View 2015 by RE/MAX Australia

VIEW The RE/MAX Australia Magazine Edition 1-15 | remax.com.au

“The Real Estate industry is now in control” remax.com.au | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX Contents

Nobody in the World Sells More Real Estate than RE/MAX!

RE/MAX Australia Regional Team

P. +61 7 3007 9000

E. remax@remax.com.au

feature 05

Squiiz.com.au: The industry is now in control

marketing

awards

Marketing matters

All class at City Hall with rally and awards 2015

Events to grant wishes

Melissa named top 2014 corporate employee

news from the network

events

RE/MAX: A big name on the Redcliffe Peninsula

10 Breakfast Series proved a winner

How one agent is maxing out his presence

10 Aussie and NZ Brokers enjoy retreating to Tropical North Queensland

Don’t make a dog’s breakfast out of finding a new home, says Tiffany

The Red Book

news from the global network 20 RE/MAX China Open for Business

Page 11 ‘No dozing off in this session!’

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RE/MAX ranks as #1 real estate franchise

Managing Director: Michael Davoren mdavoren@remax.com.au Finance Director: Chris Chapman cchapman@remax.co.nz Franchise Director: Keith Walker kwalker@remax.com.au Director: Joel Davoren jdavoren@remax.com.au Australian Property Finance CEO: Nathan Swain nathan@apfbroker.com.au Franchise Development: Meryn Walker mwalker@remax.com.au, Joel Davoren jdavoren@remax.com.au, Haley Curtis hcurtis@remax.com.au, Richie Carter rcarter@remax.com.au Senior Membership Coordinator: Niki Bell, nbell@remax.com.au Manager, Administration: Melanie Marsh, mmarsh@remax.com.au Manager, Regional Operations: Kathy Boot, kathyb@remax.com.au Business Development Administrator: Melissa Kennedy mkennedy@remax.com.au Office Administrator: Chantal Nix cnix@remax.com.au Marketing & Communications Coordinator: Aimee Doherty, adoherty@remax.com.au Public Relations: Lyn Cox lcox@remax.com.au Submissions for RE/MAX Australia VIEW can be sent to Lyn Cox on lcox@remax.com.au or Aimee Doherty on adoherty@remax.com.au. Deadline for submissions – 1st June 2015 VIEW editor: Lyn Cox E. lcox@remax.com.au M. 0061 418 793 096 VIEW design: Honor Lock E. honorstewart@gmail.com

Copyright © 2015 RE/MAX Australia/New Zealand. All rights reserved. The materials herein may not be duplicated, copied or reproduced – in whole or in part – in any way without written permission. VIEW magazine is provided to RE/MAX Affiliates as one of many benefits. The opinions of guest contributors and interviewed guests are their own and not necessarily those of RE/MAX Australia/New Zealand, or its affiliates, or any of its owners, officers, employees or agents. While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information it contains, neither the publishers, authors nor their employees, can be held liable for inaccuracies, errors or omission. Readers should not rely on this newsletter as a substitute for professional advice.

Message from the Managing Director

From the Managing Director “As RE/MAX grows, so does the quality of the experience”

Australian and New Zealand markets have been generally strong or noticeably strengthening over the past six months, mainly because of underlying Asian buyer influences, low interest rates and reasonably high business confidence, especially in New Zealand with the return of Prime Minister John Key. If figures are up but market share isn’t, take this as a wakeup call because it suggests that performance is more likely to be market driven than the result of any effort the real estate team/ individual has put in. It’s time to plan and commit to being better at what you do rather than just maintaining current standards and outcomes. The past 12 months have held significant industry changes. In Queensland, the Property Occupations Act will have a substantial effect on legal and marketing processes. In New Zealand, the Real Estate Institute changes have meant greater protection for vendors with a standardised listing form. In both countries, the real estate industry has significantly moved

towards taking back control and management of its data with realestate.co.nz in New Zealand and squiiz.com.au in Australia. This year, RE/MAX has enjoyed growth and recognition globally. RE/MAX was the only real estate company to be ranked among the fastest-growing franchises globally by Entrepreneur magazine and it ranked as the leading real estate franchise in the 2014 Franchise Times Top 200 for the sixth consecutive year. The first RE/MAX office in China opened for business, which has

“In a 12-month period, we saw 11 new offices for Australia and seven for New Zealand.” had an immediate impact on our Australia and New Zealand offices as RE/MAX Eternity agents assist clients interested in overseas investment opportunities. We interact globally, not only through harnessing www.global. remax.com, attending Summits

and Conventions. We tap into the amazing talent in RE/MAX international ranks. We had Bernard Raskin, the head of Israel’s largest real estate network, as an exceptional guest and popular speaker. New broker/owners train in Denver; and significant numbers from our Australian and New Zealand ranks will head to Las Vegas in March for the R4 Convention. This year we go off-shore to Fiji for the Australia/New Zealand 2015 High Achievers Retreat. We continue the restructuring of operational teams in both countries in order to accommodate strategic future directions and enhance the RE/MAX experience for our members. Corinna Mansell, appointed as General Manager for New Zealand, is doing an admirable job; and Garry Malcolm was appointed Business Development Manager there to recruit, train and mentor. Joel Davoren became the fourth director of the RE/MAX Australia and New Zealand entities and was also appointed State Manager for New South Wales and the ACT.

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Richie Carter was appointed for South Australia and the Northern Territory. In a 12-month period, we saw 11 new offices for Australia and seven for New Zealand. Multiple applications are underway. The focus on building bigger businesses within our network continues. Mergers and acquisition have also led to a number of larger Australian offices.

RE/MAX Australia joins powerful franchise body

RE/MAX’s property finance arms, Australian Property Finance and New Zealand Property Finance grow stronger by the month. ‘Make an ad to sell your pad’ was an exciting 2014 marketing campaign In Australia and we’ll be building on that success through 2015/16. May 2015 be very productive and rewarding, both personally and professionally. Please make the most of all RE/MAX resources available and stay up-to-date on offerings through your monthly Regional Update. I’ll leave you with my regular message of ‘Happy selling, happy managing, happy administering….’

By Keith Walker, Franchise Director, RE/MAX Australia RE/MAX Australia is now a member of the Franchise Council of Australia, the first time in this master franchise’s history. Just two years into our ownership, we believe being granted membership is a progressive step in the strategic company plan. The Franchise Council of Australia is a wellrecognized body for the $144 billion franchise sector in Australia, representing a broad crosssection of franchisees, franchisors and service providers to the sector. It gives franchising in general, and our industry, strong representation in government through acting as a lobby group. That is a benefit to its members. It also exposes us to a variety of other franchise models which we think is an important educational environment for RE/MAX Australia.

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RE/MAX Feature

Squiiz.com.au: The industry is now in control By Michael Davoren, Managing Director, RE/MAX Australia & New Zealand and member of the Squiiz.com.au Board of Directors SQUIIZ, Australia’s very own 100 per cent real estate industry portal, went live in November. At launch, SQUIIZ was seen as a fresh, modern and simple portal featuring properties from over 3,500 agencies nationwide, with a couple of thousand more uploaded by the end of November.

We can make this work! The much-anticipated free-todownload industry-first app will follow, giving the site a short settling-in period. For both real estate agents and the consumer, the most significant factor in the whole SQUIIZ initiative

is that it is a deliberate strategic move in the property portal space. It is not a commercially-driven newcomer out to win market share of consumer dollars, which means that the cost of displaying properties online can be greatly reduced and the savings can be passed on to those consumers. Real estate customers and clients will benefit. The costs of uploading listings onto other property portals had been spiraling. Something needed to be done to protect both consumers and our industry. www.squiiz.com.au is the real estate industry’s affirmative action in future-proofing online marketing costs.

Coronis Realty, and independents via the Independent Real Estate Network of Excellence (IRENE). Members’ listings are automatically uploaded for free, though the inclusion of an office logo or agent photo – an optional extra – is highly recommended. Non-members can pay to use the property portal. SQUIIZ is designed to give ‘equal footing’ to all properties listed, with these appearing in order of the time they were uploaded. SQUIIZ needs the real estate industry to actively promote and market the site and app to their existing and new customers. Signboards and marketing material will display the SQUIIZ brand. RE/MAX Australia has extensively updated templates and other resources with the SQUIIZ logo and works with offices wishing to incorporate it into additional collateral.

Joining RE/MAX, its current members are LJ Hooker, Ray White, Harcourts, Raine & Horne, First National, Century 21, PRDNationwide, Belle Property,

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RE/MAX Feature

Treasure map leads to $25,000 video competition prize Twenty-three-year-old Joey Ross from Seaforth in New South Wales was announced the winner of RE/MAX Australia’s ‘Make an ad to sell your pad’ competition in September. Joey collected $25,000 to spend holidaying anywhere in the world there is a RE/MAX office. With RE/MAX in approximately 95 countries, he wasn’t short on choices. “I was amazed when I read the places I could visit in the coming year but I think our focus is likely to be through the UK and Europe,” he said. Helping Joey enjoy his travels this year will be older brother, Will, who set Joey on the competition path after seeing it on Facebook.

The inaugural competition, launched in June last year, invited entrants to be creative and make the best short video that showed the world why there is no place like their home.

got underway, Will and I went to the United States. I decided to incorporate some footage from there, even down to wearing the same clothes once filming began back home.”

Judges Michael Davoren RE/MAX Australia Managing Director, Aimee Doherty, RE/MAX Australia Marketing and Communications Coordinator; Kerry Farrell, Senior Editor, Cutting Edge Post; and Tony Blamey, Chief Operating Officer, domain.com. au said Joey’s entry stood out in a strong field.

Starring with Joey are Will, sister Abby, dad Peter and mum Shelley, making it a family production. Excited by his win and grateful to RE/MAX for the opportunity, Joey recalled a much earlier great RE/MAX experience.

“Joey’s video more than ticked all the boxes in terms of the judging criteria. His video takes viewers on a treasure hunt adventure to find his ‘dream pad’. Joey said: “I was looking for that point of difference, and came up with a combination of an action hero performing unusual stunts and writing lyrics to tell a story, even though the ‘actors’ are no singers unfortunately. “After I began planning the concept and before any filming

“I had played around a bit with making holiday videos in the past and Will thought I should try for the prize. We’re both still living at home and madly saving, so winning such a massive prize allows us to travel without eating into our savings.” One trip on Joey’s list is to the 2015 Rugby World Cup. “In 2011, I went with 12 mates from my rugby team and we promised we’d do it again every four years. Now I’ll definitely make it next year.” 6

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Joey & brother Will consult the treasure map

“When I was 10 on a family holiday in Canberra, we went up in a RE/MAX hot air balloon.” Winning an Australia-wide videomaking competition hasn’t turned Joey’s career thoughts to filmmaking. With a double degree in engineering and commerce, and currently working in finance with the multinational property and infrastructure company Lend Lease Group, Joey’s sights are set on a project management future in the industry. You can view the 2014 winning video at http://www.adformypad.com.au/

RE/MAX Awards

All class at City Hall with rally and awards 2015 The 2015 February Sales Rally is again a highly anticipated event both for the inspiring Brisbane City Hall venue and the outstanding program. The day includes exciting RE/MAX announcements and launches, fabulous speakers such as awardwinning actor and presenter Shane Jacobson, and a round table format allowing delegates to tap into the experiences of RE/MAX talent. The RE/MAX Australia Annual Awards is always one of the most highly anticipated events on the RE/MAX calendar, a night to recognise outstanding achievements in a magical, memorable way. New awards this year include Auction, Business Growth and Most Productive awards, service awards, Rookie of the Year and Young Sales Associate of the Year. Australian Property Finance awards are introduced for the first time. Deanne Stock attended last year’s Awards Event with husband Jason Stock, from RE/MAX Property Sales, and was so impressed that she wrote her own account of the

event, which she called ‘Glitz and Glamour’.

four people here to witness the moments of glory...

Here are some excerpts:

“The pride in the auditorium was overwhelming and the loyalty of the RE/MAX family evident. This sparkling group of individuals are passionate and determined…

The night begins… “As the sun fell over the cityscape, the colours splayed across the view were outclassed by arrival of glitz and glamour. I was blinded by the bling. There were top hats and heels, formal gowns and black ties. A display of satin and silk, lace and lame`.” The venue shines… “The trumpet sounded for us to enter the recently remodeled Brisbane City Hall. We surrendered into the enormity of the Heritage building, allowing ourselves to be charmed by her striking beauty. The marble floor had adorned many a glass slipper in her time. She took your breath away with her brilliance.” The awards impress… “In 2013 records were broken and milestones achieved by both individuals and teams. The nervous energy reached its peak as Keith Walker acknowledged with great pride, the first class RE/MAX team. There were five hundred and forty

“… we felt like royalty. The speeches rolled on and so did the applause. A woman in the very back stood on her chair, cheering and circling her serviette like a helicopter, in support of her team member.”

And the evening winds up… “With the formal proceedings coming to a close, it was time to let the party begin…. High heels and dinner jackets were removed. The band played favourites we all enjoyed, wishing for the night to never end… “… we said our goodbyes to our friends and colleagues. A memorable night was had by all. We stepped outside into the warm summer air… Sadly the 2014 Gala has come to an end and we will put our tuxedos and glass slippers in storage for another year.”

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RE/MAX Awards

July sales rally packs out golf course venue More than 250 people attended the RE/MAX Australia Sales Rally and half-year awards at Brisbane’s Victoria Park Golf Course, where among other highlights RE/MAX Australia presented a cheque for $36,384.70 to Make-A-Wish Australia. The July Sales Rally hosted the 2014 Auctioneering Championship Finals. Contestants for the first time had undergone an intensive twoday training course with Jason Andrew before going head-to-

head in the auctioneering heats held at the Real Estate Institute of Queensland. The four finalists, Elliott Dean (RE/MAX Profile), Kianna Lafferty (RE/MAX Connected), Dave Stockbridge (RE/MAX Urban and Rural) and Gaby McEwan (RE/MAX United Vision) wowed audiences with their ability to control the room, build momentum and think on the spot. Kianna Lafferty took out the title on the day. The Sales Rally program included world-class presenters, including Kirsty Spraggon, Jason Andrew and Eric Bailey

(The Power of One), and the audience also drew on the real life experiences of RE/MAX panelists Marc Sorrentino, Lea Drescher and Debbie Aldred. It appears RE/MAX may have outgrown the Victoria Park venue and organisers are enjoying the challenge of finding a new venue to accommodate a bigger crowd at this year’s July Sales Rally.

The 2014 six-monthly awards winners were: • Top Individual Office - in Gross Settled Commissions - RE/MAX Results, Morningside • Top Individual Office - in Gross Closed Transaction Sides - RE/MAX Regency, Robina • Top Multi Office - in Gross Settled Commissions - RE/MAX Bayside Properties • Top Multi Office -in Gross Closed Transaction Sides • RE/MAX Bayside Properties - Top 3 Individual Sales Associates -in Gross Settled Commissions 1. Ian Knight, RE/MAX Success, Toowoomba 2. Todd Gerhardt, RE/MAX Advantage, Wynnum 3. Cathy Lammie, RE/MAX Advantage, Wynnum • Top 3 Team Sales Associates -in Gross Settled Commissions 1. Deborah Evans Team, RE/MAX Results, Morningside

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2. Dave Neilson Team, RE/MAX Bayside Properties, Victoria Point 3. Dave Manby Team, RE/MAX Regency, Robina • Top 3 Individual Sales Associates -in Gross Closed Transaction Sides 1. Ian Knight, RE/MAX Success, Toowoomba 2. James Sexton, RE/MAX Hills & Country, Mount Barker 3. Leigh Hair, RE/MAX Local Specialists, Withcott • Top 3 Sales Team Associates -in Gross Closed Transaction Sides 1. Dave Manby Team, RE/MAX Regency, Robina 2. Dave Neilson Team, RE/MAX Bayside Properties, Victoria Point 3. Simon Salm Team, RE/MAX Bayside Properties, Alexandra Hills

RE/MAX Awards & Events

Melissa named top corporate employee for 2014

plays a pivotal role in franchise administration as well as being a PA to Franchise Director, Keith Walker.

Melissa said her initial reaction to winning the award was shock.

Melissa will join Managing Director Michael Davoren, Director Joel Davoren, RE/MAX New Zealand General Manager Corinna Mansell and Tony Williamson, from RE/MAX Real Estate Services and the 2014 recipient of the prestigious Eagle Award, at the international R4 Convention. This corporate contingent will be joined by RE/MAX Australia and New Zealand Broker/owners and sales associates travelling to Las Vegas in March.

“It brought me to tears and I couldn’t make a speech straight away. Then, once the news sank in, I realised what an honour it was to be recognised and I was

The 2014 quarterly winners were Melissa Kennedy (JanuaryMarch), Lauren Brayshaw, NZ (April-June) and Meryn Walker (July-September)

Melissa assists the sales and development team with all matters relating to renewals, conversions, expansions, transfers and start-up sales opportunities.

Melissa Kennedy & Michael Davoren

The Franchise Development team’s Melissa Kennedy holds the title of RE/MAX Australia’s 2014 Corporate Employee of the Year. Melissa has been with RE/MAX since September 2010 and

thankful and excited at the same time.”

Her attention to detail and total commitment to her role are stand-out factors.

APF continues to roll out the success stories With plenty of wins already on the board for 2015, Australian Property Finance’s CEO Nathan Swain reflects on some of the 2014 highlights: • • • • •

• •

•

APF rebranded in November to the same colours as RE/MAX. APF added 16 new brokers to the business last year. We recorded a 400 per cent increase in business volume. APF finance brokers saved $1,200,000 in sales commissions for the RE/MAX network With so many wins to talk about, we implemented the distribution of weekly ‘APF Good News’ stories. The APF Academy was created for our rookies. We introduced an offering of 20 per cent discount for all RE/MAX staff and their immediate family for any Allianz insurance products APF added Tax Depreciation to its services offered.

APF finished the year with 24 finance brokers on its team, and another 12 across the Tasman in the New Zealand Property Finance arm. The Australian APF team and invited business partner guests celebrated a remarkable year at La Via in Brisbane’s South Bank precinct in December.

Broker/Owner Leanne Kroes & APF’s Caitlin Troman are reaping the benefits of working as a close team at RE/MAX Platinum

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RE/MAX Events

Aussie and NZ Brokers enjoy retreating to Tropical North Queensland The Broker Retreat began poolside at The Reef House, Palm Cove on Saturday 30 August, with canapés and drinks - and a red, white and blue theme. A productive and entertaining two days of speakers and panel sessions followed. Speakers included Andrew Griffiths, who is recognised as Australia’s number one small business author and spoke to the topic, ‘Small Business and innovation’; and Craig West from ‘Succession Plus’, which is a specialised strategic advisory practice focused on assisting small business owners to effectively deal with the strategic issues facing SME’s as they grow - raising capital, building equity, protecting equity and extracting value upon exit. Trevor Tim and Bram Collins - one with indigenous heritage, the other off a cattle station – showed their unique brand of positivity and humour. The two are currently involved with tourism and sporting industries. But the highlight was Bernard Raskin, the regional owner of RE/MAX Israel who spoke about ‘Recruitment and retention in building big business’. The broker/owners were inspired by the man who heads the largest real estate brokerage network in Israel, which encompasses over 100 branches with over 800 real estate agents and has been operating since 1995.

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Breakfast Series proved a winner RE/MAX Australia Breakfast Series, with its panel format, was very popular with RE/MAX members through 2014 and drew great turnouts. Each event in the series was videoed so those who were unable to attend could watch the session recording. Thank you to all 2014 panelists – Michael Spillane, RE/MAX Northern; Dave Neilson, RE/MAX Bayside Properties; Trish Breen, RE/MAX Advantage; Tamara Wecker, RE/MAX Property Shop; David Moore, RE/MAX Executives; and Sharon Wilson, RE/MAX Colonial.

RE/MAX Events

‘No dozing off in this session!’ That’s what one participant was moved to write on the evaluation sheet for Property Management Training with Stacey Holt, held at RE/MAX Corporate Office in Milton in November. Around 40 attended the workshop, where Stacey, from Real Estate Excellence, focused on key dayto-day operational property management questions and case studies, along with providing the latest information regarding new laws affecting Queensland property management. Participants agreed that the session had left them feeling more empowered to deal with day-to-day matters and feeling more confident in their overall knowledge and use of legislation. These comments reflect the overall tone: “Stacey Holt is fantastic. Very knowledgeable, funny and to the point.” “A comprehensive update on new property management legislation delivered by an articulate, succinct and engaging trainer.” “The depth of Stacey Holt’s knowledge is unshakeable. Great session today and looking forward to the next!”

The Red Book Do you know what you can do with a ‘red book’? Or you could think ‘reality book’? More than 60 RE/MAX members who attended workshop presentations with RE/MAX Results’ Deborah Evans on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts in October will be nodding their heads right now.

“At the end of my first nine months in real estate, I was that Brand’s top agent in Brisbane, and I didn’t really know what I was doing!”

Another useful resource is the Auction Book, where you can educate vendors with real life examples of what transpired on auction day. Deborah is one of RE/MAX Australia’s top brokers/owners and sales associates. In her honest, open and passionate session, she dealt with vendor paid advertising and personal promotion, tips for a consistent income and avoiding burnout, and her own success secrets as she rose to #1.

It’s the book you show property owners of vendors who wanted crazy prices, vendors who made a mistake in not listening to the market (and the agent) and as an outcome, eventually sold for much less than they could have. To workshop attendees a ‘red book’, or ‘reality book’, is a very useful tool for building client relationships. Property managers keen to line up for more of Stacey.

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RE/MAX Events

RE/MAX Auction Chapter members at the ‘Iceworks ‘Lock-in’ in December

Auction Chapter plans meaningful intimate program for members in 2015 Twenty-five RE/MAX members attended the Auction Lock-in in December, held at the Iceworks in Paddington, Brisbane, to learn and network with three of Australia’s most successful auction advocates. Workshop leaders were REIQ Salesperson of the Year, Mark McGill; acclaimed trainer and auctioneer, Jason Andrew; and top RE/MAX Sales Associate, Marc Sorrentino. This was an event organised by a re-invigorated Auction Chapter formed around six months ago. RE/MAX Australia Director Joel Davoren explained. The Auction Chapter focus is on enhancing skills of people who have an interest in auctions as opposed to trying to change people’s mind about auctions. The Committee – and the Chapter – is network-driven

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rather than corporate-driven. It aims to offer hands-on sessions and workshops where numbers are small enough to allow people attending to take what they need from the ‘experts’ and apply to their own activities. A focus on smaller groups attending makes it more interactive. Nor will Auction Chapter events be RE/MAX-centric. ‘We will be drawing on the expertise of people outside RE/MAX,” said Joel. Events are at no cost to Auction Chapter members, though nonmembers can pay to attend when places are available. The Chapter has relevance for new and experienced agents. The next event is 11 February, the day prior to the RE/MAX Sales Rally and Annual Awards.

“Auction is a personal thing. How people conduct successful auctions varies. Even auction advocates have contrasting opinions at times.

“How people conduct successful auctions varies. Even auction advocates have contrasting opinions at times.” “What we want to do through the RE/MAX Auction Chapter is create environments where attendees feel empowered, where they can ask questions and can voice their own opinions. We believe holding regular but smaller events is the key.” To become a RE/MAX Auction Chapter member, please contact Joel Davoren at jdavoren@remax.com.au.

RE/MAX Marketing

Marketing Matters Marketing Campaign wrapped up for 2014. RE/MAX Australia’s 2014 marketing campaign wrapped up in September with phenomenal success and some very lucky winners. Our grand prize winner, Joey Ross from Seaforth in NSW, was announced on the campaign microsite and also via Facebook. He was ecstatic to receive the news that he’d won a $25,000 travel package to anywhere in the world with a RE/MAX office. His winning entry can be seen on the campaign microsite, AdForMyPad.com.au. Following 15 weeks of the campaign we saw some fantastic results through our online social media tracking software. The campaign website has enjoyed a high traffic of 19,435 visits in 15 weeks, with some 75 per cent coming from new visitors. Across social channels, our focus was on Facebook while Twitter was only a supporting channel. On Facebook, we saw a 19 per cent increase in followers. However, our focus was always on engaging our users, increasing Facebook likes and reach. Over the course of the campaign, engagement improved by 1,988 per cent and we saw an accumulated reach of 725,117 people on Facebook alone. Further results can be seen in the adjacent infographic.

encouraged their own networks to enter. Congratulations to our winners of the internal ‘Make An Ad to Sell Your Pad’ competition who each won for themselves $5,000. Winners were John Buckley from RE/MAX Capital in Queanbeyan (pictured) and Rod Westerhuis from RE/MAX Profile in Bardon. RE/MAX Marketing Coordinator Aimee Doherty was the lucky person to break the news to ‘Make an ad’ winner Joey Ross. Q. How did it feel to tell someone they had just won $25,000 worth of travel? It was actually much more difficult than I anticipated as there was a lot to be covered in the initial conversation. This was a great story and while it was easy to get caught up in Joey’s excitement, I also needed to gather information about the video, his property and how Joey intended to use the prize. Naturally, we had a lot of people involved in the competition and we wanted to deliver the good news to them. Also, it was important to get the full story from Joey.

It really was a great experience though and great to deliver such fantastic news to a deserving winner. Q. What words did you actually use? Joey’s entry wasn’t actually submitted until the last day of the competition which meant he hadn’t earned enough votes to win one of our weekly prizes of a $1,000 travel voucher. This meant I could have some fun with him though. I started the conversation with a few random questions about his entry and stayed very calm. I then informed him that I was sorry that because of the timing of his submission he had failed to gain enough votes for our weekly prize. Joey explained that he understood it was the risk they took but he needed more time for editing. I went on to say that this was probably a good approach, this time with a little more enthusiasm, as he had won the grand prize of $25,000. Q. What was Joey’s reaction? He was understandably ecstatic and very appreciative – “Oh my god, I could kiss you” was his response. It was very difficult to talk the finer details of the competition with him as he was so excited.

Michael Davoren with winner John Buckly

Contributing to these results are the RE/MAX agents who successfully

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RE/MAX Events

Events to help grant wishes RE/MAX continues to help grant wishes

RE/MAX Australia donated $50 on behalf of every office in its network to Make-A-Wish Australia at Christmas

By the end of July last year, the second year of RE/MAX Australia’s commitment to Make-A-Wish® Australia, the network had given more than $60,000. What is truly significant is the growth of support from the network, as demonstrated by the 2013 gift of just over $23,300 and almost $37,000 in 2014. The network generosity continued through the latter half of 2014 last year with many offices organising their own fundraising events as well as supporting corporateinitiated events such as the regular and very popular Ladies Nights, Bridge-to-Brisbane and the inaugural RE/MAX Charity Golf Day. As Christmas approached, RE/MAX Australia decided to replace the practice of sending gifts to its broker/owners and teams with a donation of $50 to Make-A-Wish on behalf of every RE/MAX Australia office. This drew a very positive response when it was announced 14

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at the Broker/Owner Christmas function in December. RE/MAX gifted $3,200 through this initiative. Fundraising is always on the agenda when the network comes together for national events, including sales rallies and annual awards with auctions, raffles and the exceptionally popular ‘photo booth’. Money is also raised through the Settlement Program where agents choose to donate a particular amount of money per transaction. RE/MAX Australia’s ongoing efforts demonstrate the generosity of its members and the willingness to give back to the community. Make-A-Wish grants the cherished wishes of children with lifethreatening medical conditions around Australia. Make-A-Wish wishes have a healing power that goes beyond medicine alone, bringing seriously ill children hope for the future,

strength to face the challenges of their illness, and joy from their incredible wish experience. As CEO Gerard Menses points out, the much-needed support of partners like RE/MAX is absolutely critical in helping more and more wishes come true. “We’re very excited to celebrate the third year of our fantastic partnership with RE/MAX Australia. With the support of the RE/MAX community through staff fundraising and donations, we’re able to keep spreading the incredible power of a wish to seriously ill children, families and communities across Australia. Thank you for helping us make wishes come true!” For the full 2015 events calendar, please refer to the RE/MAX School of Excellence brochure available from the RE/MAX Australia Corporate office.

RE/MAX News from the Network

Welcome to RE/MAX RE/MAX is proud to introduce and welcome the newest offices and broker/owners to the RE/MAX Australia network.

In August, Jim and Hu gh Tonakis op ened RE/M AX Solutions in Strathpine, QLD.

In September, RE/MAX welcomed Leanne Kroes with RE/MAX Platinum in Narangba, QLD, and Graeme Cleves with RE/MAX Limestone Real Estate in Mount Gambier, SA.

Bischoff and In July, Ross g opened Cathy Chen lty mmunity Rea RE/MAX Co k, QLD. in Sunnyban

RE/MAX: A big name on the Redcliffe Peninsula The RE/MAX Property Shop team spent the Father’s Day weekend last year at the local Redcliffe Festival, which incorporates the Redcliffe KiteFest and possibly the biggest fireworks display in the region, and has an estimated 50,000-plus in attendance. Nola Bonner explains: “We organized competitions including a ping pong competition where players wore special branded vests. Very cute! Game winners received a token prize but went in a draw for the major prize of a Gold Coast

In November, Pa ul Kelly and Phil Haley opened RE/MAX Lifest yle Marketing in Pe nrith, NSW.

In August/September, Derek Downes opened RE/MAX AIRR in Brisbane and Crows Nest, QLD, and in Lavington, NSW.

flight in the RE/MAX balloon, worth more than $600, which we announced on our Facebook page.” RE/MAX Property Shop is a Foundation Partner of Our Village Foundation, launched in July 2012. Nola says the annual sponsorship brings RE/MAX Property Shop in contact with

the greater community on a regular basis through the variety of events and is an especially good avenue for newer agents to meet people and become known. If you would like find out more about RE/MAX Property Shop’s community activities, call Nola on mobile 0400 658 525.

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RE/MAX News from the network

How one agent is maxing out his presence Sales agent Iain Hinds from Margate, a residential suburb in Queensland’s Moreton Bay region, has a sidekick who is winning hearts and Facebook followers, and raising money for the RSPCA. Not tall in stature but definitely big in the looks and charm department, Maxy, a British Bulldog pup now around seven months old, has become more than simply Iain’s best mate as the pup opens doors to customers and makes Iain a household name in his market and well beyond.

pages/The-Adventures-ofMaxy/1534501546771567. “We have sponsored the RSPCA Wacol puppy shelter. The sponsored kennel is branded The adventures of Maxy, and houses one dog at a time waiting to be rehomed. All Iain’s marketing material promotes Maxy and his cause, directing people to the website. “I’m not asking for direct donations but for people to support Maxy and ‘like’ his page.”

The agent with RE/MAX Property Shop said his love of animals, his experiences with rescue dogs and his admiration for the work done by the RSPCA prompted him to raise funds, which sparked the idea to make Maxy the focus of an ongoing campaign.

“There are many occasions where I know I would not be handing out business cards at the same rate if I didn’t have Maxy with me.”

“Maxy, whose name of course comes from ‘RE/MAX’, is the face of the RSPCA’s Second Chance Program, which aims to rehome all dogs that come into its centres,” explains Iain.

Iain has found his own profile has received a massive boost through community and Facebook followers’ engagement with Maxy.

Iain has pledged up to $10,000 for RSPCA Queensland’s Second Chance Program, with a $1 donation for every page like at https://www.facebook.com/

“We have run three competitions where local business have donated services including a year’s worth of free haircuts, free tickets to the Sit Down Comedy

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“All my promotional material and communications is double-sided, and I have had great feedback with customers telling me they hang on to it, pin it on the fridge and so forth because of Maxy. “He definitely opens doors and his Facebook page and fund-raising is a wonderful conversation starter. I meet people for the first time, but they are already connected through Maxy.

The first step, when Maxy was just ten weeks old, was setting up the pup’s Facebook page, The Adventures of Maxy, which immediately gathered 50 friends who liked the page, was at 2500 by December and is anticipated to be at 3000 in early 2015.

Club and a concert at Brisbane’s Powerhouse.

Iain also maximizes his pup’s high visibility through some strategic prospecting – by regularly frequenting local dog parks, coffee shops and other pet-friendly locations. “It is truly a partnership that results in lots of winners,” said Iain.

RE/MAX News from the network

New South Wales motherdaughter team tells how it’s done Annette Pollard and Jenna Wright (nee Pollard) are a mother and daughter dynamic duo when it comes to the business of real estate.

decided was a great move for their business, RE/MAX Elite. Wagga Wagga’s population of 60,000 was a bit of a step up from the small town of Junee.

Annette, who began her 13 years in real estate as a receptionist in Wagga Wagga, and Jenna, who came straight out of a performing arts background, opened a RE/MAX office in Junee (population 4000) a bit over five years ago.

While there was a change in franchise ownership, the team stayed on; the office relocated but never closed its doors.

They started from scratch, just the two of them with laptops and mobile phones. They now have a rent roll of over 130 properties and very good market share. Junee has approximately 1800 houses, and Jenna recently sold the town’s only terrace houses. Built in 1886 and comprising four separate two or three bedroom homes in dire need of restoration, it sold prior to auction and above the reserve to a young Wagga couple who were drawn to the authentic Victorian home restoration project Jenna marketed. Annette and Jenna combine their resources across both offices, with Jenna as licencee in Junee and Annette in Wagga, and there has been an addition of two full time staff to the Junee team. Just over 12 months ago, an opportunity to buy the Wagga Wagga RE/MAX franchise arose, which Annette and Jenna

The mother-daughter sales team took business from zero to 110 listings in 12 months, and 15 per cent market share. There was no rent roll when they took ownership. Now they have passed 80 properties, built up by Nicole Kemp who join RE/MAX around eight years ago as a sales secretary, is currently Business Development and Property Manager but destined to eventually move into a senior sales role.

“While there was a change in franchise ownership, the team stayed on; the office relocated but never closed its doors.”

Towards the end of last year, Annette recruited Sharon Bruest as her first sales person who had no past association with RE/MAX. As is Annette and Jenna’s way, the whole team had to be in agreement on Sharon’s inclusion. This year they are planning to grow the team further, initially by taking on a trainee property manager.

Of the market they work in, Jenna says the Junee market has its own set of influences but is basically a good all-round market where affordability attracts buyers and return on investment is high. However, she says, with a lot of properties being older and requiring maintenance, property management can be hard work. Annette describes Wagga Wagga as a very steady market that doesn’t have the fluctuations of many others. She says that doesn’t necessarily make it an easy market to work, however, because there are often a lot more properties than buyers. And what’s behind such a welloiled mother and daughter team: Two people who • Respect each other • Complement each other through their different strengths • Have the same work ethic; and • Are both hard-working and positive

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RE/MAX News from the network

RE/MAX team’s move of confidence The RE/MAX Property Specialists team intends setting a new real estate standard in Dandenong, having moved to new premises to improve the experience for its customers. The new larger office allows the business to incorporate Australian Property Finance (APF), which is RE/MAX’s property arm. Finance brokers Suzanne Snoeks and Kerrie Watkins quickly settled in.

Don’t make a dog’s breakfast out of finding a new home, says Tiffany Renting, or even buying, property if you are a pet owner is far from a walk in the park. RE/MAX United Vision’s Tracey Ashley had read the figures on Australian pet ownership - nearly five million of Australia’s 7.6 million households are home to 25 million pets reported the Animal Health Alliance’s Australian Pet Ownership Survey in 2013 – but it wasn’t until she looked for a new home for the family, including Tiffany her fouryear-old Shih Tzu x Cavalier, that she realised the difficulties pet owners could face. It was hard to convince landlords even given her RE/MAX connections, though Tracey was prepared for this. “At 63 per cent, Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, but that seemed hard to believe when I was struggling to find a rental last year prior to buying; and even when purchasing, my search for a unit or townhouse was hampered.” 18

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“Our new office is not only larger but it is in a more prominent location, and while we are very proud of RE/MAX Property Specialists’ good reputation and the manner in which we meet the community’s real estate needs, the move was a natural step in providing even better service. It reflects confidence and is an investment in the RE/MAX network and in Dandenong.”

“It was when I began looking to buy and realised there were too few apartments and townhouse complexes that were petfriendly, and particularly dogfriendly, that I saw a real need to try and make the situation less stressful for customers who were sharing my experience.”

“A pet-friendly Coorparoo unit had 1468 views versus a similar but non-pet-friendly unit with less than 800 views; and being pet-friendly may affect the sale price with, in general, one per cent more achieved, or $4000 more on a $400,000 property,” she explains

Tracey not only found a new home, four-legged Tiffany became Tracey’s sidekick in sales. Tiffany is heavily involved in the marketing of pet friendly properties in Brisbane suburbs around Carina, and has her own Facebook page, Tiffany-thePink-Property-Pooch, and an instagram page, Tiffany_loves_ pink. Tracey says that properties she has clearly marketed as petfriendly attract 50 per cent more views on line.

“I’m helping the pet-owning buyer through the way I market, and by doing so it seems that I am getting the seller a better price and a sale in a shorter time on the market. Using Tiffany in photos and video keeps buyers more engaged in the property, which is what sellers like to hear. Buyers definitely are more focused on the photos, which works especially well for vacant homes on the market.”

Getting to know you… Meryn Walker, Franchise Development Consultant, RE/MAX Australia & New Zealand Meryn Walker was RE/MAX Australia’s third Employee of the Quarter for 2014, with managing director Michael Davoren making the point that she played a crucial part in both cementing relationships and growing the network. Franchise development is every bit as important as franchise sales, he said, because it is an instrument of retention. How and when did you discover your interest in real estate? I have been a part of the real estate industry ever since the day I completed my Year 12 studies. It was my first job, starting out in an administrative role. I progressed through every department of that independent real estate office, which gave me fantastic exposure to just how a real estate office works….and then I was hooked!! With the exception of a short stint out of the industry a few years ago, real estate has been my life-long career. I have also been a partner in several real estate practices with another franchise group, along with eight years in a corporate real estate role. What does your present role entail? In my role I maintain a regular liaison between the Broker/ Owners, sales associates and the RE/MAX head office. Primarily my role allows me to build relationships and ensure that all members receive all of the benefits and services, training and events provided by RE/MAX.

Meryn Walker with Keith Walker, Franchise Director, Australia & New Zealand; Walter Schneider, President and Co-founder RE/MAX Europe; and Larry Oberly, Vice President, Global Franchise and Business Solutions RE/MAX LLC in Barcelona at the RE/MAX European Convention. October, 2014

I also assist our office with recruiting activities where possible. How would you break down your time over an average week? There is no such thing as an average week here! As most people say, every day is different. For the most part, my week would involve team meetings, member phone calls, recruiting calls and meetings, office visits, attending events and training… along with a bit of fun and laughter thrown in the mix!!

“I would love to have a go at playing the drums” What aspects of the role give you greatest pleasure? The connection with people both in RE/MAX Australia and New Zealand……and with the global footprint RE/MAX enjoys, I am regularly in contact with RE/MAX members across the world. I have the opportunity to travel and visit other countries and make connections with dedicated and professional RE/MAX people. It is such a gift to chat with our members

and work alongside them. We have a very inclusive group and everyone is more than generous with their time and information sharing. It is such a great vibe. What have been some of your most memorable moments since becoming part of RE/MAX? My memorable moments include attending any of our new office openings, getting swept up in the excitement with our new Brokers and their anticipation of future success in the real estate industry. I love it!! Other memorable moments also revolve around attending the events we regularly hold within our Group. Whether it is a Broker event, a High Achievers event, one of our Sales Rallies or even our training sessions, I always learn something from the experience. It’s the weekend. Work does not beckon. How would you be most likely to spend your time? Catching up and spending time with my beautiful family. That is all I need. Something you may not know about Meryn… I would love to have a go at playing the drums!!!

remax.com.au | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX News from the global network

RE/MAX China Open for Business From Denver, October 2014: The first RE/MAX office in China open for business. Agents are working with local clients, using the worldwide RE/MAX network (www.global.remax.com), and assisting clients interested in overseas investment opportunities. RE/MAX Eternity opened in August in Beijing’s Chaoyang Business District and its entrepreneurial owners are eager to make their mark and change how real estate is practiced in their country.

“We love the RE/MAX culture and our vision is to raise the level of customer service in the local real estate industry. We want to be the leaders of that,” said owner Xianqiu Kon who plans to open two more offices in Beijing in the next three years and is excited about connecting with RE/MAX agents around the world to exchange overseas referrals for her Chinese clients. China offers a huge potential market for real estate office and agent growth. RE/MAX China is now selling the rights to entire regions in all parts of China.

RE/MAX ranks as #1 real estate franchise From Denver, October 2014: The 2014 Franchise Times Top 200, ranked RE/ MAX, LLC as the leading real estate franchise for the sixth consecutive year in a survey based upon 2013 worldwide sales and growth and includes franchisors from a wide variety of business sectors.

ABOVE, the RE/MAX network magazine, wins two industry awards From Denver, October 2014: ABOVE magazine was recognized by two prominent organizations for its creativity and content. It was Content Marketing Awards (CMA), ‘silver’ choice for Best Employee-Based Publication, where it beat Porsche’s Carerra

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In the 2014 Franchise Times Top 200, RE/MAX ranked #12 overall, two places up on the previous year, and ranked #2 in the ‘Top 10 Sales Growth’ category. Over the course of 2013, RE/MAX had a five per cent increase in agents and added 11 countries to its international footprint. Revenue was up 11 per cent over the previous year.

Magazine’s honorable mention. CMA is respected as a leading awards program that recognizes communication professionals and their impact within an organisation. The team that produces ABOVE also received recognition from APEX Awards for Publication Excellence (APEX) in the Custom-Published Magazines, Journals and Tabloids category for the second time.

ABOVE captures the entrepreneurial spirit RE/MAX highlights the many achievements of its 96,000 agents. ABOVE debuted in print in 2011 and quickly expanded to a digital version. An ABOVE website was launched in 2012.

RE/MAX News from the global network

Seven consecutive years for RE/MAX as only real estate name in ‘Top 50 Franchises for Minorities’ two industry awards From Denver, October 2014: The eighth annual survey compiled by the World Franchising Network names RE/MAX, LLC as one of the ‘50 Top Franchises for Minorities’. The 2014 survey is the seventh consecutive year RE/MAX has been included on the list, and each year it has been the only real estate franchise named.

RE/MAX only RE company named on fastest-growing franchises list two industry awards From Denver, February 2014: RE/MAX, LLC was named one of the world’s fastest-growing franchises in Entrepreneur magazine’s FastestGrowing Franchise Rankings for 2014. It ranked 16th overall and was the only real estate company on the list. It was also the highest-ranked real estate brokerage in the magazine’s 2014 Franchise 500.

Entrepreneur judges companies by quantifiable measures including global financial strength and stability, growth rate and startup costs. RE/MAX’s position relates to opportunity and an owner’s freedom to run their business with the support and strength of a leading global brand.

The World Franchising Network recognises franchisors’ commitment to the recruitment and advancement of minorities, and aims to show progress that minorities have made in the franchising industry.

Two key findings from the Parliamentary Inquiry By Simon Henry, co-CEO of Juwai.com - RE/MAX’s partner and Australia’s No. 1 source of Chinese buyer leads The Parliamentary Inquiry into international real estate buyers has reported its findings to Canberra. As the number one source of leads to agents from Chinese buyers, we at Juwai.com have kept a close eye on it. Here are the two key findings you need to know:

approval to buy property. Agents need to worry about the proposed fee. It could make foreign investment plummet and thus affect your business. 1. “The housing supply issues in Australia would worsen if foreign investment was curtailed. One of the likely outcomes of any restrictions on foreign buyers could therefore be further price increases.” (Page 95 of the report)

Investors won’t pay a large fee when they can’t even be sure if they’ll be the winning bidder for the property they want. The cost and the uncertainty will send them to other countries. Australia, after all, already has the second most restrictive policies in the developed world.

2. Foreign investors are not having any negative impact on first home buyers. The two markets are “separate.” (Page 92) The Inquiry called for the FIRB to do a better job of administration - including creating a register of title transfers that includes nationality. It also proposed charging a large fee whenever an international buyer applies for

Simon Henry, co-CEO of juwai.com

remax.com.au | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX Feature

Acting in the consumers’ interests

any temptation by real estate agents to attract buyers, as well as auction listings, by quoting prices and price ranges that cannot be backed up in writing.

price for your property”

Michael Davoren, Managing Director, RE/MAX Australia, comments on the Queensland Property Occupations Act 2014, which came into effect on December 1st last year.

Deregulating commissions now allows the market to set what agents are worth. Previously Queensland law capped the amount of commission an agent could charge.

Under a deregulated system, discussions between sellers and agents will be based on the value offered by the agent’s service rather than a fixed fee scale.

Above-average agents are worth a lot more than the mediocre or below. Of course there will be agents who want to discount to attract business; so be it.

Several process changes in the new Act directly affect consumers but are there for a purpose and aligned with the Government’s well-published ambition to cut real estate industry red tape. These changes are beneficial to consumers and agents.

The Queensland Property Occupations Act took effect on 1 December 2014, with changes impacting the real estate profession and consumers. This is one of the most significant legislative reforms to impact the Queensland real estate industry in at the last 50 years at least. We support the vast majority of the changes, including two of the most contentious: price disclosure in relation to auction properties and deregulation of commissions.

A RE/MAX colleague recently said: “The cheapest real estate agent you can engage is the one who will achieve the highest

The real estate agent gets no remuneration until they achieve the sale.

RE/MAX supports the new legislation that rules that no price range is to be suggested by an agent for an auction property. We support the Real Estate Institute of Queensland and the Queensland State Government because the consumer is entitled to factual information as opposed to opinion. Under the Act, a potential buyer cannot access a price guide, but an agent or auctioneer can provide a comparative market analysis in writing with the written consent of the seller and at the direct request of the buyer. There was some concern from southern states where price ranges are common practice. Victorian Government activity suggested that where price ranges are allowed, there is genuine concern about the accuracy of these ranges. The new Queensland Act removes

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APF brokers Arthur Brown, Anish Prasad, Malyson Sayabath, Yanti Sudiono and Caitlin Troman at the POA information session.

RE/MAX partner, Vow Legal, provides timely training

When the Property Occupations Act (POA) 2014 replaced the Property Agents and Motor Dealers Act (PAMDA), RE/MAX Australia and Vow Legal held events to familarise agents with the legislative reforms. Sessions both north and south of Brisbane, along with a webinar, gave access to all Queensland RE/MAX agents.

Sonya Collins, Melinda Smith, Naomi Green and Vicki Ford from R. Victory learn about POA impacts.

The ‘must see’ industry update was well attended and much appreciated.

RE/MAX Highlights

lia a r t s u AX A ce M / E 2015 R of Excellen hlights l ig Schoo alendar H sC Event

RE/MAX Australia teams up with Imagine Experiences, a professional creative team of event management specialists, to deliver its very special events.

Broker/Owners’ diary dates include the 2015 RE/MAX Broker/Owner Conference for a Boston August where they can connect with peers from across the globe. Closer to home is the two-day RE/MAX Broker/Owner Retreat in September for business owners from Australia and New Zealand, and quarterly Broker Meetings culminating in the December Broker/Owner Christmas party.

RE/MAX School of Excellence: another great reason to be part of RE/MAX RE/MAX Australia created its School of Excellence to give all members career paths and the opportunity to achieve their full potential through very regular faceto-face and webinar options. RE/MAX LLC also runs regular webinars bringing ‘together’ RE/MAX members internationally.

broker/owners

march Las Vegas in March is the place to be for the 2015 RE/MAX R4 Convention, which draws an annual attendance of about 6,000 people worldwide; or Berlin in October when the RE/MAX network in Europe comes together for the 7th time for, no doubt, an amazing event.

career nights

The 2015 Events Calendar is chockfull of training and events options. For the full calendar, please refer to the RE/MAX School of Excellence brochure, which is available from the RE/MAX Australia corporate office. Meanwhile, here are some highlights:

june RE/MAX Australia and New Zealand host the High Achievers Retreat in Fiji in June.

Fiji will be warmer!

fundraising For corporate-initiated fundraising, lock in those April and September Ladies Nights of fun and fashion, the second annual Charity Golf Day in July, and join Team RE/MAX in the Bridge to Brisbane Fun Run in September.

If you are considering switching to a real estate career, quarterly RE/MAX Career Nights are on the calendar for potential salespeople, PA’s, property managers, sales secretaries and receptionists.

awards Recognising and supporting achievers are also the annual, six-month and quarterly awards. February is the gala event – the full day Sales Rally followed by THE night of nights. A second sales rally is in July.

So, there’s something for everyone. Experience RE/MAX to the MAX! remax.com.au | Issue 1-15

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