RE/MAX frequently touts the experience and productivity of its agents, 135 of which made the 2024 RealTrends Verified + Tom Ferry The Thousand — more than any other brokerage. In 2025, however, the real estate franchisor is looking to welcome in and foster the next generation of top agents.
According to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 2024 NAR Member Profile, the median age of a real estate agent is 55, which for RE/MAX President Amy Lessinger is a clear sign that it is time for new talent to come into the industry.
“We have to stay focused on the demographic shift that is occurring,” Lessinger said in an interview with HousingWire. “We have to stay focused on appealing to Millennial and Gen Z agents and I think that will include things like offering innovative tools and offering a complete ecosystem for agents to run their businesses out of.”
Lessinger said RE/MAX is continuing to focus on making it easier for agents to transact by leveraging different technology tools.
“Integrating tools like AI into our offerings for agents and brokers so that they can enhance lead generation, engagement activities and gain overall efficiencies in their business is really key,” she said. “Consumer expectations are rising and being the easiest to do business with requires technology that makes every single interaction just seamless and efficient.”
The importance of being able to evolve quickly and in a way that is helpful to agents is a lesson Lessinger said she and RE/MAX are taking away from 2024.
“Foundationally, I think adaptability was a big lesson in 2024,” Lessinger said. “The industry experienced a lot of shifts from the settlement, to fluctuations in the market and I think that navigating those changes just highlighted the importance that this industry is ever-evolving. The market is ever-changing and it’s really important for us and for our agents to embrace the uncertainty and stay proactive.”
Lessinger believes this “adaptability mindset” was key to the success of RE/MAX and its agents this past year, but it was not the only thing. In order to best prepare its agents, brokers and franchisees to operate at their highest level in a year of unpredictability, Lessinger said the company really focused in on education.
“Education really is a foundational piece of our core. We want our agents to be the most trusted professionals, the most productive and in order to do that we need to make sure that we are constantly empowering our agents with the knowledge to navigate whatever the market throws at them.”
RE/MAX is hoping that its focus on empowering agents through education and technology tools will help attract more agents to the brand, especially those who are newer to the business.
“If we want to attract the next generation of agents coming into the industry, we have to strengthen how they come up to speed and evolve their ability to gain a foothold in the industry quickly and with great success,” Lessinger said. “Ensuring that the education offerings that we have, have proven results with them is a focus for us in 2025. We want agents to be able to join RE/MAX with confidence and understand that if they lean into the tools, the education, the technology and the support, then they are well positioned to build a successful business.”
In addition to working on appealing to younger agents, Lessinger said RE/MAX is also working on ways to make sure its agents appeal to the new generation of homebuyers.
“There is a large transfer of generational wealth coming forward, so we have to stay focused on that shift. The Millennials are now the largest home-buying generation and they have preferences that are different than previous generations,” Lessinger said. “They want a tech-driven search and transaction process. So, I think the agents who leverage technology and pay attention to the consumer insights are going to connect more effectively and be better able to serve Millennial buyers.”
While Lessinger acknowledged that 2025 will certainly have its fair share of surprises and challenges, she is confident that RE/MAX is on the right track to succeed in the coming year.
“RE/MAX is a powerful brand with proven systems, which makes it an attractive option for independent brokerages that may find it difficult to continue to sustain their agents’ needs for technology, education and support,” Lessinger said. “I also think teams are going to continue to grow and attract newer agents, ultimately driving higher market share. I think we are in a position to capitalize on this trend through the support we will continue to offer agents, teams, brokers and franchisees.”
