Segment Information - Revenues (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 1,281	[1],[2]	$ 1,155	[1],[2]	$ 3,465	[1],[2]	$ 3,165	[1],[2]
Real Estate Franchise Services [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenues	161	[1],[2]	151	[1],[2]	460		429
Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenues	948	[1],[2]	841	[1],[2]	2,559		2,312
Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services [Member] | Royalties and Marketing Fees [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Intercompany revenues	66		58		183		167
Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services [Member] | Referral and Relocation Fees [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Intercompany revenues	12		11		30		29
Relocation Services [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenues	124	[1],[2]	126	[1],[2]	321		323
Title and Settlement Services [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenues	114	[1],[2]	95	[1],[2]	308		268
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenues	$ (66)	[1],[2],[3]	$ (58)	[1],[2],[3]	$ (183)		$ (167)

[1] Revenues for the Real Estate Franchise Services segment include intercompany royalties and marketing fees paid by the Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services segment of $66 million and $183 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, and $58 million and $167 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively. Transactions between segments are eliminated in consolidation. Such amounts are eliminated through the Corporate and Other line.

[2] Revenues for the Relocation Services segment include intercompany referral and relocation fees paid by the Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services segment of $12 million and $30 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, and $11 million and $29 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively. Such amounts are recorded as contra-revenues by the Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services segment. There are no other material inter-segment transactions.

[3] Includes the elimination of transactions between segments.