Revenue - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 54,866	$ 49,071	$ 161,785	$ 145,204
Selling, operating and administrative expenses	27,461	31,843	90,136	79,167
Provision for income taxes	3,420	3,021	8,429	10,786
Net income	15,541	7,290	39,299	32,217
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest (note 4)	7,402	3,573	18,529	16,502
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.	$ 8,139	$ 3,717	$ 20,770	$ 15,715
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. per share of Class A common stock
Basic	$ 0.46	$ 0.21	$ 1.17	$ 0.89
Diluted	$ 0.46	$ 0.21	$ 1.17	$ 0.89
As previously reported | ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Selling, operating and administrative expenses		$ 31,832		$ 79,263
Provision for income taxes		3,091		10,883
Net income		7,537		33,245
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest (note 4)		3,702		16,968
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.		$ 3,835		$ 16,277
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. per share of Class A common stock
Basic		$ 0.22		$ 0.92
Diluted		$ 0.22		$ 0.92
Adjustments | ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Selling, operating and administrative expenses		$ 11		$ (96)
Provision for income taxes		(70)		(97)
Net income		(247)		(1,028)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest (note 4)		(129)		(466)
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.		$ (118)		$ (562)
Net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. per share of Class A common stock
Basic		$ (0.01)		$ (0.03)
Diluted		$ (0.01)		$ (0.03)
Franchise sales and other revenue
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 6,777	$ 5,305	$ 22,395	$ 17,844
Franchise sales and other revenue | As previously reported | ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenue		5,611		19,065
Franchise sales and other revenue | Adjustments | ASU 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenue		(306)		(1,221)
Annual dues
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 9,106	$ 8,592	$ 26,775	$ 25,148