What agreement must be signed to purchase a Christies International Real Estate franchise?
Christies_International_Real_Estate Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We offer you the opportunity to purchase a franchise for a Business and use the Marks and System by signing an agreement ("Broker Affiliate License Agreement" or "License Agreement") with us. The License Agreement is attached here as Exhibit C. You must obtain our prior written consent to the physical address of your Business ("Main Office") before you can commence operations of your Business. Under the License Agreement, you will be permitted to use our marketing, business development, and advertising techniques; operating procedures; brand standards; business methods; and other expertise we may supply to you (collectively, the "System"). It will be your sole responsibility to operate your Business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, as required under the License Agreement, and as outlined in the Operations Manual, which includes the Brand Guidelines that pertain to the use of the Marks. Under the License Agreement, you may only operate the Business from the Main Office. If you desire to operate the Business at multiple locations, you must obtain our prior written consent, and sign our "Additional Office Addendum" or "AOA."
At the time you sign the License Agreement, you will identify one individual who will operate the Business on a full-time basis (the "Responsible Broker"). The Responsible Broker must be a licensed real estate broker in all jurisdictions you will operate the Business.
We expect that most, if not all, License Agreements that we sign with Affiliates will be with established real estate brokerage businesses who will be converting to our system and will operate using the Marks.
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR, AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 7–11)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Christies International Real Estate Franchise Disclosure Document, a prospective franchisee must sign a "Broker Affiliate License Agreement" or "License Agreement" to purchase a franchise. This agreement grants the franchisee the right to operate a full-service residential real estate brokerage business using Christies International Real Estate's trademarks and system. The License Agreement is included as Exhibit C in the FDD.
Under the License Agreement, franchisees are permitted to use Christies International Real Estate's marketing, business development, and advertising techniques, operating procedures, brand standards, business methods, and other expertise. However, franchisees are solely responsible for operating their business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, as outlined in the Operations Manual, which includes the Brand Guidelines for using the trademarks.
The agreement also stipulates that the franchisee can only operate the business from a designated Main Office, the physical address of which requires prior written consent from Christies International Real Estate. If a franchisee wishes to operate at multiple locations, they must obtain prior written consent and sign an "Additional Office Addendum" or "AOA."
The License Agreement also requires the franchisee to identify a "Responsible Broker" who will operate the business on a full-time basis and must be a licensed real estate broker in all jurisdictions where the business operates. Christies International Real Estate expects that most new franchisees will be established real estate brokerage businesses converting to their system.