Managing Director of RE/MAX Team Realty, Garry Malcolm, and wife and business partner Maree, have celebrated 20 years of continuous service with the brand in New Zealand.
After signing a franchise agreement in May 2004, the couple went on to grow a successful real estate business recognised as not only a leading office in the New Zealand network, but in the global RE/MAX network as well.
Reflecting on his business achievements, Mr Malcolm said he couldn’t have done it without Maree.
“I’ve always said that my success is the result of surrounding myself with people who were better and smarter than me, and that started 50 years ago when Maree and I got married,” Mr Malcolm said.
He said female broker-owners made great leaders.
“I think it is because women are better at multi-tasking and better at relationships, especially when they have families of their own,” he said.
He said another contributing factor in RE/MAX Team Realty’s success was longevity, with a number of team members having been with him for more than a decade, and one agent for 19 years.
“While we have the greatest respect for all our clients, it is the people on our team, the sales agents and support staff, who are the most important people in our business,” Mr Malcolm said.
Almost half of Mr Malcolm’s real estate career, which began in 1981, has been with RE/MAX.
“Through my two RE/MAX decades, I have worked with wonderful people and I value their support immensely,” he said.
“When I began, the region was under US direction, then it was the Davorens and Chris Chapman, and then Don and Mala.
“I’ve enjoyed the support and friendship of many quality professionals – fellow broker owners and regional owners – in New Zealand, in Australia and worldwide.”
He said that while he may have a succession plan in place, the details will be announced when the time is right, though his wife plans to retire at the end of June when she will spend more time with her other passion, tennis.
He said his fondest RE/MAX moments were numerous.
“We launched RE/MAX Team Realty with a 4th July opening, which was synonymous with the US origins of RE/MAX,” he said.
“Maree’s parents had bought the building for us to lease for our business. Maree and I now own it outright and RE/MAX Team Realty is still located there.”
The office opened with just one sales agent and one support person and grew to 15 sales agents by the close of their first year.
Other highlights for the duo include being in the top three RE/MAX offices in New Zealand since they began the business, winning international Broker Owner of the Year in 2013 and accepting that award at R4, with many thousands in attendance, and Mr Malcolm’s invitation to the RE/MAX New Zealand Advisory Board around eight years ago.
“Always a highlight and very important to me is the support we’ve been able to give in sponsorship and community involvement through our RE/MAX standing,” Mr Malcolm said.
Ten years after entering the industry as a sales agent, he became an associate of REINZ in 1991.
He served two separate terms as Taranaki District President and has served on the District Committee for 30 years, after which he was the REINZ Ambassador for the Taranaki Region.
In 2002, he was appointed a Fellow of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, recognising his commitment to the real estate industry.
He said that celebrating this 20-year anniversary was a milestone that reflected his confidence and pride in the global RE/MAX brand.
“RE/MAX has entered its sixth decade since its first office opening in 1973,” he said.
“Founders Dave and Gail Liniger created an environment where productive agents would come together, motivate each other and see their results soar; and that model launched in Denver, Colorado, is still going strong today, all around the globe.
“I am one of more than 140,000 RE/MAX members in more than 110 countries and territories and I’m very proud to be here.”
RE/MAX New Zealand Chairman Don Ha used to call Garry the ‘Jedi Master’ but now said he’s the ‘Master Yoda’.
“I can’t thank Garry enough,” Mr Ha said.
“Even after two decades, he is actively and continually promoting RE/MAX at a level few others can demonstrate.”
