With the addition of Ireland to RE/MAX International's 23-country, seven-territory portfolio, Dennis Curtin and Tamara Libbey, owners of RE/MAX Mid-States and Dixies regions, are going international. Both principals are of Irish descent and are excited about doing business in old Erin.

Dennis Curtin, regional director/owner, was the first person to take RE/MAX out of Colorado more than 22 years ago, opening a RE/MAX office in Kansas City in 1975. Libbey has been associated with Curtin's organization for 10 years.

"With the Eurodollar coming and the European economy coming together, it's perfect timing for us to get involved," Curtin says. "I see a lot of similar challenges as Kansas City in 1975. One of the major ones is getting people to embrace a new idea. With our experience and contacts there, Ireland is a perfect jumping-off point for us."

Curtin, with some 30 years in real estate, is a descendant of County Limerick in the south of Ireland. Libbey, whose family came from Skibereen in southwestern Ireland, has run RE/MAX regional promotions and broker services operations since 1987. RE/MAX will be the first international franchise in the Republic of Ireland.

A.N.: Why Ireland?
D.C.: Several reasons. I have always been interested in Ireland because of my family roots, and I have been there many times. Also I have been doing some consulting with RE/MAX Europe, which is the master franchiser for Europe, and [I've been] looking at opportunities. I thought this would be a natural for me. I could bring my organizational experience to a country where I could speak the language and had an interest.

A.N.: Do you mean English or Gaelic?
D.C.: (Laughs). When we were over there recently doing some training, there were several nationalities present, and it was obvious that there are going to be some language difficulties. Then someone would put something into the local colloquialism, and the lights would go on.

A.N.: What is happening on the economic front in Ireland? And with homes?
D.C.: Interestingly enough, the prices in Dublin have shot up 25 percent. The outskirts have gone up, too. There's been major inflation. There is a lot of interest in Ireland. A lot of people are looking at it as a retirement haven. As far as real estate, it's very active.

A.N.: How do you plan to manage businesses on two continents?
D.C.: I've assigned this task to Tamara Libbey. She has been with me 10 years, and she will be the co-regional director. Her first task will be to hire an Irish partner. She will be commuting probably several times a year.

A.N.: How often will you be traveling overseas?
D.C.: In the past, I have gone a couple of times a year. There is an Irish trade show in March, and we will work that. I'll probably be going three or four times a year for a few weeks each time.

A.N.: What are your goals for the company?
D.C.: Right now, there are about 1,600 licensed agents in the Republic of Ireland, but it is like two separate countries from Belfast to Dublin. Dublin is the capital of the southern part of Ireland. The Republic is run by the Irish Parliament. Northern Ireland is run by British rule, and the regulations and laws are completely different. We are focusing first on Dublin. We don't know if one organization can bridge both countries. It is just too early to sort out yet.

A.N.: Will American agents be working overseas?
D.C.: The Republic has stringent rules to become licensed. It is like earning a college degree, so the American agent would be underqualified. I am going to become an affiliate, but I can't practice over there without the official training. That is why we need an Irish partner.

A.N.: What do you like best about Ireland?
D.C.: The interesting thing about Ireland is that it is beautiful and diverse. You can be in a metropolitan area and find a lot of flats and row houses; and outside the major metropolitan areas, you can be in the mountains, and there are also a lot of resorts. There's rolling farmland and a lot of horse farms which are renowned throughout the world. There are a lot of diverse types of housing.

Published: January 28, 1998

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