‘The Clear Choice’: Broker/Owner Converts 300-Agent, Six-Office Brokerage to REMAX

Dean deTonnancourt is watching the real estate industry change – yet again. Alongside it, he says, he's also watching how REMAX is changing. That's exactly why he's chosen to align his brokerage with the REMAX brand, announcing the conversion of his six offices – which serve Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut – to REMAX Revolution. He made this decision, he emphasizes, for the future of his 300 agents.  

"As the industry evolves, the needs of my agents have changed," deTonnancourt says. "REMAX provides everything agents need in order to stand out amongst the competition: brand awareness, consumer confidence, exposure. The timing of this move is not coincidental; I've seen the evolution of REMAX." 

deTonnancourt is no stranger to the REMAX brand. Before pioneering what he calls "two then-unknown brands" in Rhode Island – a Keller Williams franchise in 2000 and a HomeSmart franchise in 2014 – he spent seven years as an agent with a REMAX brokerage. Over the years, he continued to watch the REMAX brand evolve and modernize. Ultimately, he says, aligning with a brand consumers already recognize and trust became the natural next step for his company and its agents. 

"We don't need to get people to understand who the REMAX brand is," he says. 

'To be part of a larger network is so important' 

A former president of the Rhode Island Association of Realtors, deTonnancourt says his decision was "very strategic." His agents trust him, and buyers and sellers trust his agents. It makes sense then that he is choosing to align his brokerage with REMAX, voted the brand with the most trusted real estate agents in the U.S. year after year.* 

"I explored many brands," he says. "As a broker, for my agents to be part of a larger network and to have resources is so important. The global aspect and the reach of the REMAX brand made it the clear choice."  

'Anywhere a consumer goes, they're going to see and know the REMAX name' 

With a presence in more than 120 countries and territories, REMAX is in more countries than any other real estate brand. That appealed to deTonnancourt, especially when considering referrals. But what also drew him to REMAX was the brand's presence across Rhode Island and adjoining states, where his agents also serve buyers and sellers. According to him, in-network referrals – even when made closer to home – had been sometimes difficult for his agents with his previous brand. 

"[With our previous brand], office locations in each state were limited, which hindered opportunities for referrals within the same network," he says. "Referring within the same network validates the brand on a global scale – that anywhere a consumer goes, they're going to see and know the REMAX name."  

Citing the REMAX brand's regional and national leadership, as well its statewide leaders, he welcomes the increased ability to network, collaborate and share insights on what's happening across the industry.  

"In a rapidly evolving industry, perspective matters," he says. "A larger network gives us access to more insights, more collaborations and a clearer understanding of where the market is heading."  

'Everything at REMAX is designed with the agent in mind' 

Noting that agents choose the brokerage and the brokerage chooses the brand, deTonnancourt stresses just how much thought and consideration went into making the right move for his agents. In the end, there was only one choice.  

"Everything at REMAX – from the branding and marketing to the technology and tools – is designed with the agent in mind," he says. "It represents a significant step forward in the resources available to our agents."  

That focus, he says, is something he doesn't take for granted. It's about being able to help his agents remain at the forefront of the industry and providing them with advantages previously unavailable to them.  

"Aligning with the REMAX brand gives our agents more time to focus on what matters most: their clients," he says. "The technology and tools are faster, more efficient and more modern, putting everything they need right at their fingertips." 

*Voted most trusted Real Estate Agency brand by American shoppers based on the BrandSpark® American Trust Study, years 2022-2025 and 2019. 

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