Re/Max CEO: Change with the real estate market 
Executive profiles: Dave Liniger and Margaret Kelly
By Andrea V. Brambila, Thursday, March 17, 2011.LAS VEGAS -- Re/Max founder and Chairman Dave Liniger first got his real estate license back in 1968 because he wanted to save on commissions. He'd been buying and selling fixer-uppers for two years as a supplement to his income from the U.S. Air Force.
Five years later, at 27, he decided to start his own real estate company, Re/Max Inc. -- a name derived from "real estate" and "maximums." His first employee was his future wife, Gail Main.
"I had worked for three different companies and felt I had a better idea," Liniger said. "At the time, virtually all real estate companies split their commissions with their agents, usually 50-50. We decided we could run the company as a co-op where we could share expenses but agents could keep the bulk of the money for themselves."
He founded the company at a time when other national real estate companies were popping up: Red Carpet in 1966, Century 21 in 1971, ERA Real Estate in 1972. Liniger felt what differentiated Re/Max, and continues to do so today, was the quality of the sales associates.
more...
Premium Member account.
Premium Members have full access to all news archives & premium content.
Purchase Professional Membership for $199/year OR
Premium+ Membership for $149/year OR
News Membership for $69/year
All rights reserved. This content may not be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, in part or in whole, without written permission of Inman News. Use of this content without permission is a violation of federal copyright law.
