RE/MAX Saipan franchise opens today

 RE/MAX, the leading real estate company in the U.S., is opening its doors to the CNMI with the establishment of a franchise on Saipan to cater to people’s real estate needs.

Behind RE/MAX Paradise Realty, which holds its grand opening today at the RJ Plaza Building across from Joeten Dandan, is no less than businessman Joe Ayuyu who has been involved in buying and selling properties.

“I’ve always utilized local real estate agents on island but it has always been my dream that one day, I would like to get a brand name real estate company out of the U.S. Finally, I was able to hook up with RE/MAX International,” Ayuyu said in an interview.

Founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, RE/MAX has developed from being just a single office to a global network of franchisees with over 100,000 agents in more than 80 countries.

RE/MAX, which stands for Real Estate Maximum, is renowned among property buyers and sellers for its red, white, and blue hot air balloon logo with the slogans, “Above the Crowd,” “It’s the Experience,” and “Nobody in the World Sells More Real Estate than RE/MAX.”

“I’m really, really excited about this opportunity to be part of RE/MAX because it’s a well-known and very established company. RE/MAX is really the dominant player in the real estate business and they have a lot of resources to support their franchisees,” said Ayuyu.

Ayuyu, who owns and operates various businesses on island including a fastfood restaurant and postal services, said he decided to open RE/MAX doors on island despite the real estate downturn and the overall economic slump in the CNMI because he believes that “this is the right time” to establish the business so they can be in a position to develop and expand once the economy turns around.

“Even in a down economy like this, there’s still a lot of potential so I’m very positive about the whole thing,” Ayuyu told Saipan Tribune. “There are still people who will be out there trying to sell their property, people looking around to buy a property. What we’re bringing to the market is brand recognition and invaluable real estate professionalism.”

Ayuyu noted that having a local RE/MAX office would promote the islands to the rest of the world, especially since the real estate company through the years has expanded globally, its span reaching as far as the Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific region.

“At a time when all we hear is bad news and the real estate is down, it’s good to bring in this brand name, a recognized name that will put the Marianas, especially Saipan, on the map,” he added.

Ayuyu said they are expecting to deal with a lot of residential and commercial properties, as well as listings for many vacant properties, on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. He anticipates to market these properties using their international network.

The value of RE/MAX’s international network also came in for Ayuyu as he was trying to set up the Saipan business. He said RE/MAX Paradise Realty has received training assistance from the Guam office. Moreover, Ayuyu attended a week-long training program for real estate professionals at the RE/MAX University in Denver, Colorado where he met with the Linigers.

RE/MAX Paradise Realty, which will start taking property listings on Tuesday, has five agents ready to offer property buyers and sellers with professional knowledge and services with a minimal commission.

“When they choose RE/MAX, they know they can trust our services which meet global standards and benchmarks. They know they’re not just coming to an individual agent but an international company they can trust,” said office manager Mable Ayuyu.

RE/MAX Paradise Realty is located at the RJ Plaza Building across from Joeten Dandan and is open Mondays to Friday, from 9am to 5pm. For more information, call 235-7629, fax 235-7678 or email remaxsaipan@yahoo.com. Their website, www.remaxparadiserealty.com, will soon go online.