Estate agents hoping to set up their own business can now apply to be a franchisee under the Mr and Mrs Clarke umbrella.

Mr and Mrs Clarke, which was recently acquired by Belvoir Group, has launched a loan product to help new self-employed agents cover the set-up costs, and soften the blow of leaving employment.

The self-employed model is growing in popularity, but the overwhelming barrier for most agents is money. Agents right now would be walking away from a guaranteed income, a pipeline of commission, a company car and an office.

Too many things get in the way of an agent leaving the corporate world, and the perceived risks stop them in their tracks. Imposter syndrome, fear of failure, no experience in starting a business and more often than not a lack of finance, are all obstacles.

Estate agents

Mr and Mrs Clarke provide their franchisees with an in-house design and marketing studio, access to their website and property portals, admin and operational services and a CRM system. Franchisees take 75% of the commission they charge sales and lettings clients, and they have exclusivity in a territory.

Paul Clarke, co-founder of Mr and Mrs Clarke, (pictured) said: “We have spoken to dozens of great people who want to start their own agency with us, but they just don’t have the finances.

“We realised that we had to support these amazing estate agents and provide them with capital required to launch a business, and also ensure that their day-to-day costs are covered.

“This is an extremely exciting next step for Mr & Mrs Clarke and we can’t wait to see the business continue to grow and expand as a result of our new loan product,” he added.

To apply for the Mr and Mrs Clarke loan visit here