Acquisitions and Dispositions - Acquisitions (Details) - USD ($)						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 15, 2016	Dec. 01, 2016	Sep. 12, 2016	Apr. 01, 2016	Feb. 22, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Purchase Price Allocation
Goodwill						$ 126,633,000	$ 71,871,000	$ 72,463,000
Pro Forma Information
Total revenue						188,352,000	189,397,000
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.						$ 23,735,000	$ 16,825,000
Basic earnings per common share						$ 1.35	$ 1.33
Diluted earnings per common share						$ 1.34	$ 1.31
Re/Max Regional Services
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration	$ 50,400,000
Purchase Price Allocation
Franchise agreements	28,000,000
Goodwill	22,400,000
Total purchase price	50,400,000
Acquisition-related costs	495,000
Revenue since acquisition date	$ 265,000
Re/Max of Kentucky/Tennessee and Re/Max of Southern Ohio
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Remaining amortization period of franchise agreement						10 years
RE/Max Of Georgia [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Remaining amortization period of franchise agreement						1 year
RE/MAX of New Jersey
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration		$ 45,000,000
Remaining amortization period of franchise agreement						8 years
Purchase Price Allocation
Cash and cash equivalents		335,000
Franchise agreements		28,200,000
Goodwill		16,465,000
Total purchase price		45,000,000
Acquisition-related costs		458,000
Revenue since acquisition date		$ 424,000
Full House Mortgage Connection, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration			$ 8,000,000
Purchase Price Allocation
Non-compete agreement			2,500,000
Goodwill			11,800,000
Total purchase price			14,300,000
Acquisition-related costs			130,000
Revenue since acquisition date			$ 3,000
Percentage of revenue share payment			8.00%
Contingent consideration liability			$ 6,300,000			$ 6,400,000
Period over which contingent consideration must be paid			10 years
Useful life of intangible assets						10 years
RE/MAX of Alaska, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration				$ 1,500,000
Remaining amortization period of franchise agreement						5 years
Purchase Price Allocation
Franchise agreements				529,000
Goodwill				971,000
Total purchase price				1,500,000
Acquisition-related costs				15,000
Revenue since acquisition date				$ 182,000
Re/Max of New York, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration					$ 8,500,000
Remaining amortization period of franchise agreement						11 years
Purchase Price Allocation
Cash and cash equivalents					131,000
Franchise agreements					5,000,000
Other assets					340,000
Goodwill					3,029,000
Total purchase price					8,500,000
Acquisition-related costs					141,000
Revenue since acquisition date					$ 1,867,000
Re/Max Of Georgia, Re/Max Of Kentucky And Tennessee, Re/Max Of Southern Ohio, Re/Max Of New Jersey, Full House, Re/Max Of New York And Re/Max Of Alaska
Purchase Price Allocation
Cash and cash equivalents						$ 466,000
Franchise agreements						61,729,000
Non-compete agreement						2,500,000
Other assets						340,000
Goodwill						54,665,000
Total purchase price						119,700,000
Acquisition-related costs						1,239,000
Revenue since acquisition date						$ 2,741,000