Hybrid will be 'fast-growing challenger brand' says agency chief

Hybrid agency EweMove is rapidly expanding its network footprint this year and will be a “challenger brand” deliberately designed to be non-traditional, according to the head of its parent company, MartinCo.

In a trading statement to the City, MartinCo chief executive Ian Wilson devotes much attention to EweMove, which the company acquired last September. 

He says the hybrid is currently targeting experienced estate agents and business proprietors as potential franchise recruits to rapidly expand its network footprint this year. 

Meanwhile the wider MartinCo group “is also importing some of the intellectual capital of EweMove into its five traditional high street brands” including Ellis & Co, Parkers, CJ Hole and Whitegates. These will be launching new websites with a facility for customers to book valuation appointments in real time.

Wilson, who in the statement points out that EweMove is listed as number one Estate and Letting agent on Trustpilot, goes on to say: “The acquisition of EweMove marked an important milestone for the group and means we now have a national estate agency ‘challenger’ brand. It’s deliberately designed to be ‘non-traditional’ and has its own distinctive culture built around exemplary customer service.”

In terms of the rest of the group’s activities, the trading statement for the year up to the end of December says revenue increased 15 per cent to £8.2m, the trading footprint expanded rapidly from 287 offices a year earlier to 377 by the end of 2016, and that 16 new franchisees were recruited for both the resale of existing franchises and for start-ups.

The group’s High Street presence remains heavily geared towards lettings, which accounts for 74 per cent of its management service fees.