Nick Bailey, the former CEO of Century 21 Real Estate, is set to take on a new role at RE/MAX in his home state of Colorado. The real estate franchisor confirmed the industry veteran — who also served in an executive role at Zillow — is joining RE/MAX in the newly created role of chief customer officer.
When Bailey stepped down from Century 21 in January he cited a desire to move his family and children back to Colorado. Realogy, the parent company of Century 21, is headquartered in Madison, New Jersey.
The announcement led to speculation that Bailey already had a role at RE/MAX lined up, but he says that wasn’t the case.
“At the start of this year, I made a big decision to step down from my role as CEO of a well-established and respected real estate brand — not for another opportunity, but for my family, who calls Colorado home,” Bailey said in a statement. “Some speculated where I might wind up, knowing Colorado was also home to RE/MAX, my former stomping grounds. The truth is, I didn’t have a specific plan in mind.”
As chief customer officer, Bailey will report directly to CEO Adam Contos and have a wide range of duties. He’ll oversee business growth, brokerage support, franchise sales, professional development, industry relations and international expansion, according to RE/MAX.
“If anyone can help our broker/owners cut through the noise of a changing industry, it’s Nick Bailey,” Contos said in a statement. “He’s devoted his entire career to serving the real estate industry and will act as a passionate advocate for the entrepreneurs who are the backbone of our global network.”
“This hire aligns with our values and fortifies our customer-obsessed culture,” Contos added. “We’ve landed one of the best minds in the industry to help deliver even more to our brokers and agents.”
Bailey has more than two decades of experience in the real estate industry, including more than a decade in various regional management roles at RE/MAX. He’s also been an agent, broker and franchiser, but he cites his time at RE/MAX as a pivotal moment in his career.
“A pivotal 12-year stretch of that journey was at RE/MAX Headquarters in Denver,” Bailey said, in a letter to RE/MAX employees and agent. “My involvement with the network helped shape the foundation I’ve relied on throughout my career. RE/MAX embodies the entrepreneurial spirit at all levels, which has driven so much of its success as a business that builds businesses.”
In his time at Century 21, Bailey is credited with trying to breathe new life into the brand, through not only its brandmark refresh, but changing the culture at the 50-year-old company. Bailey arrived from a real estate tech company and brought more of that Silicon Valley energy to an office he once dismissed as looking “more like a morgue,” before he got there, in an interview with Entrepreneur Magazine in September 2018.
RE/MAX has already refreshed its brand while inching toward the tech side of the business with the acquisition of booj so Bailey’s focus will be on growth, he wrote in the letter.
“I have one job: to help lead the network in all aspects of growth — market share, agent count, brand presence and more,” Bailey said. “To a large degree, this entails helping brokers and agents maximize RE/MAX tools, training, technology and culture to make their careers more rewarding and their lives easier.”
“My goal beginning today is to build on this great foundation by creating clear, actionable goals and targets for everyone within the network, ensuring RE/MAX is the [number one] brand in all aspects of the industry,” Bailey added.
