Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2018
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2017, which was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date, and the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are presented on a consolidated basis and include the accounts of RE/MAX Holdings and its consolidated subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. In the opinion of management, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of September 30, 2018 and the results of its operations and comprehensive income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 and changes in its stockholders’ equity for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. Interim results may not be indicative of full-year performance. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements within the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 (“2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K”).
Reclassifications	Reclassifications In addition to the change in accounting principle discussed in Note 3, Revenue, certain items in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation. These reclassifications did not affect the Company’s consolidated results of operations or cash flows.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Segment Reporting	Segment Reporting In February 2018, the Company both (a) acquired all membership interests in booj and (b) promoted Adam Contos to the role of sole Chief Executive Officer. Because of these changes and the continued growth of Motto, in the second quarter of 2018 the chief operating decision maker re-evaluated the information used to evaluate performance and make resource allocation decisions. As a result of the re-evaluation, the Company determined it was operating under the following three segments: RE/MAX Franchising, Motto Franchising and booj. Due to quantitative insignificance, the Motto Franchising and booj operating segments do not meet the criteria of a reportable segment, and RE/MAX Franchising is the only reportable segment. The RE/MAX Franchising reportable segment comprises the operations of the Company’s owned and independent global franchising operations under the RE/MAX brand name and corporate-wide shared services expenses. Other comprises Motto Franchising and booj. All prior segment information has been recasted to reflect the Company’s new segment structure.
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation RE/MAX Holdings consolidates RMCO and records a non-controlling interest in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and records net income attributable to the non-controlling interest and comprehensive income attributable to the non-controlling interest in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, respectively.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which clarifies when transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. ASU 2017-01 became effective prospectively for the Company on January 1, 2018. The Company concluded that the acquisition of booj meets the definition of a business. See Note 6, Acquisitions for additional information. The Company has also concluded that it expects future Independent Region acquisitions to be accounted for as an acquisition of a business. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which clarifies classification for certain cash receipts and cash payments on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. ASU 2016-15 became effective for the Company on January 1, 2018 and required a retrospective transition method for each period presented. Under the new guidance, the contingent consideration payments related to the purchase of Full House Mortgage Connection, Inc. (“Full House”), a franchisor of mortgage brokerages that created concepts used to develop Motto, are classified as financing outflows up to the $6.3 million acquisition date fair value and any cash payments paid in excess of the acquisition date fair value are classified as operating outflows. See Note 6, Acquisitions for additional information. The adoption of this standard had no other material impact on its financial statements and related disclosures. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), with several subsequent amendments, which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The ASU replaced most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it became effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. See Note 3, Revenue for more information.
New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted	New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), which eliminates certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements and requires new or modified disclosures. ASU 2018-13 is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2020. Certain changes are applied retrospectively to each period presented and others are to be applied either in the period of adoption or prospectively. The Company believes the amendments of ASU 2018-13 will not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220), which adjusts the classification of stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. ASU 2018-02 is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2019. The standard is to be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period effected by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Company completed the majority of its accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as of December 31, 2017. The Company believes the amendments of ASU 2018-02 will not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350), which simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating step two from the goodwill impairment test. ASU 2017-04 is effective for annual and interim impairment tests beginning January 1, 2020 for the Company and is required to be adopted using a prospective approach. Early adoption is allowed for annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from all leases on the consolidated balance sheets. ASU 2016-02 is required to be adopted by the Company on January 1, 2019. The Company plans to elect the transition method per ASU 2018-11 and apply the new lease standard at adoption and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption and will not retrospectively recast prior periods presented. The Company has several building leases and other smaller leases for which the Company is still assessing the application of this standard. The Company has not yet determined the exact effect of the standard on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures but expects a material increase in both “Total assets” and “Total liabilities” on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets upon implementation primarily related to building leases.