Non-controlling Interest - Net income reconciliation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Minority Interest [Line Items]
Weighted average ownership percentage of controlling interest	[1]	58.44%	58.33%
Weighted average ownership percentage of noncontrolling interest	[1]	41.56%	41.67%
Total (as a percentage)	[1]	100.00%	100.00%
Income before provision for income taxes attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.		$ 7,624	$ 7,965
Provision for income taxes attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.	[2],[3]	(2,712)	(3,025)
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.		4,912	4,940
Income before provision for income taxes: Non-controlling interest		5,477	5,690
Provision for income taxes: Non-controlling interest	[2],[3]	(318)	(234)
Net income: Non-controlling interest		5,159	5,456
Income before provision for income taxes		13,101	13,655
Provision for income taxes	[2],[3]	(3,030)	(3,259)
Net income		10,071	$ 10,396
Non-controlling interest
Minority Interest [Line Items]
Net income		$ 5,159

[1] (a)    The weighted average ownership percentage of RMCO differs slightly from the allocation of income before provision for income taxes between RE/MAX Holdings and the non-controlling interest as there are certain relatively insignificant expenses recorded at RE/MAX Holdings.

[2] (b)    The provision for income taxes attributable to RE/MAX Holdings is primarily comprised of U.S. federal and state income taxes on its proportionate share of the pass-through income from RMCO. However, it also includes its share of taxes imposed directly on RE/MAX, LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries (“RE/MAX, LLC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of RMCO, related primarily to tax liabilities in certain foreign jurisdictions.

[3] (c)    The provision for income taxes attributable to the non-controlling interest represents its share of taxes imposed on RE/MAX, LLC related primarily to tax liabilities in certain foreign jurisdictions.