A Defining Move, Built on Decades of Leadership
In real estate, there are moments that signal change.
And then there are moments that create it.
The transition of Connect Realty and Your Community Realty to the RE/MAX brand in early 2026 was one of those moments. Representing 17 offices and more than 1,200 agents across the Greater Toronto Area, it marked the largest brokerage conversion in RE/MAX history.
Moves of that scale don’t happen lightly.
They reflect conviction.
They reflect responsibility.
And above all, they reflect leadership.
Owned and led by Vivian Risi along with her children Michelle and Justin, this is an organization that has been built over decades, not quarters. From a single office with fewer than 20 agents in the 1990s to a multi-office operation closing billions in annual sales volume, the trajectory has been anything but accidental.
But what matters most is not just the scale.
It is the thinking behind it.
At the centre of that thinking is a simple but powerful idea: their responsibility is to position their agents to win, in any market.
That philosophy shows up in decisions like this one.
Not as a reaction, but as a strategic move toward greater reach, stronger tools, and expanded opportunity, particularly in a market where clients and capital are increasingly global.
I’ve had the privilege of working with the Risi leadership team and their agents for more than a decade, and that continuity tells its own story.
From an early CNE1 group in 2014, through full in-person CNE1, 2 and 3 cohorts in 2019, and into the more recent evolution of AREN and PREN, there has been a consistent through line.
A commitment to growth. Not as a one-time initiative, but as part of how the brokerage operates.
That matters, especially in a moment like this.
Because while systems, branding, and infrastructure can change quickly, the ability of agents to think clearly, communicate effectively, and guide clients through complexity is what ultimately sustains performance.
And that has always been a priority here.
What stands out the Risi leadership team, is the way they carry that responsibility. There is a steadiness to it. A long-term view. A genuine commitment to ensuring their agents are not just supported through change, but positioned to take advantage of it.
That creates a different kind of culture.
One where agents are not left to navigate the market alone. Where growth is encouraged, supported, and expected. And where the standard continues to rise, even in the middle of significant transition.
It has been an honour to work alongside this organization over the years and to watch that progression unfold. To see agents continue to engage in their development, to see leadership create space for that to happen, and to see a culture that holds steady even as the business evolves around it.
This next chapter under the RE/MAX brand will bring new tools, new reach, and new opportunities.
But the foundation is already in place.
A family-led business built on hard work and persistence.
A leadership team willing to make bold decisions.
And a culture that understands that in a changing market, growth is not optional.
It is the work.