Revenue - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 52,642	$ 47,406
Selling, operating and administrative expenses	34,368	26,654
Net income	9,167	9,388
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest (note 4)	4,184	4,848
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.	4,983	$ 4,540
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. per share of Class A common stock
Basic		$ 0.26
Diluted		$ 0.26
Franchise sales and other revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 9,518	$ 7,971
ASU 2014-09 | As previously reported
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Selling, operating and administrative expenses		26,794
Net income		10,071
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest (note 4)		5,159
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.		$ 4,912
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. per share of Class A common stock
Basic		$ 0.28
Diluted		$ 0.28
ASU 2014-09 | As previously reported | Franchise sales and other revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenue		$ 8,794
ASU 2014-09 | Adjustments
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Selling, operating and administrative expenses		(140)
Net income		(683)
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest (note 4)		(311)
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.		$ (372)
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. per share of Class A common stock
Basic		$ (0.02)
Diluted		$ (0.02)
ASU 2014-09 | Adjustments | Franchise sales and other revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenue		$ (823)