As we enter into 2012 Andy and I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU. This year, 2011, has been an amazing year for us on many fronts. First, our growth throughout the past 12 months has been monumental, one of our greatest years ever. We end this year 74 agents stronger than when we started. This included the addition of four new offices including the merger of RE/MAX First Choice in Northborough and Marlborough and the addition of our new Burlington location and the first ever Stop and Shop location in Springfield.

With growth comes opportunity for additional advancement for our firm and for our agents. In 2011 we created several new executive positions within the firm to accommodate our expansion. This included the addition of our Chief Innovation Officer, Dan Levine; Talent Acquisition Director, Doris O’Keefe; and Chief Evangelist, John Downey. Dan, Doris, and John have all played a significant role in helping our agents find new opportunities to not only survive in this challenging market, but to thrive.

It’s a great time to buy!  That being said, one of our stated goals for 2011 was to start buying some RE/MAX Prestige real estate! Paying rent for 13 locations is expensive! Besides, it doesn’t make sense to be the largest Massachusetts based real estate firm in the state and not own your own real estate. In October of 2011 a long time vision of ours became reality when we purchased the Century 21 Minuteman building at 173 Chelmsford Street in Chelmsford. Not only is this landmark piece of real estate going to be an amazing new home for our headquarters, it came with an awesome bonus…Juergen, Paul, Pemela, and Celeste!

Tough Times – As if the challenging economy weren’t enough of a wrench in this business, the weather made things even worse. On June 1st, 2011 tornadoes touched down throughout Western Massachusetts, demolishing homes and businesses all around us. Homes were crumbled to dust. Thousands were left homeless and schools and churches were turned into emergency shelters. Our agents responded immediately. Those in Western MA opened their homes and hearts to help strangers in need. Our own agents donated more than $7500 to help us bring much needed food, water, clothing, and supplies to Western MA for the weeks after the devastation. From tragedy there often comes hope and beauty and we saw that first hand. Our people reached deep into their pockets to help. As well, for some like Karen King, the tragedy turned into an opportunity to rededicate her life to helping people beyond selling them homes…through her now well acclaimed Street Angel program that she started in the wake of the tornadoes.

On our check requests, agents have an opportunity to give a portion of their commission to charity…more than 60% of the check requests that come through, agents give back to charity. In all, more than $25,000 was donated in 2011 to tornado relief efforts, Children’s Miracle Network, Susan G. Komen, and several other charitable organizations. We donated 100 Thanksgiving dinners to local families throughout the area. As well, countless families were assisted through our DSS holiday gift drive.

Saying Thanks – Every year we look for opportunities to say thank you to the families of our RE/MAX Prestige agents and staff. Our agents are successful because of the great support they receive at home. This year we were able to say thank you with a special full day field trip to Six Flags New England. It was an awesome August day. One of the best days of the entire year as we got to sit back, relax, and have some fun with our amazing peeps.

Prestige Homes Magazine – As our firm grows we look for new opportunities to provide marketing and technology efforts to our agents…and we relish in the ones that no other firm can provide. That is why we were truly excited to announce in 2011 that we would be printing and distributing our own monthly magazine to more than 40,000 consumers throughout New England. It’s a listing tool first and foremost. What surprised us even more was the number of buyer leads our agents collected from this amazing tool in the six months since we released our first issue.

Best Selling Authors – Our growth this past year has also enabled us to further strengthen the caliber of speakers we have brought to the table for our agents. Michael Maher – Best Selling Author of The Seven Levels of Communication was featured in a webinar this summer. As well, the awe inspiring, New York Times, Best Selling Author, Gary Vaynerchuk came out to Boston to speak on social networking for our agents.

Wow! – At the recent Massachusetts Association of Realtors award dinner there were two Good Neighbor Awards given out.  These candidates are selected from a huge pool of agents all across the state.  We can’t even express how proud we were that both awards were given to our agents, Robbi Rubenstein and Karen King.  In fact we have 240 + agents that all give back in their own ways.  Including Michelle Rivera who offers scholarships in memory of her son Luis, through the SITO foundation; Amsi Morales and her A.M.S.I. scholarship foundation, and Steve Levine’s charitable foundation that helps children and families in need.  Giving back to our communities and to charitable initiatives is at the foundation of what we are all about.

We end 2011 having closed more than 2600 transactions in a market that has yet to recover. Amazing! You are the most unbelievable group of real estate agents in the entire world! We are the third largest firm by transaction volume in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with a fraction of the agent count of the two firms that are still ahead of us. We are adding new offices, new tools, new technology, and new staff. We are expanding where others are contracting…and so are our agents. What makes RE/MAX Prestige the most inspirational, motivational, and astounding real estate firm in the world? That’s easy…it’s YOU. Our amazing firm is built on a foundation of miraculous visionaries…our agents and staff…all who have chosen not to participate in the recession.

With 2011 being such an amazing year for the agents, staff, and families of RE/MAX Prestige, how will we ever top it in 2012? Let’s just say we have our work cut out for us, but as always, we are up for the challenge.

Happy New Year

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