High profile self-employed agency snapped up by Belvoir

Franchise giant Belvoir has snapped up one of the earliest British estate agencies to adopt the model of using self-employed or freelance agents operating under the same brand.

Mr and Mrs Clarke, which was founded in 2015, currently operates a national network of licensed partners who work on a self-employed basis, offering a bespoke estate agency service. 

Key areas of activityinclude Warwickshire and the Midlands, South Wales and North London, with business ambition to expand its current reach.

Currently, self-employed agents operating under the Mr & Mrs Clarke brand can charge whatever fees they wish and keep 75 per cent of all commission on sales and lettings, and can work according to their personal requirements - the agency has been commended as “pioneers of flexible working.”

This morning the Belvoir chief executive Dorian Gonsalves says: "This acquisition once again demonstrates Belvoir’s commitment to delivering on its strategic objective of investing in successful businesses that align with our multi-brand franchise model and provide scope for further growth by becoming part of the Belvoir Group. 

“Since founding their business in 2015, co-founders Alex and Paul Clarke have successfully created an award-winning company with a very different and exciting approach that includes outstanding attention to detail, innovative Instagram-style photography and property staging to enhance the sales process. 

“Importantly, Mr and Mrs Clarke will bring a very different kind of business model to the other brands currently within the Belvoir Group. This is a brokerage style self-employed model that will enable Belvoir to further diversify, by providing an alternative route into estate agency for potential business owners who prefer a relatively low-cost entry into the market, with the possibility of converting their efforts into high turnover.”

Gonsalves says the Mr and Mrs Clarke brand will remain with a three-year incentivized earn out period. 

“Belvoir will also be looking at providing new opportunities to potential partners, including business loans, property lettings and financial services, which will greatly benefit existing and new partnerships. This is a very exciting acquisition, and we are confident that the association with Belvoir will result in massive business growth for the brand.”

Paul Clarke, co-founder of Mr and Mrs Clarke, says: “Quite simply the CEO of the Belvoir Group Dorian Gonsalves understood our vision from the word go and the acquisition was a natural step for us in the next stage of our evolution. The opportunities that this acquisition gives our partners, and the overall business direction, are extremely exciting – we’re thrilled too to be a ‘first' for the Belvoir Group. 

“The brokerage style business model is one which is making waves in the UK, especially in our new flexible working era, and we strongly feel that it will only become more popular. We’re very much looking forward to starting this new chapter in partnership with a Group that is so experienced in estate agency, lettings, franchising and financial services and will be grabbing the opportunity with both hands to exceed our plans for further, national business growth.”