larger a plant's root system, the less

water it takes to sustain it.

• Work in substantial amounts of leaf mold, compost,

or rotted cow manure into the top 8 to10 inches of

soil. Incorporate about 25 percent of this organic

matter into the soil. The dividends include increased

moisture retention in the soil and substantial

improvements to the soil structure. You can never

add too much organic matter to the soil.

• Once plants are in, cover the soil with a layer of

mulch (but keep it about 6" away from the base of

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INSIDE STORY S N A P S H O T S

RE/MAX OF NEW JERSEY

Regional Director Amanda

Brown expected the worst

when she toured the

popular tourist town of

Point Pleasant on the Jersey

Shore a few weeks after

Superstorm Sandy wreaked

havoc on the East Coast.

Brown had heard from

RE/MAX Associates that

their homes were destroyed,

offices were lost and

countless transactions were

in jeopardy of not closing.

When Brown arrived to

survey the damage, she

was taken aback for an

unexpected reason.

“Everyone was in clean-

up mode,” Brown says.

“It was one of the most

inspiring things I’ve ever

witnessed. You had offices

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SANDYIn the Aftermath of

RE/MAX RELIEF FUND DONATIONS HELP AGENTS IN NEED

that were completely

ripped out and agents

who had lost their

homes, yet everyone was

determined to get this

mess cleaned up.”

RE/MAX Affiliates who

were affected by Sandy had

a unique resource to turn to:

The RE/MAX Relief Fund. It

can provide immediate aid

when catastrophe hits the

RE/MAX family.

Rene Zipfel, a Sales

Associate with RE/MAX

Real Estate in Lavallette,

N.J., lost her home on

Ortley Beach — one of the

hardest-hit neighborhoods

— and nearly all of her

business. The RE/MAX

Relief Fund assistance

came at just the right time.

Zipfel’s family used the

money for food, gas and

incidental items.

“It helped us tremendous-

ly,” she says.

SANDY BY THE NUMBERS

820 milesSandy’s total

diameter

305,000homes destroyed

8.1 millionhomes lost power

$50-$70 billion

in total damage


Months later, Zipfel

and her family now live

in a rental property, and

she is trying to rebuild

her business as cleanup

continues in her island

community.

“I had two closings

scheduled in November that

didn’t happen,” Zipfel says.

“It’s tough to re-establish

and market your business on

a budget of zero.”

Valerie Shalomoff’s Long

Island home flooded and was

without power and heat for

more than two weeks. Her

family also lost both of their

cars. Assistance from the

RE/MAX Relief Fund was the

first type of aid she received

from any agency or group.

“We still haven’t seen

anything from the insurance

company,” says Shalomoff,

a Sales Associate with

RE/MAX Liberty in Queens,

N.Y. “The money we

received from the Relief

Fund helped pay the bills.”

The Relief Fund distrib-

uted more than $30,000 in

aid to the first group of

East Coast applicants.

RE/MAX Affiliates have

donated more than $35,000

to the Relief Fund to help

Sandy victims.

“We are fortunate to have

had such a quick response

from the RE/MAX network,”

says Mike Reagan, President

of the RE/MAX Relief Fund.

“We continue to keep those

impacted by the storm in

our thoughts, and hope for

a quick recovery.”

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form or application for aid on RE/MAX Mainstreet. Email [email protected].

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IN ITS FIRST MONTH, 35,000 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE THEIR WAY TO

remaxcommercial.com, the new, standalone website dedicated to reinforcing

RE/MAX as a top global commercial real estate brokerage network.

The new RE/MAX Commercial website, which launched in mid-November,

features nearly 250,000 commercial listings from around the world, and not

just RE/MAX listings. The site generates leads worldwide and distributes them

to RE/MAX Commercial Practitioners through LoopNet, Gryphtech and the

commercial side of MLSs.

A key perk: RE/MAX Commercial Practitioners still benefit from the power

of remax.com, which routes all consumer traffic seeking commercial real estate

listings to the RE/MAX

Commercial website. Links to

remaxcommercial.com appear

right on the remax.com home

page and numerous other

pages throughout remax.com,

which averaged 4 million visits

per month in 2012.

The big goal of the

remaxcommercial.com site is

to influence buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, brokers, bankers, municipalities,

and other commercial professionals to choose their local RE/MAX Commercial

Practitioner for their investment needs.

A STRONG Debut


REMAXCOMMERCIAL.COM. HIGHLIGHTS.

250,000 commercial listings

35,000 unique visitors in first month

118,029 page views in first month

Commercial lead-generation for

RE/MAX Associates around the world

Websites for Commercial Offices,

Divisions and Practitioners

Blog covering top RE/MAX Commercial

dealmakers, their deals and hot industry topics

Global industry news

A comprehensive directory of services –

and more!

By having RE/MAX Commercial on a standalone site, it’s not just a sub-brand of remax.com anymore. That separation is important for commercial brokers. For us to be more competitive online and even the playing field, we needed this. – MARK HULSEY, RE/MAX RESULTS-COMMERCIAL DIVISION,

ST. PAUL, MINN.


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LENDING REGULATIONS HAVE

become overly strict in response to the

loose lending standards

that contributed to the

housing downturn. Tighter

restrictions are stifling

the housing recovery,

Dave Liniger said in

a point-counterpoint

feature in the January

2013 issue of DS News

magazine.

“The reaction of the lending industry

to the housing crisis was to overreact.

The pendulum of reason has swung too

far in the opposite direction,” he said.

The RE/MAX Chairman and Co-

Founder presented his

thoughts alongside Ivy

Zelman, CEO of real

estate analysis company

Zelman & Associates,

in a discussion on

whether regulators have

“overreached” in tightening

lending regulations.

Liniger went on to

state that despite incredible interest

rates and favorable home prices, the

stringent policies are not just stalling

the housing industry, but also the

nation’s recovery from the recession.

“What this market desperately

needs is commonsense regulation and

lending,” he said. “Housing policies

should truly safeguard consumers

without stifling economic growth.”

For her part, Zelman stated that

ongoing uncertainty has led lenders

to tighten their restrictions above

and beyond what is required. What’s

needed, she said, is more clarity in

the rules, which will let lenders get

back to offering mortgages to credit-

worthy borrowers.

Chairman Dave Liniger weighs in on lending standards

INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

4x4

Four top producers answer

four questions on performing

at the highest level.

MAXIMIZE RESULTS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Jodee Duenas, RE/MAX Diamond Realty,

Hagåtña, Guam (Hall of Fame)

Chopper Russo, RE/MAX Traditions Real

Estate, Oakland, N.J. (100 Percent Club)

Cherie Hansen, RE/MAX of Bigfork,

Bigfork, Mont. (Lifetime Achievement Award)

Sherri Mercurio, RE/MAX Preferred,

North Providence, R.I. (Executive Club)

What tools help you elevate your business and level of service?

Jodee: RE/MAX Mainstreet is filled with resources, and I use the Design Center to create marketing fliers. I’m also loving our local MLS database online. My most recent training, Brian Buffini’s Peak Producers, has also made a big difference.

Chopper: LeadStreet helps keep our buyers and sellers engaged, and the new Every Door Direct Mail program from the USPS has proven to be a great tool.

Cherie: I’m an old Top Producer user and usually carry 90 listings at a time.

Sherri: It’s almost impossible to function without my iPad, and I believe my phone has become a permanent part of my face! It’s critical to anyone’s success to be visible on a consistent basis and to have 24/7 “virtual availability” for clients.

What motivates you to keep aiming higher

in your career?

Jodee: Setting goals helps keep me on schedule and in check. And my husband and two boys are my big-gest supporters.

Chopper: It’s a matter of self- motivation – I love what I do and I won’t settle for second best. Only the lead dog has the best view.

Cherie: Always wanting better for myself and my clients. I’ve worked hard to have a great reputation; part of that is personality, the other is how you do business. If you’re hon-est, strive to learn more and are the best you can be, then the rewards are endless.

Sherri: You get out of life what you put into it. It’s that simple. My family, my two Chihuahuas and my peers keep me working harder and harder.

What new market segment would you like

to explore in 2013?

Jodee: I would like to focus more on single-family, new construction and commercial sales.

Chopper: The new RE/MAX Commercial site has us more fo-cused on multifamily and mixed-use buildings going into the new year.

Cherie: I’m looking forward to the RE/MAX R4 Convention for inspira-tion. I’m interested in learning new ideas to help me perfect something I do now, like improving my market-ing pieces, and finding out about emerging opportunities.

Sherri: I’d like to become more involved with REOs. I’ve been focus-ing on short sales for five years and have successfully closed more than 100 short-sale transactions. I’d like to share my knowledge with other professionals who may be hesitant to approach a short sale, and edu-cate them about the process.

ABOVE THE RE/MAX MAGAZINE • WINTER 201310


How do you manage tough decisions and

situations?

Jodee: I stay focused on the task at hand, tap into all my resources and get creative. I’m the facilitator of the transaction, so I need to communi-cate effectively and not take issues and situations personally.

Chopper: I stop, take a deep breath and remember I have two ears and one mouth that I try to use propor-tionately. I’ve had very different life experiences, and challenges offer opportunities that others often don’t see.

Cherie: Quoting Howard Brinton: “I provide; the client decides.” It puts things in perspective.

Sherri: I believe a real estate trans-action is typically a win-win situation for buyers and sellers. There’s always a solution to a problem. A closing attorney once said to me “It’s not a problem if you can write a check,” and boy was he right.


AFTER 17 YEARS ON ESPN, THE RE/MAX WORLD LONG

Drive Championship is moving to the Golf Channel for the 2013

event. In addition to the final competition airing live on the

Golf Channel, NBC Sports will air a 60-minute recap, mark-

ing the first time that power golf’s premier event will be seen

on network television.

“Through the Long Drive Championship, people all over

the world become familiar with the RE/MAX brand,” says Mike

Reagan, RE/MAX Senior Vice President of Business Alliances.

Millions tuned in to the 2012 ESPN coverage in December. The event

also generated buzz in major magazines like Sports Illustrated and Golf

Magazine, online and through social media.

In the Open Division, Ryan Winther overcame swirling winds to defeat

Tim Burke for the 2012 title, with a swing of 343 yards in the final round. In

the Senior Division, Eric Lastowka defeated Frank Miller 387 yards to 369.

RE/MAX WORLD LONG DRIVE CHAMPIONSHIP SLATED FOR NEW CHANNEL, NETWORK DEBUT

Increased Reach

RYAN WINTHER

Full competition

coverage moving to

Golf Channel in 2013



RE/MAX RANKS AS THE NO. 1 REAL

estate brand in Entrepreneur magazine’s

2013 Franchise 500. It’s the 10th time

that has happened in the past 14 years.

Just as Subway, 7-Eleven and other

elite brands dominated their categories,

RE/MAX finished ahead of the five other

real estate franchisors that qualified

for the 500. Key criteria include finan-

cial strength and stability, growth

rate and size, low startup costs and

global presence.

“We are pleased, but not surprised,

to be ranked No. 1,” RE/MAX CEO

Margaret Kelly says. “Our Sales

Associates and Broker/Owners are

talented people who help each other

excel, whatever the market conditions.”

The No. 1’s keep coming

CROSSWORD ANSWERS (FROM PAGE 48) ACROSS 6. EXPERIENCE 7. OUTSTANDING 8. RSN 9. GAIL LINIGER 10. CRS 13. YARD SIGN 15. ABOVE 16. LUXURY

19. EUROPE 21. ABR 24. ABOVE THE CROWD 26. LAS VEGAS 28. HALL OF FAME 29. FORTY 31. PREMIER 33. COMMERCIAL 36. OUT IN FRONT

37. MISSOURI 38. DESIGN CENTER 39. SALES 40. MYRU DOWN 1. DENVER 2. WINS 3. LEADSTREET 4. NOBODY 5. ONE LOG 10. CDPE 11. BRAND NAME

12. WHAT MOVES YOU 14. SIX 17. REGIONS 18. REFERRALS 20. EARN 22. REMAX.COM 23. CALGARY 25. DAVE LINIGER 27. MARGARET KELLY

30. BALLOONS 32. EXPERTS 34. OFFICES 35. KOMEN


CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK

Hospitals has a new program called

Give Miracles that lets supporters

choose exactly how their donations

will benefit the CMN Hospital of

their choice.

Donors can browse hospital wish-

lists at GiveMiracles.org and purchase

items hospitals need. Options range

from a comfort toy for $30 to a

pediatric wheelchair for

$970 to an entire hospital

wing devoted to neonatal

intensive care for $12 million. And many

more items in between can make a big

difference for sick and injured children.

The Give Miracles “crowdfunding”

is a great opportunity for RE/MAX

offices or Associates who are

interested in coordinating efforts

to purchase top-tier gifts. Groups

of individuals essentially pool

resources to purchase higher-cost

items, such as a $6,500 jetted

therapy tub or $8,500 life-saving

organ transportation service. On the

GiveMiracles.org website, groups can

follow their progress toward raising

the funds.

Learn more at GiveMiracles.org.

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Step into my office

To sign up today, visit att.com/wireless/REMAXOr, to find the nearest AT&T store, visit att.com/find-a-store

Please have proof of eligibility (employee badge, pay stub or business card)Mention FAN: 22541

* IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Available only to RE/MAX. Other conditions and restrictions apply. See contract and rate plan brochure for details. Subscriber must live and have a mailing address within AT&T’s owned wireless network coverage area. Equipment price and availability may vary by market and may not be available from independent retailers. Purchase of additional equipment, services or features may be required. Not all features available on all devices or in all areas. A $36 activation fee may apply. See your AT&T Representative for more information. ©2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All Rights Reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. Printed in the U.S.A.


INSIDE STORYG L O B A L D E V E L O P M E N T

MEET RE/MAX CHINA LEADERS HENGBIN YU AND QI HAN.

THEY FORESEE LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES AND POSITIVE CONSUMER RECEPTION

OF THE BRAND AS IT LAUNCHES IN CHINA. BY DEBORAH BALL KEARNS

LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR

GREATNESS

HENGBIN YU

QI HAN


Q| Welcome to RE/MAX! You

had other brands to choose from;

why RE/MAX?

Yu Quite simply, RE/MAX is the

No. 1 real estate brand in the world.

The global referral network will be

a major advantage, both in terms

of exchanging referrals with agents

in other countries and for the Sales

Associates within China.

Han RE/MAX is well established

around the world. It’s a brand name

people know and trust. There’s so

much support and training offered at

the corporate level that other brands,

like Century 21, which operates in

China, do not offer. We believe the

RE/MAX model will appeal to top

producers, because it values the

independent sales professional,

making it ideal for spurring

productivity and competition.

Q| What’s the Chinese real

estate market like right now?

Yu There are three factors that

heavily influence housing demand

in China: 1) Tradition (it’s typical in

Chinese culture to get married, buy a

home and have children); 2) Inflation;

and 3) Limited investment choices

due to housing policies. Because

of the restrictions, many wealthy

Chinese citizens are investing in real

estate abroad, particularly in the U.S.

and Canada.

Han The Chinese government

influences housing prices through

policy. To avoid a housing bubble, the

government instituted homebuying

restrictions in dozens of major cities

in 2011, including limits on foreign

real estate purchases by non-

residents, higher down payments,

and caps on the number of units

homebuyers can purchase. The

policies worked, forcing prices down.

Q| What challenges will RE/MAX

face as it enters China?

Yu We feel that now is a great

time to bring RE/MAX into China.

Government policies have decreased

the number of transactions brokers

are closing. Office owners don’t have

enough transactions, so commissions

also are down. But as the market

demand increases due to more

hiring and middle-class growth, we’ll

see that trend reverse. RE/MAX

offers maximum commission, which

THERE’S A CHINESE PROVERB THAT SAYS: “IF YOU WANT ONE

year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want 10 years of prosperity,

grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people.”

Every entrepreneur strives to build a business and find capable

people to run it for long-term success. RE/MAX China’s new leaders,

Chairman and Owner Hengbin “Brandon” Yu and CEO Qi “George”

Han, are looking to do just that as they introduce RE/MAX to more

than 1.3 billion Chinese consumers and prospective agents.

Yu, a quiet leader who commands the respect of his entire team, and

Han, a sharp-minded franchising veteran, share a common goal: They

want to revolutionize China’s real estate market by focusing on attract-

ing top-producing real estate agents to a well-established brand. And

they found a perfect match for their ambitions in the RE/MAX model.

They sat down with ABOVE recently during a month-long stay in

Denver for business training at RE/MAX World Headquarters. Here’s

what they had to say about plans for RE/MAX China in the year ahead.

INSIDE STORY G L O B A L D E V E L O P M E N T

PHO

TO

S B

Y M

AR

C P

ISC

OT

TY


differentiates it from traditional

Chinese brokerages. We’re confident

that this Sales Associate-centric

model will appeal to and attract top-

producing Chinese real estate agents.

Han China has a franchising law

that prohibits the sale of individual

offices within the first year of

operation, so we’ll focus on building

our regional operations. We have

plans to headquarter master regions

in Beijing; Hong Kong; Zhengzhou,

Henan; and Nanjing, Jiangsu.

Q| How do you think Chinese

consumers will receive RE/MAX?

Yu I think the Chinese people will

welcome an established, professional

real estate brand like RE/MAX.

Business relationships are very

important in China; consumers

expect to establish an amicable

relationship – even a friendship –

with someone they do business

with. The real estate agent who is

knowledgeable and friendly, with

a willingness to learn and embrace

the RE/MAX way, will fit in best with

RE/MAX China – and invite more

consumers to trust the brand.

Han Chinese people, in general,

are not aware of RE/MAX. But those

who have traveled or studied abroad,

particularly in North America or

Europe, have encountered the brand

and have a positive impression of it.

ABOUT THE LEADERSHENGBIN YU Yu, a seasoned

entrepreneur, has held

a variety of leadership

positions across numerous

industries, such as

mining, IT development,

banking, investment and

franchising, to name a few.

He is currently Director

of the Beijing Franchise

Equity Exchange, as well

as chairman of four other

companies, in addition

to being Chairman and

Owner of RE/MAX China.

QI HANHan, CEO of RE/MAX

China, has worked in

franchising operations

for more than 15 years.

His extensive franchise

experience includes

working with non-

domestic brands that

want to enter the Chinese

market, as well as Chinese

franchise chains. Han has

worked with more than

100 franchises across

43 different industries,

including real estate

organizations B.A. & 5I5J

Group, a Chinese real

estate brand, and Century

21, for which he served as

vice president of China

operations for seven years.

NEW HORIZONS: CHAIRMAN AND OWNER

HENGBIN “BRANDON” YU (RIGHT) AND CEO QI

“GEORGE” HAN, DISCUSS THE INTRODUCTION

OF RE/MAX INTO CHINA DURING A TRIP TO

RE/MAX WORLD HEADQUARTERS IN DENVER.


LAST SEPTEMBER, JOHN

Veneziano made a bold but

calculated move. He dropped

his longtime association with ERA – a

relationship that dated to 1989 – and

rebranded his brokerage to RE/MAX.

“Complacency is the No. 1 killer

of business,” he says. “I wanted more.

I wanted branding. I wanted leads.

I wanted marketing. I wanted a more

close-knit network. I really looked

into the key differences between

the brands, and at all the pros and

cons, and it came down to the fact

that others just can’t compete with

RE/MAX.”

By joining RE/MAX, Veneziano

and his agents gained stronger

brand-name recognition, better sales

prospects, more visibility on the

street and on the Internet, a strong

regional office that fosters networking

opportunities, and a better grasp on

future success.

Veneziano has a history of fighting

stagnation to the benefit of his

agents, and his brokerage as a whole.

For instance, he scaled back and

reduced overhead just before the

2006 downturn. His competitors

thought he was going out of business,

but after the market hit bottom, they

were the ones closing up shop.

NEW TOOLS FOR RESULTSSince the switch to RE/MAX,

Veneziano and the 70 Associates at

RE/MAX Andrew Realty Services in

Medford and Stoneham, Mass., have

reaped the rewards. Agents have

received more than 300 leads and

have been plenty busy.

Broker Associate Sory DeOliveira

has already had

success with

LeadStreet. After

receiving a lead

generated on

remax.com, DeOliveira

and the prospective

client signed an

agreement within

a week.

She also received

a phone call from a

seller who liked her

new RE/MAX profile

online. Soon after, DeOliveira met with

the woman at her waterfront condo

on Boston’s inner harbor and secured

the listing over a cup of tea.

DeOliveira has seen the advantages of

the branding change in other ways, too.

“I contacted all of my former clients

to let them know I was now a RE/MAX

agent,” DeOliveira says. “I was able to

re-establish connections that could

result in transactions in the future.”

THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENTPositive outcomes like this were

exactly what Veneziano imagined

when he gathered his agents in a

conference room at a local hotel in

September to announce

the change. He had kept

the news a secret by saying

he was moving up the

company’s annual New

Year’s meeting to the fall.

He told the group he

had heard requests for

more leads and more

marketing services – and

had found a solution. He

then led everyone to the

other end of the hotel,

where a huge RE/MAX

welcome event was set up in another

conference room. By the time they

left, Veneziano’s Associates had new

business cards and a new brand identity.

“They were excited,” Veneziano

JOHN VENEZIANO SWITCHED FROM ERA TO RE/MAX FOR ITS COMPETITIVE

ADVANTAGES. HIS ADVICE? EMBRACE CHANGE TO STAY ON TOP. BY NATHAN SOLHEIM

SORY DeOLIVEIRA

PHO

TO

BY

KEN

RIC

HA

RD

SON

INSIDE STORY M A J O R C O N V E R S I O N

LEADING

CHARGEthe


KEY TAKEAWAYSWhat’s best for your

business might be to change the way you do business.

Use the tools at your disposal in ways that work

toward your goals.

Align yourself with strong partners.

JOHN VENEZIANO

Complacency is the No. 1 killer of business. – JOHN VENEZIANO

recalls. “They felt they were getting

a company they liked working for

and a brand they were excited

about working with.”

Tom Lee, who’s been with

Veneziano’s brokerage since

1996, said Veneziano’s way of

breaking the news was dramatic

and effective. And to Lee, the

advantages of moving to RE/MAX

were quickly evident.

“Comparing the two brands in the

local market, there’s no question,”

Lee says. “Even people who knew

us as a company didn’t necessarily

know ERA. But RE/MAX is instant

recognition. RE/MAX is top of mind.

You see it on a daily basis.”

Veneziano expects the switch to

help his agents build their business.

And, as he sees it, they deserve

a leader who acts in their best

interests.

“The day I sit in my chair like Captain

Kirk and think everything is great is

when you should ask me to retire,”

Veneziano says. “Complacency will

hurt my agents’ income, and I won’t let

that happen.”


1

The first thing consumers see is

a large search bar that lets them

quickly filter their results. It’s

prominent and makes finding their

perfect place a cinch.

BUILDING BLOCKS O N L I N E

As search results come in, consumers

see large photos of homes and all

the important details. If there’s a

property they don’t want to see

again, they can click “hide” and it will

disappear from all future searches.

If they want to save a search, they

simply click the heart logo to see more

results later.

2When consumers click on a listing,

they can browse larger photos

and request more information from

their local RE/MAX agent. They can

focus just on the photos by clicking

the “Quiet mode” button, which

darkens the entire background and

enlarges the photo gallery.

3

INDUSTRY-LEADING SEARCH

The search

tool on the new

remax.com is a

huge upgrade that

gives consumers

everything they

want: bigger

photos, more

listings, less clutter

and customizable

results. Each time

a person returns to

the site, results are

tailored to their

previous searches

or their saved

search criteria.

On the surface, the newly redesigned and re-engineered digital home of

RE/MAX is a sleek, elegant portal that empowers consumers in their home search.

Dig deeper, and it’s a robust platform for agents to customize search and

branding functions. Here’s what’s inside.

Under HoodTHE NEW REMAX.COM DELIVERS A CONSUMER-DRIVEN,

AGENT-FRIENDLY EXPERIENCE

TH

E

21REMAX.COM/ABOVE • WINTER 2013

SHORTEN AND BRAND ANY URL.

Associates anywhere in the world

can use the rem.ax URL Shortening

Tool to create shorter, cleaner links

to any web page. It shrinks long –

sometimes unsightly – URLs down

to just 13 characters and adds the

valuable RE/MAX branding.

Not only will rem.ax links

be easier for people to read,

remember and enter into their

browser, they’re also great to use

on social networks, especially

when you’re trying to stay under a

140-character limit.

This tool also helps you monitor

traffic to your links and provides

you with a QR code you can use in

marketing materials.

Start shortening your URLs

today, via the RE/MAX Mainstreet

Marketing tab.

Listings and much moreIn addition to listings, other great resources include:

BRANDED FOR YOUR BUSINESS

TWO DESIGN CENTER ePOSTCARDS.

Put your rem.ax URLs that link to remax.com on two high-impact

ePostcards now available in the RE/MAX Design Center. They’re

the perfect way to let your contacts know about the new, robust

remax.com – and keep them linked to you.

On the Move blog covers everything from housing tips and market trends to news and observations

Get Advice section full of tips on buying, selling, financing and more

Home Values provides instant home values and recent sale prices in thousands of cities and towns

1Copy the URL

of any page on

remax.com

(a listing, a

tips article –

just about any

page)

4Copy the

new URL (or

download the

QR code!) and

add it to your

marketing

materials

3Click “Shorten”

2Paste the

remax.com URL

into the rem.ax

URL Shortening

Tool on

Mainstreet

Complementing its great search

functionality, the new remax.com also

allows U.S. Associates to put their name

and business in the forefront.

You can brand many pages on

remax.com with your photo, name and

contact information, when you use the

new rem.ax URL Shortening Tool to

send consumers to the site.

Become the go-to agent on

remax.com in just a few short steps:


BUILDING BLOCKS T O O L S

NEARLY 9,000 RE/MAX

Associates use the RES.NET

cloud-based portal to manage

their Short Sale and REO transactions

– and now the technology solution is

available for managing any type of real

estate transaction.

RES.NET has evolved to meet the

transaction-management needs of

agents working in traditional sales.

And the RE/MAX Approved Supplier is

helping RE/MAX Associates evolve, too,

by offering them the same tools that

have already proven to be successful in

the distressed property arena.

The more than 80 percent of

consumers starting their home search

online are looking for easy access to

information, and efficiency that only

top technology can provide. RES.NET

gives agents the infrastructure to

deliver what consumers want and how

they want it – online.

Through the RES.NET

Agent Portal, agents can

connect to other real es-

tate professionals – and

to buyers and sellers

via the RES.NET Buyer

and Homeowner portals.

The service empowers agents to handle

every aspect of a transaction in one

centralized system. Much like social

media, RES.NET offers subscribers the

ability to keep in constant contact with

all transaction participants, through

every step of the process.

It also makes the process more

transparent. Agents, their clients and

other parties can easily

send, view and sign

documents online using

e-signature technology.

Plus, submitting offers

is a breeze. RES.NET

provides an automated,

paperless environment

that minimizes everyone’s time in front

of the computer and maximizes agents’

time in front of clients.

One-Stop SolutionCLOUD-BASED SERVICE EXPANDS BEYOND DISTRESSED PROPERTIES


Learn more about the ways RES.NET puts technology

to work for you and your clients. Visit

www.res.net/remax.


BUILDING BLOCKSR E / M A X U N I V E R S I T Y

Q: Is MyRU the same as RU?A: MyRU is the interactive

learning component of RU

that gives you a wide variety

of tracks to choose from and

a personalized learning plan.

Q: What is “MyRU Trax”?A: MyRU Trax is a collection

of multi-step courses, such

as “Building Your Business:

Facebook” and “Diving into

Distressed Properties,” that

you can tackle all at once

or one segment at a time.

The whole idea is that the

individual tracks provide

paths to a new level of

understanding about each

subject. You can start and

stop at any time on virtually

any device, including a tablet.

Q: How long do the tracks take?A: As long as you need.

That’s the beauty of MyRU.

You can start a track from

anywhere, pause your course

and then pick up where you

left off when you’re ready

again – whether it’s the next

day or the next week.

MyRU,

the

latest

evolution in the

industry-leading

education from

RE/MAX University, has

taken everything you

loved about RU and

transformed it into an

interactive, custom-

tailored and completely

redesigned eLearning

experience.

And although the

packaging has changed,

rest assured that all the

great education is still

there. The best has just

gotten better.

EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE WITH A CUSTOMIZED, INTERACTIVE

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Meet the

MyRUNEW

Q: Can I still watch RU videos?A: Yes. They’ve been

catalogued within MyRU to

help you find the videos

you need even quicker.

They’re right alongside the

courses.

Q: Can I still earn professional designations?A: Of course! All of the full

designation courses, such as

ABR, CDPE and CRS, are all

right there on RU.

Q: How do I know if MyRU is right for me?A: The only way to know for

sure is to log in and try it out.

Keep reading to get started.


BUILDING BLOCKS R E / M A X U N I V E R S I T Y

*Not all courses are compatible with the iPad or other tablets.

Explore the home page.

In the upper left-hand corner,

you’ll see your name and

office. Your Learning Plan

appears below that. The right-

hand bar includes a catalog

search bar, a few quick links,

and your completed work

section. Make sure to click

“Check System” in the upper-

right corner of the page to

ensure your computer and

browser are able to run the

eLearning modules.

2

Visit Mainstreet and click the RU tab.

On the RE/MAX University

page, click the MyRU button,

which takes you to

your MyRU personalized

home page.

1

Once you have a few items in your Learning

Plan, click a title to get started.

Make sure your browser’s

pop-up blocker is turned off.

A new window will appear

and take you through the

course step-by-step. When

you need to stop, pause the

player and close the window.

3

Use the search bar to find a topic.

With MyRU, you choose the

content that fits your needs.

Not sure what you want?

Click “Browse Catalog” to

see the entire catalog of

courses and videos. Once

you’ve found what you’re

looking for, select your

desired course and either

add it to your Learning Plan

by clicking “Add to To-Do

List,” or jump straight into it

by clicking “Go to Content.”

5 Easy Steps to

Start Learning

with MyRU

4Log in from any

computer or device. Maybe you’re on an iPad*

or a laptop, or even a

smartphone. Not a problem;

log back in from any device,

go to your Learning Plan and

pick up where you left off.

5


No one else makes advertising on radio and television easier and more profitable.

Now accepting qualified applicants for select U.S. and Canadian markets.

joiN the re/max

top 100 list

www.RadioAndTelevisionExperts.com

What’s the secret weapon that helped Marti Hampton become the new #1 team leader in the U.S. for RE/MAX?

I can directly attribute 40% of my business to radio. I’ve worked with Matt for 7 years. His knowledge of how to market on radio and the network of superstars he’s built is amazing.

MARTi HAMpTon | RE/MAX onE REAlTy | RAlEigH, nC

#33 bUddy blAkE | WilMingTon, nC. RE/MAX ESSEnTiAl.

“I’ve worked with Matt for several years and made well over $1,500,000 GCI that I can directly attribute to Matt’s marketing system on radio.”

#25 lonniE bUSH | viRginiA bEACH, vA. RE/MAX fiRST.

“Radio accounted for about 30% of our business. Matt genuinely cares about his agents and wants to see you succeed. He spends more time doing that than anyone I’ve ever been associated with in 14 years of selling real estate.”

#21 lARS HEdEnboRg | CHARloTTE, nC. RE/MAX REAl ESTATE EXpERTS.

“Matt knows which stations to advertise on, when to run, and what to say to make the phone ring. Matt’s system on radio tripled my listing inventory in less than one year!”

What other Top 100 producers are building their business

even more because of Radio and Television?

b a s e d o n r a n k I n g s t H r o u g H o c t o b e r 2 0 1 2

GET ON TRAXIf you’re new to MyRU eLearning, start with the interactive

course “Introduction to eLearning.” It explains the evolution

of RE/MAX University and how the MyRU approach to

education works for you. After your orientation, create your

plan of attack. Here are some of your options:

NAVIGATING THE. ROAD TO WEALTH.

Create a comprehensive

business plan that puts

your business on track to

achieve your short- and

long-term goals. At the end

of this interactive, step-by-

step program, you’ll have

a complete business plan

based on your objectives.

MINING FOR PROSPECTS.

Learn how to earn the

income you want through

the art of prospecting.

This course helps you find

new clients by requesting

feedback and effectively

using the power of the

RE/MAX brand.

SOCIAL MEDIA:. DRIVING REAL BUSINESS.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

– these social networks go

well beyond pretty photos

and witty status updates.

Learn how they can also

help you build connections

and business opportunities.

RE/MAX DESIGN CENTER.

Are you taking advantage

of your personal market-

ing center? Learn the ins

and outs of the RE/MAX

Design Center and become

an expert in creating great

promotional materials for

your business, from post-

cards to web commercials

– and much more.

LEADSTREET.

RE/MAX offers a huge

advantage when it comes

to leads, as millions

of unique visitors to

remax.com are delivered

directly to RE/MAX agents

through LeadStreet, free

of referral fees. Learn

the ins and outs in this

12-segment curriculum.

Have questions? Get the answers you need about the new MyRU. Email [email protected].

ABOVE THE RE/MAX MAGAZINE • WINTER 2013

This year’s R4 is going to be great. I can’t wait to see Dave and Gail Liniger; they’ve been inspirational. I’m also excited about Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks, as well as catching up with my RE/MAX friends I’ve made over the past 32 years! – KAREN KUSEK, RE/MAX SUBURBAN, SCHAUMBURG, ILL.

RE/MAX TURNS 40 THIS YEAR, AND THE 2013 RE/MAX

R4 Convention is centered on that milestone. It will celebrate

the network’s legendary history, but more importantly it will

look ahead at what Associates will need to stay competitive

and on top. This truly is a celebration only Las Vegas can

handle. More than 7,000 Associates are expected to be

there for the world-class education and networking that are

hallmarks of every RE/MAX Convention.

RE/MAX R4 BLOWOUT BUILDS ON STRONG FOUNDATION FOR A PROSPEROUS FUTURE

A GRANDer EXPERIENCERelax in style at the MGM

Grand, the host hotel for

RE/MAX R4. Enjoy a fabulous

stay at the opulent hotel,

which recently underwent

a $160 million renovation to

its guest rooms, casino and

other entertainment areas.

Visit the Events page on

RE/MAX Mainstreet to book

your room and register for R4.

ABOVE THE RE/MAX MAGAZINE • WINTER 2013 27

Search “RE/MAX R4 Mobile App” in your device’s app

store and download it before you go.

Perennial convention attendee Del Rounds has some

great advice for making the most out of R4. The Lifetime

Achievement Award winner and Chairman’s Club member

with RE/MAX Fine Properties in Scottsdale, Ariz., rarely

misses a RE/MAX Convention. Here are his top tips for

navigating the whirlwind that is R4 – and leaving with

takeaways that will revolutionize your business.

Map out a schedule. It’s easy

to get overwhelmed by the volume of

sessions and events. Planning ahead

will help you stay on track. Browse the

convention agenda early and choose

the options that best fit your objectives.

Be engaged. Oftentimes at R4,

you’ll hear about market trends before

you see them in the field. Be open to

what you hear, and it may mean the

difference between staying ahead of

the market and falling behind.

Get out of your comfort zone. If you see an open seat at a

table of seven, sit down and introduce

yourself. It’s tempting to stick

with friends or agents

from your office, but

doing so holds you back.

Put yourself out there a

bit; you might strike up a

conversation that leads

you to new ideas.

Go to sessions early. Not

only will you get a great seat, but you

can also use that extra time to meet

people and look over handouts. Also,

chat with presenters after sessions if

you’re looking for more insight about

something they covered.

Take meticulous notes. You learn so much over the course

of four days that you can’t possibly

retain it all. Write down key ideas and

strategies.

Choose at least four ideas to implement right away. These could be game-

changers for your business.

Commit to implementing

at least one big idea per

quarter.

your guide to an awesome r4 This is my

first R4 so I’m definitely excited to be there. I want to meet some of the top producers, get my name out there and enjoy the experience. – STEVEN HANNOSH,

RE/MAX CLASSIC, FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH.

R4 IN THE PALM OF YOUR HANDWhether you’re an iPhone fanatic or a loyal Android

fan, there’s an R4 app that will help you stay on

track (and on time!) during RE/MAX R4. The free

mobile app delivers real-time alerts, education session

schedules and event highlights.

FEBRUARY 25 – 28, 2013

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA


PLATONVisionary and

world-renowned photographer

DR. CONDOLEEZZA RICE

Former U.S. Secretary of State

GARY VAYNERCHUK

Wine entrepreneur and social media marketing guru

BRIAN BUFFINI

RE/MAX coaching favorite and success

story

ANDY ANDREWS

Motivator and New York Times

best-selling author

a winning lineup

If you need inspiration, a business revival or just a good, old-fashioned reality check

to get you on the right path, the speaker lineup for RE/MAX R4 fits the bill. From a

tenacious diplomat to a high-energy coach and a self-made entrepreneurial success,

the speakers will deliver riveting messages that are sure to resonate.

Attending R4 is a challenge. It means

flying 16 hours, but it’s well worth it. I learn

what’s happening around the world in other markets and

come home filled with new ideas and

knowledge to better serve our clients.

– RAFAEL MASRI, RE/MAX PREMIUM, CAPITAL FEDERAL, ARGENTINA

AN R4 FIRSTNot one, but two music

legends will rock R4.

Kenny Loggins gets

the party started at the

Welcome Reception

on Monday, Feb. 25.

Then Stevie Nicks will

perform her top hits at

the RE/MAX Party With

a Purpose on Thursday,

before she embarks on

a North American tour

with Fleetwood Mac.KENNY LOGGINS STEVIE NICKS

Effective branding is all about storytelling. Are you communicating who you are,

what you’re about and what value you bring to the table? The fundamentals

haven’t changed. But the places we tell our stories, and how we tell them, are

evolving all the time. Here are nine things to keep in mind:

The single most

important thing to

realize is that consumers

need to receive your

message where they are,

not where you want them

to be. And where they are

is on the leading social

media sites.

The trick is to

cut through the

clutter and tell your story

authentically. That part is

easy in principle, but hard

to execute.

People struggle

because they don’t

understand how to natively

talk in the social channels.

What I mean by that is that

the copy and the creative

– the words, pictures and

videos that you post – are

actually very different from

one platform to another,

although people tend to

lump them all together as

“social media.”

On Facebook, videos

are by far the best

way to stand out. But they

have to be short and to the

point. People on the site

just don’t have time for

long videos.

On Tumblr – which

can help you reach

the core of people ages 21

to 30 – if you don’t post an

animated GIF, then nobody’s

really going to react. There’s

a ton of free GIF makers for

your iPhone or Android. I

like GIF Guru and GifGifs.

Instagram is

something every

agent needs to think about.

You get discovered there

through hashtags. Start by

researching which hashtags

people are using to search

for new homes – and

include them in your posts.

Twitter is one place

where you can jump

into the conversation and

bring value even though

you’re not being asked. Use

twitter.com/search to tailor

your posts to what people

are actually searching

for. Then use your 140

characters to share a link

to your website, blog or

Facebook page. Try posting

a leading statement or

turning it into a question

to generate retweets and

greater response.

How often you

post comes down

to quality. If you’re good

enough to create quality

content on a daily, weekly

or monthly basis, then that’s

what you do. The big thing

is to identify your goals and

reverse engineer how you’re

going to get there.

I’m guessing 99

percent of people

reading this aren’t

engaging enough online.

They need to change that.

For the 1 percent who are

doing a lot, just remember

your core message and

always convey the value

that you bring.


the skinny on socialNINE IDEAS FOR TELLING YOUR STORY IN A WAY THAT CONNECTS

WITH YOUR DIGITAL AUDIENCE. BY GARY VAYNERCHUK

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MORE AT R4 Hear Gary Vaynerchuk outline more ways to tell your story on

social media at the RE/MAX R4 Featured Session on Tuesday, Feb. 26 in Las Vegas.

Find out more about him at garyvaynerchuk.com

TIPS FROM GARY VEE!

30

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

One Office, One EmployeeTop-producing real estate agent Dave Liniger starts

RE/MAX, built on the maximum commission concept

that lets agents keep more of what they earn. RE/MAX

is a non-traditional approach opposed by the major

brokerages accustomed to keeping half of agents’

commissions. Dave interviews 28 people to find Gail

Main, his first employee, who later becomes his wife.

By the end of the first year, the Denver office has 21

Associates and Dave is $300,000 in debt because other

investors have backed out. Dave refuses to.

1974Going National RE/MAX becomes a

national franchise.

1975Franchising and

Black Ink Dennis Curtin of Kansas

City, Mo., purchases the

first RE/MAX franchise

outside Colorado.

RE/MAX ends the year

with positive cash flow.

YEARS

A LOT CAN

HAPPEN IN

– AND DID!

2013 marks the

40th anniversary

of RE/MAX, and

this year-by-year

timeline highlights

just a fraction of what

made RE/MAX the

powerhouse

it is today.

1973START


1976Women on Board

The fourth year closes with

164 agents, more than 75

percent of whom are women.

Twenty-six Affiliates attend the

first RE/MAX Convention in

Las Vegas.

1978Icon in the Sky

The red-over-white-over-blue

hot-air balloon becomes

the official RE/MAX logo

when it attracts TV cameras

at the Albuquerque

International Balloon Fiesta.

Today, with nearly 120 hot

air balloons, RE/MAX has

the world’s largest

hot-air balloon fleet –

and one of the world’s

most-recognized logos.

1980Canada to the Rescue

While the U.S. struggles through

the worst recession since World

War II, Frank Polzler and Walter

Schneider open the first Canadian

region – RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic

Canada. RE/MAX flourishes and

quickly spreads across Canada.

1981Quick StartThirty Canadian franchises are

sold in six months.

1982Turning Point in California

One of the 10 largest real estate

companies in the U.S. converts its 600

agents to RE/MAX when owners Sid

Syvertson and Steve Haselton buy the

California region. The total number of

RE/MAX agents nears 4,000.

Back then, women were

turned away from real estate offices, and the maximum

commission concept was very new. Our

competitors said we’d never survive. But RE/MAX was

innovative. – MARY GEDACK,

RE/MAX ALLIANCE, WESTMINSTER, COLO.

JOINED IN 1976

1977Expanding Over

Thousands of MilesThe first regional master

franchises are sold in the U.S.,

several of them in the Midwest.

In Calgary, Don Fernie purchases

the first Canadian franchise.

1979Above the Crowd!®

The “Above the Crowd!®” slogan first

appears in advertising, along with

the RE/MAX Balloon.


1983Tragic Setback

The pilot is killed and Gail

Main is seriously injured in

the crash of a small plane in

Canada, just weeks before

her planned marriage to Dave

Liniger. Though sustaining

permanent injuries, her

miraculous recovery would

inspire RE/MAX Affiliates

for years to come.

1984The Wedding Day at LastRE/MAX President Gail Main changes her

last name to Liniger with her June 7 marriage

to Chief Executive Officer Dave Liniger.

RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada becomes

the first region to grow to 1,000 agents.

19861,000 Offices Draws Attention

RE/MAX is featured in Forbes, Fortune

and other national magazines in the

U.S. The network ends an exceptionally

dynamic year with more than 14,000

Associates in more than 1,000 offices.

1987No. 1 in Canada

Seven years after the founding

of the RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic

Canada and RE/MAX of Western

Canada regions, RE/MAX

becomes No. 1 in the nation.

STRUGGLES AND SUCCESS

1985The Future of

ReferralsAgent-to-agent referrals

grow, as agents close

287,000 transaction sides

for the year. The first printed

RE/MAX Referral Roster

lists all 10,000 agents; the

publication would grow to

resemble a major metro

phone book. “RE/MAX of

America” is renamed

“RE/MAX International.”

At the time I joined RE/MAX, the

brand was a fledgling in Vancouver. We

were No. 7 in sales volume in the city,

but boy was it exciting. I remember the first RE/MAX TV commercial called

“The Cream,” a reference to how the

cream rises to the top, and that’s exactly

what happened to RE/MAX in our

area. We went from No. 7 to No. 4 to No. 1

in about six years. – JAKE MOLDOWAN,

RE/MAX WESTCOAST, RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA

JOINED IN 1986


1989Up in the Air

A mass ascension of

50 RE/MAX Hot Air Balloons is

filmed near Denver as part of a

charity balloon festival that

attracts more than 200 balloons

from across North America.

1990“Take a Step Above the Crowd!®”The image of a RE/MAX

Balloon in outer space

anchors a full-page ad in

USA Today, part of the

“Take a Step Above the

Crowd!®” ad campaign.

1991Office in Paradise

The RE/MAX of the

Caribbean region opens

its first office – in Grand

Cayman – as RE/MAX nears

30,000 agents in almost

2,000 offices.

1992Helping the KidsRE/MAX becomes the exclusive real estate sponsor of

Children’s Miracle Network, helping to fund the treatment of

sick and injured children in North America.

1988Spreading the NewsPropelled by the “Good News on

the Home Front” multimedia ad

campaign, the network reaches the

20,000-agent milestone and nears

the 1,500-office mark.


LEADING THE INDUSTRY

1994Working SmarterThe RE/MAX Satellite

Network (RSN®) debuts

Nov. 1. It’s the first

service of its kind in real

estate. RE/MAX Europe

opens its first region

in Spain, and RE/MAX

of Southern Africa

launches.

1996Continent by ContinentRE/MAX Australia

becomes country No. 16,

as RE/MAX expands to its

fourth continent.

1997“Nobody Sells

More Real Estate”A new phrase is coined

after audited figures show

that RE/MAX Associates

completed more than

1 million transaction sides

in 1997. RE/MAX was the first

real estate brand

to hit that milestone.

1995Listings Go OnlineRE/MAX on HomeWEB, the

predecessor of remax.com,

debuts, giving consumers

online access to RE/MAX

listings. RE/MAX Europe

expands in Israel, Italy,

Greece and Germany. And,

for the first time, RE/MAX

sponsors the RE/MAX

North American Long Drive

Championship, which later

becomes the RE/MAX World

Long Drive Championship.

1993Fighting for QualityIn a classic moment of showmanship at the RE/MAX Convention in

Las Vegas, Dave Liniger enlists the help of boxing legend George

Foreman to establish that no competitors are willing to take on

RE/MAX in the real estate ring. It was an unforgettable opening

session that set the stage for future convention theatrics involving

lions, elephants and much more.


2002Fighting

Breast CancerThe RE/MAX network joins

forces with the Susan G. Komen

Breast Cancer Foundation,

becoming a Breast Cancer

Survivor Recognition Program

co-sponsor for Race for the Cure

events across the U.S.

1998Edge-of-Space Balloon MissionDave Liniger and

Australian balloonist

John Wallington

prepares to be the first

to circle the world by

balloon. Unfortunately,

winds at the Australian

launch site in Alice

Springs are unfavorable for weeks during the launch window, forcing cancellation

of the attempt in early 1999. Also, RE/MAX becomes title sponsor of the ARCA

RE/MAX Series, drawing national media coverage. And a fifth continent, South

America, is added when RE/MAX enters Venezuela.

1999Going National on TVThe first U.S. national television

advertising campaign debuts.

2001Agents Lead the WayThe award-winning “Outstanding

Agents. Outstanding Results.®”

TV ad campaign creates billions

of impressions. And one of those

outstanding individuals, Richard Mendenhall of Missouri,

becomes the first RE/MAX Affiliate to serve as President of the

National Association of Realtors.

2000Most

Productive Agents

Agents at participating

RE/MAX brokerages

average more

transaction sides than

agents at other major

brands, according to the

National Relocation and

Real Estate magazine’s

annual “Power Broker

Report.” RE/MAX also

has the highest average

sales volume both per

office and per agent.

Spain was the first country in Europe to join the network. RE/MAX was

totally unknown to the rest of the industry. I really

felt like a pioneer. And now, all

these years later, I have made a

great living and amazing progress

as a person. – BRIGITTE CASTANO,

RE/MAX VISTA, ALICANTE, SPAIN JOINED IN 1999


2005Relief and CompassionFollowing the massive devastation of Hurricane Katrina in states near

the Gulf of Mexico, the RE/MAX Relief Fund is established, with initial

donations of $500,000 from RE/MAX International and $500,000 from

Dave and Gail Liniger. Dave also donates $1 million to the Fisher House

Foundation for wounded warriors by bidding on the CNN Warrior One

Hummer, which was used by a CNN news crew embedded with U.S.

Marines in 2003 during the Iraq War.

2006First Online

With Competitors’ Listings

RE/MAX builds a national

network of IDX websites

tied into remax.com, and

becomes the first real estate

franchise to present all of

its competitors’ listings in

participating MLSs, along

with its own. The rollout

includes LeadStreet.

2007On Campus with RU

RE/MAX University is

established. RU offers classes

through live classroom teach-

ing, online streaming video

and related support materials.

LEADING THE WAY

2003Taking Flight

The RE/MAX Balloon

Celebration takes place in

Dayton, Ohio, as part

of a national “Centennial

of Flight Celebration.”

2004A Great ReadEverybody Wins:

The Story and Lessons Behind

RE/MAX becomes a bestselling

business book. And Argentina

becomes the 40th country to

wecome RE/MAX.

When I joined RE/MAX, the real estate industry

was challenging. I decided to

stick with it, and using several

lead-generation systems from

RE/MAX, I’ve been able to grow my business.

Coming from a smaller mom-and-pop real

estate business, I could tell how much

more advanced

RE/MAX is. – SHAUN MURPHY,

RE/MAX ALLEGIANCE, ALEXANDRIA, VA.,

JOINED IN 2007


2013A Ruby

CelebrationEntrepreneur magazine

names RE/MAX the No.

1 real estate franchise in

its annual Franchise

500. RE/MAX turns

40 on Jan. 30, and it’s

only fitting to turn the

RE/MAX R4 Convention,

Feb. 25-28 in Las

Vegas, into the biggest

anniversary party the

network has ever seen.

2012Many Bright Spots in a Trying YearDave Liniger falls ill in January,

battling a life-threatening staph

infection. The RE/MAX engine

continues to run with Dave in

everyone’s hearts and minds. The

“What Moves You?” social media

contest for consumers garners

an estimated 105.3 million brand

impressions. RE/MAX Commercial

launches a robust website. A

new, user-centered remax.com

follows soon after. The RE/MAX

network expands again, this

time into China. After months in

the hospital, Dave triumphantly

returns to work in July, picking

up right where he left off,

advocating for real estate agents

and consumers. An open letter

from Dave to then-presidential

candidates Barack Obama and

Mitt Romney in October garners

national media attention and a

positive industry response.

2011Big News Times Two

ABOVE, the network’s new flagship

publication, debuts with a cover

depicting the two trophies earned

by RE/MAX Associates in a 2011 J.D.

Power and Associates study. The

recognition comes for providing

the “highest overall satisfaction for

home sellers and home buyers among

national full service real estate firms.”

Also, global.remax.com launches,

revolutionizing the way consumers

search for properties around the world.

2010Top Real Estate

FranchiseFor the second year in a row,

RE/MAX ranks in front of all

competitors in the Franchise

Times Top 200 survey, based

primarily on worldwide sales

volume. RE/MAX agents

surpass $100 million in

donations to Children’s Miracle

Network Hospitals.

2008Millions of Free Leads

The remax.com site reaches the

5-million mark in leads provided

to agents since the LeadStreet

launch in 2006. RE/MAX LLC

becomes active on Facebook,

Twitter and LinkedIn, as social

media approaches critical mass.

ONWARD

2009Remedy for Distressed PropertiesWith the U.S. housing market in its worst slump

since the Great Depression, RE/MAX officers

meet with government officials, housing agen-

cies, key lenders and other real estate leaders to

promote short sales. More than 10,000 RE/MAX

Associates earn the Certified Distressed

Property Expert (CDPE) designation.


FULL SPECTRUMB U S I N E S S D E V E L O P M E N T

JAMES UPTON WANTS

to cultivate a burgeoning

market of high-end

luxury property sales to

overseas buyers across the

planet. He’s starting with China.

About 80 percent of the

million-dollar and higher

properties on Vancouver’s

west side are purchased by

Chinese buyers, Upton says.

He knows the importance

of operating with a global

mindset, and plans to appeal

to high net-worth buyers

from China who are looking

for investments in Canada,

the U.S., Australia, New

Zealand and Europe.

The Sales Associate

with RE/MAX Crest Realty

Westside in Vancouver will

launch an online luxury real

estate marketing platform

– Shang Cheng Luxury

Lifestyle – for prospective

Chinese buyers. And with the

recent entry of RE/MAX into

China, Upton hopes he – and

other RE/MAX Associates

– can capitalize on the

increased brand recognition

and infrastructure of the

platform to further expand

marketing reach.

The online portal will

Think globally, sell locally

JAMES UPTON

RE/MAX Associates are skilled at identifying

market trends that could fuel their business.

They’re constantly finding creative and innovative

ways to tap in. Here are just a few examples.

PHO

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A GREAT GOAL

FOR 2013: FOCUS

ON EMERGING

OPPORTUNITIES

TO EXPAND YOUR

BUSINESS. BY SHARA RUTBERG

Next Big Things

OBJECTIVE

Attract international luxury buyers

to your market

STRATEGY

Identify the target audience

Find a language partner, if needed

Create a marketing plan


FULL SPECTRUM B U S I N E S S D E V E L O P M E N T

provide “a massive interna-

tional search platform where

Chinese buyers can search

properties and learn about

all aspects of the luxury life-

style,” he says.

Perceived cultural and lan-

guage barriers are no barriers

at all from Upton’s perspec-

tive. He’s learning as much as

he can with the help of fellow

RE/MAX Crest Realty agent

Greg Liao, who speaks Can-

tonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese

and English. Upton has also

aligned with a marketing firm

in Beijing that specializes in

marketing North American

brands in China.

“They’re the experts

in reaching the Chinese

market,” Upton says.

“Leaning into their local

expertise is going to be key.”

Upton’s entrepreneurial

spirit can be found

throughout the RE/MAX

network.

“This type of thinking

and action is what makes

RE/MAX great,” says Richard

Yohn, RE/MAX Regional Vice

President, International

Development. “James has

come up with a creative way

to respond to an interna-

tional trend. The network was

built on this kind of determi-

nation, and RE/MAX agents

will continue to sell more

real estate than anyone

because of it.”

Upton is very optimistic

about the potential of the

vast Chinese market.

“I like to think and plan

big,” Upton says. “And now

that RE/MAX is in China, I

like my chances even better.”

A FEW YEARS AGO,

Linda van den Broek

received an email from

Abu Dhabi through her

website. She suspected

it was spam, but her

instincts told her to reply.

She’s glad she did. It was

a cash buyer who spent

$700,000 with her in just

four days.

“All that from a website,”

says van den Broek, who

leads a three-person team

at RE/MAX Executives

Realty in Winnipeg,

Manitoba. Her website,

lindavandenbroek.com,

is the hub of a robust,

award-winning marketing

program.

The perennial

top producer and

RE/MAX Lifetime

Achievement

Award recipient

employs a hybrid

of “old school” and “new

school” marketing efforts

to drive traffic to the

website: 10,000 printed

postcards a month, a

bimonthly newsletter,

newspaper ads, a blog,

Twitter and postings on

kijiji.com.

“New or traditional,

every marketing piece

should attract online

traffic,” she says.

And it works. Her site

had 1.4 million hits last

year. In addition to listings,

van den Broek features

buyer and seller guides,

monthly market updates

and a resource guide.

And though her team

is well-versed in the

digital world, van den

Broek believes strongly

in the power of service

fundamentals, such as

handwritten thank-you

notes.

“My clients really love

them,” says van den

Broek, estimating that 70

percent of her business

comes from past clients

and referrals. “It’s just

one of the many services

I provide that make me

memorable.”

“ New or traditional, every marketing piece should attract online traffic. ” – LINDA VAN DEN BROEK

Drive your digital business

OBJECTIVE

Attract more clients through online

marketing

STRATEGY

Create a website with meaningful

content

Drive traffic there through all channels

Mix old-school and new-school

strategies

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Engage consumers onlineBETTY CLARK JOINED

RE/MAX Classic in Novi,

Mich., in April 2012, after

more than two decades in

real estate, in large part

because of the online

opportunities she recognized.

She quickly incorporated

her RE/MAX tools and educa-

tion into her business to create

a powerful online presence.

Combined with her more

traditional “keep in touch”

methods, being online allows

her to reach more clients

than ever before. Clark sees

her web tools as potent ways

to connect with more pros-

pects – and cultivate existing

relationships with clients.

“Clients today want instant

info,” Clark says. “If you give

it to them, they’re yours.”

Clark maintains a website,

Pinterest boards, a Twitter

account, Realtor.com listings

and two Facebook pages;

and she updates her blog “At

Home With Betty” several

times a week with real estate

news and tips. She credits

Broker/Owner Carol Boji for

supporting and encouraging

such efforts.

Boji offers an online boot

camp for agents new to

the brokerage. After Clark

learned how to manage

various digital platforms, she

blasted into cyberspace and

hasn’t looked back.

She finds her Facebook

exposure just

as powerful

as her printed

“Just Sold” and

“Just Listed”

postcards for connecting

across generations of clients.

“People want to work with

Realtors who know what

they’re doing; and when you

post your listings, just-solds

and advice on Facebook,

you gain credibility,” she

says. “I’m finding social

media really is for people of

all ages.”

“ Clients today want instant info, and if you give it to them, they’re yours.” – BETTY CLARK

WHEN THEIR LOCAL

housing market crashed,

Janet Brooks and Scott

Vulgamott saw opportunity.

The Associates with

RE/MAX Results in Kansas

City, Mo., both earned the

Certified Investor Agent

Specialist (CIAS) designation,

and for the past four years

have specialized in marketing

short sales to investors.

“These properties are in

better condition than most

foreclosures, and you don’t

have to wait out the owner-

occupant period that most

foreclosures have,” Brooks

says.

The team’s comprehensive

program helps investors

with everything from picking

contractors to strategically

selecting colors and

appliances for marketability.

“We show them how to

buy, rehab and sell in 90

days,” Brooks says.

Brooks and Vulgamott

market primarily through

word of mouth, but also have

an “Investors” tab on

their website, and

feature their rehab

work on Pinterest

photo boards. They

also market to other

agents who aren’t

trained or prepared

to handle short sales.

“It’s a constantly

evolving market, and education

is critical,” says Vulgamott,

who recommends the CIAS

training, developed by the

Charfen Institute and offered

through RE/MAX University’s

new eLearning platform, MyRU.

Distressed properties will

continue to attract investors

for at least the next several

years, Brooks and Vulgamott

say, in large part because of

historically low interest rates.

“But this market isn’t for

everyone. Investors need to

be willing to take risks and

move quickly.”

Agents have to be able to

move quickly, too. Most of

the team’s clients are under

contract in less than 30 days.

The record? Seven days.

Be an investment expert

“ It’s a constantly evolving market, and education is critical.” – SCOTT VULGAMOTT

OBJECTIVE

Sell distressed properties

to investors

STRATEGY

Earn the CIAS designation

Educate investors

Provide superior service

OBJECTIVE

Use online tools to build relationships

STRATEGY

Be open to learning something new

Start an engaging blog

Participate in social media conversations


PHO

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ABOVE & BEYOND I N D U S T R Y L E A D E R S H I P

WAYNE MOEN, PRESIDENT OF

THE CANADIAN REAL ESTATE

ASSOCIATION, DISCUSSES

WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THE

CANADIAN MARKET. BY OMAR MOUALLEM

staycourse

THE


YOU WOULDN’T GUESS THAT WAYNE MOEN RECENTLY UNDERWENT KIDNEY SURGERY. NOT

with his legs comfortably crossed as he sits in his RE/MAX River City office in Edmonton, Alberta. But

beneath his business suit, there are three healing incisions where doctors removed a cancerous kidney.

“My wife, Judith, says, ‘You’re awfully calm through this whole thing,” Moen says. “That’s another thing I’ve

learned through real estate – stay calm.”

His steadiness and calm has also served him well in his current role as President of the Canadian Real Estate

Association (CREA), leading its more than 100,000 members.

Moen entered real estate in 1974 and joined RE/MAX in 1984; he’s seen every type of market and worked nearly

every type of transaction – from $8.4 million commercial warehouses to $10,000 former firehalls. The perennial

Platinum Club member has always served in leadership positions, including sitting on the boards of the Edmonton

Real Estate Association and the Old Strathcona Foundation, which works to preserve the city’s famous historic

neighborhood.

ABOVE sat down with the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award recipient to discuss the real estate market, his

career and his CREA tenure.

jobs, it’s more volatile and

subject to rapid change.

Q| What should

Realtors and their clients

be looking out for?

A Low interest rates

are a bright spot now,

but they’re going to be a

problem sooner or later.

The advice we’re giving

buyers is to lock into

longer terms. Ultimately,

interest rates have to go

up; that’s a fact of life.

Q| A new RE/MAX

report describes the

Canadian economy as

slow but steady. Would

you agree?

A Yes, and given what’s

happening all around us,

we’re very fortunate. As

the Prime Minister said,

we’re in an “island of

stability.” But we have to

be careful, and I think the

government understands

that, so changing some of

the Canada Mortgage and

Housing Corporation rules

was prudent.

Q| What about

unbridled boosterism;

should people be wary

of that too?

A At every level of

governance or even in

sales, there’s been the

idea that no matter

the market conditions

you have to spin it

positively – it’s always

a great time to buy, it’s

always a great time to

sell. Frankly, it may not

be. We’re going through

scenario exercises quite

extensively now, trying to

envision which directions

the industry could be

heading. We’d like to

outline our plan of action

for whatever direction it

does go.

Q| Can you give us a

scenario?

A Technology is a good

example. We don’t know

yet its full impact on the

transaction process. But

because technology is

more involved and varied,

agents may learn how to

Q| How has Canadian

homebuyers’ mentality

shifted since you

started in real estate?

A Shortly after I got in,

the idea of investing in or

flipping real estate – that a

house always keeps going

up in value – had just start-

ed happening. Real estate

can be a good investment,

but nothing defies gravity,

and I think Toronto and

Vancouver are realizing

that now. Investors today

are far more cautious.

Q| What’s the state

of Canada’s housing

market?

A We have a healthy

market here. The Bank

of Canada made the

right decision in cutting

back the mortgage

amortization. It was

getting too turbulent. So

the overall market has

pretty much stabilized.

Saskatchewan is just

smoking. It’s a smaller

market, so when you get

a pile of good news and

use it to their advantage,

resulting in people relying

even more on Realtors.

Q| What’s been the

high point of your

career?

A Becoming President

of the Canadian Real

Estate Association. I just

love the dynamics; and,

hey, I got to shake Prime

Minster Stephen Harper’s

hand in his office! It’s

satisfying to be part of

positive change.

Q| What are your

plans after your tenure

ends in March, and you

serve as Past President?

A I’ve been told by

Judith that I will not be

volunteering for any

major commitments after

this. [Laughs] She’s been

very supportive through

everything. I have some

healing to do, and my

prognosis is good.


ABOVE & BEYOND C I T I Z E N S H I P

Buying a home is an exciting and

nerve-wracking experience.

Buying a home when you’re

stationed thousands of miles away

in Afghanistan, though, takes it up

another 10 notches. But U.S. Air Force

airman Steve Sales and his wife,

Jeanne, were lucky to have Regina

Tobin on their side.

Tobin, Co-Owner of RE/MAX Metro

Plus in Columbus, Ohio, made the

process smooth and worry-free while

Sales was serving as a health care

team leader embedded with the

Afghan National Army.

Anticipating Sales’ retirement from

the military in late 2012, the couple set

their sights on Columbus, where Sales

was offered a civilian job in health care

administration. He began a yearlong

email dialogue with Tobin last spring

to find the perfect home in a historic

RE/MAX AGENTS ARE

FINDING SUCCESS AND

FULFILLMENT IN HELPING

MILITARY FAMILIES BUY

AND SELL HOMES. TWO

ASSOCIATES SHARE THEIR

TIPS FOR WORKING WITH

THESE HEROIC CLIENTS.

BY DEBORAH BALL KEARNS

STEVE SALES, SECOND

FROM LEFT, WORKED

WITH A RE/MAX AGENT

TO FIND A HOME FOR

HIS FAMILY STATESIDE

WHILE DEPLOYED IN

AFGHANISTAN.

SERVING THOSE WHO

SERVE


Columbus neighborhood that

could also accommodate

Sales’ elderly parents.

“Regina managed all

the details,” Sales says. “I

felt like she knew these

neighborhoods intimately,

and she steered us in the

right direction. When I came

back from Afghanistan in

May, we decided on a home

and closed in June. She had

our best interests at heart

the entire time. In turn, we

put a lot of trust in her.”

Tobin worked in phone calls

with her client at odd hours

to accommodate an 11-hour

time difference. In February,

she took Jeanne, who had

flown in from Texas, around

town to preview listings.

MISSION WITH MEANING Tobin says attention to

detail, time flexibility and

constant communication are

essential when working with

deployed military clients.

Special touches, like taking

extra photos of listings when

MLS images aren’t sufficient,

can also go a long way in

building good will and taking

stress out of the equation.

“These military men and

women are risking their lives

and working hard, and they

want what everyone else

wants: the American dream

of homeownership,” Tobin

says. “I was thrilled to help

deliver that to them.”

Sales Associate Adrienne

Lally couldn’t agree more.

As a U.S. Army veteran, she

understands the challenges

faced by military families

when they’re looking to buy

or sell a home. Sixty percent

of her business involves

military clients.

“When you work with a

military family, it’s not always

in the highest price point,

but these transactions are

tremendously rewarding,”

says Lally, a Team Leader

with RE/MAX Honolulu in

Honolulu, Hawaii. “You have

to be their best advocate; I

sometimes write cover letters

to sellers on behalf of military

buyers explaining that they’ve

served our country and been

deployed overseas numerous

times. Sometimes it matters,

and sometimes it doesn’t; but

I believe in going the extra

mile to get the best results.”

KNOWING YOUR CLIENTS Military families and

veterans lead demanding

lives that require frequent

moves, long deployments

and personal sacrifices. Real

estate agents need to know

the culture, the lingo and the

available financing options

if they want to work with

military clients, Lally says.

It starts with knowing

some of the military’s many

acronyms. Also, do a little

reading on ranks, military

jobs and the different

branches so you can speak

intelligently about a potential

client’s situation. Paying

attention to these nuances,

Lally adds, shows military

clients that you’re attuned to

their lifestyle.

“Military communities are

very tight,” Lally says. “If you

do a good job for one person,

you’ll be referred to others

and become an indispensable

part of their big moves.”

PHO

TO

BY

GR

EG

BA

RT

RA

M (

TO

P LE

FT)

LEFT: AGENT REGINA TOBIN (LEFT) WORKED WITH

JEANNE AND STEVE SALES TO FIND THEIR DREAM

HOME IN COLUMBUS, OHIO. BELOW: ADRIENNE

LALLY (RIGHT) AND HER LISTING PARTNER

ATTILIO LEONARDI HELPED U.S. ARMY CAPT. TONY

DEFRANCO BUY HIS HONOLULU HOME.

When disaster strikes.

The RE/MAX Relief Fund helps agents reclaim the simple comforts in life. It’s always ready to

provide immediate assistance to RE/MAX agents and their families when disaster hits home.

Thank you for your support in keeping the fund growing so that those in need don’t have to

wait for aid. For more information and to make a donation, visit RE/MAX Mainstreet.

©2013 RE/MAX, LLC. Each office is independently owned and operated. 120776

When is a cup of coffee more than a

simple cup of coffee?


ABOVE & BEYONDM O R E T H A N A N A G E N T

SHARON WATSON IS

known as a top real

estate agent in her

hometown of Grants Pass,

Ore., but her work with the

Boy Scouts of America has

probably earned her just as

much recognition.

For the past 27 years

and counting, Watson has

volunteered for the Boy

Scouts. She began when

her oldest of four sons,

now 35, joined Cub Scouts.

She also served a stint with

the Girl Scouts when her

daughter was growing up.

Watson, a Sales

Associate with RE/MAX

Ideal Brokers in Grants

Pass, has gotten to know

many community members

and their children through

scouting, and says a fair

amount of her business

comes from those contacts.

She topped $7 million in

sales volume last year and

earned her way into the

100 Percent Club.

But her long-lasting

commitment to the

organization runs much

deeper than business.

“Scouting encourages

young men to develop

leadership skills as they

grow,” says Watson, a

former Girl Scout whose

father was an Eagle Scout.

“A boy who advances

through scouting has

ample opportunity to take

charge in planning projects

and seeing them through.

That’s one of scouting’s

key benefits.”

One of Watson’s

greatest contributions

to scouting involves a

“snow day” – but not

the kind where kids play

video games all day on an

unexpected break from

school.

Each year, Watson

organizes Snowcapades –

a daylong event at a Boy

Scout Camp in Lake O’

the Woods, Ore. The day

includes eight outdoor

activities – including saucer

riding, zip lining, snow

shoeing and fire building –

all coordinated by Watson

and local Scouts.

Now in its 22nd year,

Snowcapades started out

as a single day, but now

families can select time

to participate over four

weekends in January.

Snowcapades attracts

more than 1,800 people

and is open to youths,

adults and even Girl Scouts.

Although the annual

event requires a huge

effort, it’s worth it when

Watson sees families

spending time together.

“You have to have a hole

in your head to be as old as

I am and continue to do it,”

Watson says with a laugh,

“But it’s a pleasure to walk

through camp and see all

those happy faces.”

Kevin Patterson, CEO

and Scout Executive of the

Boy Scouts’ Crater Lake

Council, calls the event

Watson’s greatest legacy.

“Sharon’s tireless

dedication to her

community has impacted

countless young men,” he

says, “And her enthusiasm

and dedication is an

inspiration to all.”

Scout’s HONORTHROUGH HER LONGTIME COMMITMENT TO

SCOUTING, SHARON WATSON HAS HELPED

GENERATIONS OF YOUTHS LEARN TO LEAD.

BY NATHAN SOLHEIM

PHO

TO

S B

Y T

IMO

TH

Y B

ULL

AR

D

TOP: SHARON WATSON’S FOUR SONS, SHOWN IN THE PICTURE BEHIND

HER, ALL ACHIEVED THE EAGLE SCOUT RANK. ABOVE: WATSON HELPS

SCOUTS IN PACK 23 LEARN THE BASICS OF A BLOCK AND TACKLE.


JUST FOR FUN B R A I N S C R A M B L E

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ThinkyouknowRE/MAX?TAKE THE ULTIMATE BRAND TRIVIA CHALLENGE

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