WA ownership for RE/MAX franchise

REAL estate agent Geoff Baldwin, fresh from completing the purchase of the RE/MAX franchise rights for Western Australia, believes the industry's traditional business model is finished.

The six Geoff Baldwin franchises and 60 staff will immediately merge with RE/MAX's five offices and 50 staff, and will be known as RE/MAX Western Australia.

In the past 18 months, RE/MAX of Australia has added more than 35 franchises to its stable.

Mr Baldwin said enhanced competitiveness for home buyers and sellers was a key driver behind the acquisition.

"The whole model and system that RE/MAX use is not a conventional model," he said.

"My personal belief is that the days of the conventional real estate agency structure are pretty much over.

"The RE/MAX model empowers the individual salespeople and allows them to negotiate directly with their clients and to keep a larger slice of the commission which makes them more competitive."

Mr Baldwin said the merger would allow RE/MAX Western Australia to tap into the extensive international resources of the RE/MAX group.

"The biggest attraction was the international exposure and obviously attachment to a much larger group," he said.

"RE/MAX is the most recognised real estate brand in the world, according to independent surveys, so the sheer size and resources were very important to us.

"The negotiations have been going on for over a year so I've had a good opportunity to get to know the people, and I was impressed by the philosophy of the company and everything involved both here in Australia and overseas."

Mr Baldwin said the company's focus would now be on providing a relevant and attractive workplace for the best estate agents in WA in order to grow the company's influence.

"Our target will be the top salespeople in Western Australia," Mr Baldwin said.

"We all know Western Australians are very parochial and they want to have control of their own destiny.

"Since the news has got out that I've actually purchased, and will control the Western Australian region, good salespeople recognise that that's what this brand needed and already we've received a positive response to that, with multiple enquiries from established salespeople and agents."