Top REMAX Brokerage Maintains Momentum, Passion That Fuel Longevity

The real estate industry is home to some leaders who have altered the course of history – and changed lives for the better – through determination, innovation and compassion. Many of them affiliate with Broker/Owner Dale Russell’s RE/MAX Real Estate Central Alberta.

The bustling brokerage has long been one of the highest achieving, most productive real estate operations in all of Canada. More than 80 agents hang their license here, with locations in Red Deer, Lacombe, Sylvan Lake, Innisfail, Ponoka and Rocky Mountain House.

In decades of building an impactful, unstoppable business, Russell has plenty of wisdom to share about what makes the brokerage’s agents unique, why they deliver a great experience to homebuyers and sellers, and how he continues to generate momentum.

Calling his journey with RE/MAX Real Estate Central Alberta “an upward spiral,” Russell has grown the brokerage ninefold in the nearly four decades he’s been at the helm. That growth, he says, is due to the quality of agents he attracts and the value they provide.

“I wanted to have an environment where I wanted to come to work every day, where agents work with integrity,” Russell says. So he created it, and the brokerage’s agents have sustained that environment since.

Today, according to Russell, RE/MAX Real Estate Central Alberta is the brand’s top-producing brokerage in the area, and the entity is home to some high-achieving REMAX professionals.

 The REMAX community – comprised of local and global business leaders – has been instrumental in shaping Russell’s business strategies over the years. That community, he believes, is one of the biggest competitive advantages of REMAX affiliation.

“We’ve built lifelong relationships and friendships with REMAX affiliates all over the world – and Western Canada in particular. I know we can call any one of those people anytime and they’re all readily willing to share and help,” Russell says. “We really are a big family at REMAX.”

RE/MAX Real Estate Central Alberta doesn’t see much turnover – and that retention, a reflection of the brokerage’s strong culture rooted in care and collaboration, is by design.

“I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure agents don’t want to go somewhere else,” Russell says. “Several agents have been here for more than 20 years and a whole lot more have been here for over 10 years. Agents are dedicated to training, mentoring and fixing problems – they don’t get in trouble and it’s something we’re very proud of.”

Support – in the form of guidance, education opportunities and more – continues to make all the difference for serious entrepreneurs.

“RE/MAX Real Estate Central agents lean into the tools, skills and training they need so they can go out and do their job in a way that that generates repeat and referral business. That’s the lifeblood of our business,” Russell shares.

“My brokerage’s agents know that if they have a question, they’ll get an answer as quickly as possible. It’s way simpler to prevent a problem than it is to fix one, so the goal is for my agents to feel supported at all times.”

The end goal for this group of hard-working agents is “success,” but not in terms of the word’s standard definition.

“To be successful, you have to really understand what success is. Everybody wants to make it big in real estate and be the multi-million-dollar producer,” he says. “But we know success is also about wanting to get up in the morning and being excited to go to work. It’s having a balanced life where you have time to spend with your family. It’s working smart and using the tools and the training provided to allow you to have that flexibility. And it’s loving what you do each day.”

Real estate is a long-term game, he says, and it’s full of ups and downs. But the key is to persevere and filter out the industry noise. His advice to his brokerage’s agents and those looking to join? It’s simple.

“The first thing is that you have to get clients. And the second thing is that you have to know how to provide excellent service to them. It’s that simple – focus your efforts on these two things you’ll be fine.”

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