Contact:
RE/MAX International - Daryl Jesperson 303-770-5531
RE/MAX Equity Group - Kurt Dalbey 503-670-3000
(Portland,
Ore., Dec. 11, 2000) -- The
16 offices and over 700 sales associates of
The Equity Group Realtors will now be known
as RE/MAX Equity Group, Inc. The announcement
that a subsidiary of global fanchisor RE/MAX
International, Inc. has purchased The Equity
Group was made to members of both organizations
today in two separate meetings. It makes RE/MAX
the leading real estate organization in Oregon
and adds sizeable RE/MAX market share in Washington.
"This
is the largest single conversion in the history
of RE/MAX," said Dave Liniger, chairman
and co-founder of RE/MAX. "Kurt Dalbey,
Jim Homolka and their team of managers, sales
associates and staff have built a remarkable
company. We have been very honored to bring
this change to the Northwest and have truly
enjoyed every aspect of this transaction.
It is important that the public understands
that placing RE/MAX in front of the Equity
Group name is the only change we'll be making.
Kurt, Jim, the administration staff and every
person in every office is encouraged to continue
providing the quality customer service they
have always delivered."
The
Equity Group was founded January 16, 1984
when Kurt Dalbey and six real estate agents
opened a small office space in Raleigh Hills.
The firm has grown to more than 700 sales
associates in 16 offices, and a ranking of
33rd on the "REALTrends Top
500 Real Estate Firms" for 1999. Jim
Homolka has been president of the firm
and will continue in that capacity.
Steve
Murray, co-editor of REAL Trends said,
"The combination of The Equity Group,
the leading firm in the Portland, Oregon market
and the national brand power of RE/MAX creates
a firm in the Pacific
Northwest with an entirely new set of benefits.
RE/MAX has teamed up with a well-managed traditional
brokerage firm and its leadership team to
bring the advantages of the
RE/MAX system immediately to the market in
a very big way. This kind of combination will
likely be appealing to other brokerage firms
as well."
Sixty-eight
independently owned and operated RE/MAX offices
in the two states are already home to 1,169
sales associates -- 769 in Washington and
400 in Oregon. This conversion raises the
two-state totals to 1,869 sales associates
in 84 RE/MAX offices instantly make RE/MAX
the leader in real estate transaction market
share in the Portland/Vancouver area and in
Oregon.
"The
marriage of the best real estate agents in
the Portland/Vancouver area with over 64,000
RE/MAX professionals world wide will produce
unprecedented benefits for our clients,"
commented Kurt Dalbey. "Families relocating
from around the world will look to us to find
their home in Portland and Vancouver. I'm
knocked out by the RE/MAX tools available
to the agent. This will truly be a case of
making the best even better."
Details
of the purchase were not disclosed. However,
it is known that since ceasing active operation
of brokerages and initiating a franchising
program in 1976, this is the first time RE/MAX
International or any of its subsidiary corporations
has been directly involved in ownership and
operation of RE/MAX real estate brokerages.
"Kurt
and Jim and the office managers and staff
will remain active in the operation of RE/MAX
Equity Group," said Daryl Jesperson,
RE/MAX president. "Everyone and everything
will remain in place. Only the name will change.
Of course, we believe RE/MAX will bring some
new services to the affiliates in the offices,
and ultimately to buyers, sellers and even
corporate and commercial clients. We want
to plug RE/MAX Equity Group into the 35-country
global network of RE/MAX offices, members
and services. The resulting synergy is going
to be amazing for everyone."
RE/MAX
Equity Group operates offices in Beaverton,
Gresham, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Portland,
Tualatin and Vancouver.
