Two more estate agents in the South of England have announced a move to a more ‘hub’ style of doing business within days of each other.

The two companies are established Worthing sales and lettings company Michael Jones & Company and recently-launched Reigate firm Hound & Porter, both of which say their clients are less-and-less interested in being serviced by a local branch.

Both companies are taking different approaches. Michael Jones & Company has a main ‘hub’ based within a traditional high street branch with offices above it and four satellite branches around West Sussex.

The company recently snapped up three businesses in the county which have all been rebranded as Michael Jones & Company but which are all managed out of the main hub or its satellite offices.

Its most recent acquisition is the purchase of local firm Easylet and its 300 managed properties.

This follows the acquisition of Curtis & Son in May this year and Bacon and Co in September 2017.

“We are actively looking for other acquisition opportunities in the area as it is an important part of the group’s expansion plans,” says Managing Director Michael Jones (top, left).

Hound hub

Hound & Porter is a new business started up this month in Reigate, Surrey by former Cubitt & West Regional Director Chris Nathan with his wife Emily (top, right) and one other member of staff.

The business has opted not to have a high street presence in Reigate and has instead set up a hub-style business suite which, the couple say, clients can use as a base when completing multiple local viewings or even somewhere to wait to get their keys on moving day.