RE/MAX Ranked Among Top Franchise Opportunities For Minorities – Good News For Chicago Real Estate Market

RE/MAX recently was selected as one of the “50 Top Franchises for Minorities” in the annual survey by the National Minority Franchising Initiative (NMFI). As the only real estate franchisor included in the prestigious ranking, RE/MAX is joined by such notable business names as McDonalds, 7-11 and InterContinental Hotels Group. This is good news for the Chicago real estate market, which is culturally and ethnically rich in diversity.

Each year, NMFI recognizes the top 50 franchise opportunities based upon a commitment to minority recruitment and advancement. Final selection is the result of factors such as historical performance, brand identification, franchisee satisfaction, training/support and financial stability. Each organization must also complete a questionnaire noting the number of minority-owned franchises and the number of minorities in senior management.

“From our early days 35 years ago, RE/MAX has always provided rewarding career opportunities for women and minorities,” said Margaret Kelly, chief executive officer of RE/MAX International, Inc. “We believe our greatest strength is the diversity of our management and membership. It’s an honor to receive this recognition and be associated with other like-minded organizations.

“RE/MAX offers all our franchisees a tremendous amount of support to ensure their success, Kelly said. “Cutting edge technology resources and training, available online and through the RE/MAX Satellite Network, aren’t available from any other franchisor.”

In 2007, RE/MAX was also named a “Top 25 Franchise Opportunity” by Hispanic Enterprise magazine and ranked third among the “Top 10 Military-Spouse Friendly Employers” by Military Spouse magazine. The most comprehensive franchise ranking, Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Franchise 500 Survey,” ranked RE/MAX as a top real estate franchisor for the last decade and the No. 1 real estate franchisor for 8 of those 10 years.

“Even in today’s challenging market, RE/MAX is successfully selling new franchises,” said Jim Merrion, regional director of the RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network. “Through the third quarter of 2008, sales have topped 500 worldwide, with more than 200 in North America. In Chicago, RE/MAX continues to position itself for growth even in the most challenging real estate environment.”