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Cover Story


EstatesDirect.com franchisee Dominique Tilly


Go Direct to the best


EstatesDirect.com is a new breed of estate agent and is looking for franchisees to deliver great customer value whilst enjoying a flexible working lifestyle


INVESTMENT LEVEL: FROM


properties for sale or let. A recent Which? report, however, suggested that consumers can cut the cost of moving home – that although some expenses can’t be avoided, with a few smart decisions, homemovers can make sure they don’t pay more than they have to. Additionally, according to Rightmove, over 90 per cent of home- movers start their search online. It is with this in mind, that EstatesDirect.com, a new breed of estate agent, offers a franchise providing a service that, in the words of franchise director


T 30 | Businessfranchise.com | May 2012


he days of traditional high- street estate agents are coming to an end. Only a few short years ago homemovers would have no choice but to visit high streets to view


£20,000


Ben Grove, “buyers and sellers have craved for such a long time”. EstatesDirect.com has fast become a


recognised and respected brand within the estate agency marketplace for its competitive no-commission offer, supplying a package that is realistic and convenient for today’s customers – value led, with no hidden costs and an unrivalled expert service. As such, the business operates a simple and cost- effective service that has aimed at, and is succeeding in, challenging the traditional method of buying and selling property. Launched in 2010 by a group of internet and estate agency experts, and backed by a prolific internet entrepreneur, the company’s backbone is: businessman and professional property investor Darren Richards – whose


experiences led him to question the methods and the costs incurred when buying and selling property; Jamie McMullan, franchise network director, and a highly respected and experienced figure in estate agency and franchising; Ben Grove, a former online property and marketing professional – now the company’s commercial director and running his own franchise; and Ian Dobrin, one of the UK’s leading property sales recruitment executives and EstatesDirect. com’s head of franchise network. Ian says: “I firmly believe that what EstatesDirect.com now offers is the way forward, it not only offers a unique business opportunity for ambitious people to work locally, but also offers a second-to-none local service, always with the genuine support of a talented and dedicated national back up team, who in turn love what they do. I am delighted and very excited to be part of it myself.” Although online property search sites


are increasingly replacing agents’ windows as the place to browse for a home, an EstatesDirect.com franchisee actually carries out all the functions of an actual estate agency. The only difference being that it has no expensive office premises as all of its Local Property Specialists are home- based, making this a low-cost and lucrative franchise opportunity. Franchise director, Jamie McMullan explains: “We do everything that a high- street estate agent would do. We value the property, carry out the energy performance certificate (EPC), take photos, produce the floorplan and brochure. We also promote the property on relevant portals such as


Investment: From £20k


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