Looking out at an R4 crowd of nearly 5,000 attendees from 60 countries, RE/MAX Co-Founder Dave Liniger knew he was in the presence of top producers. After all, RE/MAX is a winning real estate brand – fueled by entrepreneurs who strive to win in their businesses every single day.

“In 51 years, this company has never lost,” Liniger said during the Opening General Session of the 2024 RE/MAX R4 Convention. “When you go up against the competition, you might get knocked down a few times. But with grit, persistence, determination, ambition, you have what you need to get up and fight again. In real estate, that means doing whatever it takes to win the listing or the client and never settling or quitting. It means outperforming the competition consistently.”

Liniger spoke to ongoing industry changes, especially right now as the National Association of REALTORS® proposed settlement of seller-initiated lawsuits could impact how agents work with homebuyers in the U.S. These potential changes, he explained, will likely have a noticeable impact only on part-time and non-serious agents. RE/MAX, however, attracts full-time professionals.

Other Highlights from the Opening General Session:

“We know how to adjust – we’ve always been adaptable,” he shared, noting how RE/MAX protected its brokerages, teams, and agents by being one the first companies to reach a settlement in the ongoing lawsuit. “We take care of our own.”

RE/MAX Holdings CEO Erik Carlson joined Liniger onstage for a candid conversation.

“Before I came in, I knew RE/MAX was an industry leader. I have bought and sold homes with a RE/MAX agent – so I'm also a customer. I really appreciate all the competitive advantages that the brand has,” said Carlson, who was hired in November. “What I think is most impressive is the people. RE/MAX agents are the gold standard.”

That gold standard is a product of the brand’s unshakable foundation built in 1973 by Liniger and his wife Gail, the RE/MAX Co-Founder. Together, Carlson said, they built a culture of productivity that continues to win.

“I said it before and I'm going to keep saying it – we are obsessed with providing affiliates the best experience possible so that you are equipped to do the same for buyers and sellers in your market,” Carlson continued. “Our mission is to deliver the best experience in everything real estate. Our vision is to be the global real estate leader and the ultimate destination for both professionals and customers.”

Helping ensure that experience is Amy Lessinger. Addressing the crowd for the first time since being named President of RE/MAX in February, Lessinger shared her RE/MAX origin story, which began 26 years ago when she joined a Reno, Nevada, brokerage as a young agent. A recent college grad at the time, Lessinger moved her business to RE/MAX to learn from the best. At the urging of her mentor, she attended the annual RE/MAX convention – and knew she had found her professional home. She wasn’t a top producer quite yet – but she knew that working among them, and learning from them, was the best way to get there.

She went on to lead a dominant team, open a RE/MAX franchise and help build a 130-agent brokerage. Four years ago, she joined the RE/MAX Headquarters team to have an even wider impact.

“I have a unique lens. I understand what it takes for you to get started in this business. I understand what it takes for you to grow and succeed in the business. And I understand what happens when this business takes you down a few pegs,” she told the crowd. “The other thing I really understand is how to lead through change.

“We're going to continue to lead with the best education, the best tools, and second-to-none support to help you navigate the new landscape [of real estate].”