Is a Christies International Real Estate franchisee required to comply with mandatory standards?
Christies_International_Real_Estate Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES**
To ensure a consistent brand and quality of products and services, you must maintain and comply with our quality standards. We will provide you information on these standards through Operations Manual. As we determine trends in the marketplace or develop new marketing techniques, technologies, products, and services, we anticipate that we will develop new and/or modify existing standards and notify you through Operations Manual amendments. You must comply with all such mandatory standards.
Equipment, Products and Signs
In operating your Business, you may only use approved or designated materials, supplies, equipment, furniture, tools, internal and external signage for the Main and Additional Offices, all "for sale" signs, inventory, supplies, forms, printed and electronic advertising materials, computer hardware and software that we have approved as meeting our specifications and standards for appearance, function, and performance ("Approved Items"). You may be required to purchase Approved Items from those suppliers we approve or designate. We may establish a list of suppliers and vendors pre-approved by us for certain inventory and supplies that you may use. You are under no obligation to use these pre-approved suppliers or vendors in the regular course of your business. However, in the event that we require certain fixtures, equipment, inventory, and/or supplies that you are unable to reasonably locate elsewhere, you must use the suppliers and vendors pre-approved by us. We or one of our affiliates may be a designated or an approved supplier of one or more Approved Items, but as of the issuance date of this Franchise Disclosure Document, neither we nor our affiliates are the sole supplier for Approved Items (except for the proprietary software and marketing materials described below). We reserve the right to name ourselves, our affiliates, or a third party as the sole, or one of, the approved suppliers for one or more Approved Items.
Computer Hardware and Software
We require that you obtain and use certain computer hardware and software to operate your Business in accordance with our then-current information technology requirements as specified in the Operations Manual from time to time. You are responsible for purchasing the required computers, as well as any costs related to any accessories, repairs, replacement or upgrades to the computer(s).
You must use any proprietary bundle of software and services in the operation of your Business that we designate. As of the issuance date of this Franchise Disclosure Document, we are the only approved supplier for the proprietary software.
In addition, in the future we may require that you use the communications technology program, Konverse, and pay their then-current fees.
Since technology, particularly in the real estate brokerage business is changing, we reserve the right to require businesses operating under the System and Marks, including your Business, to change technology systems, or implement new or changed technologies, and you would be required to pay the initial, conversion, and ongoing fees and costs associated with those changes, which payments may be to us or to third parties.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 20–24)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Christies International Real Estate's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must adhere to the brand's quality standards, which are communicated through the Operations Manual. These standards may evolve as Christies International Real Estate identifies market trends or develops new marketing techniques, technologies, products, and services. Franchisees are obligated to comply with all mandatory standards, including any amendments made to the Operations Manual.
To maintain brand consistency and quality, franchisees are required to use only approved or designated materials, supplies, equipment, furniture, tools, and signage. This includes internal and external signage for offices, "for sale" signs, inventory, forms, and advertising materials. Franchisees may be required to purchase these approved items from designated suppliers. While franchisees are not obligated to use pre-approved suppliers in the regular course of business, they must use them if Christies International Real Estate requires specific fixtures, equipment, inventory, or supplies that are difficult to find elsewhere.
Christies International Real Estate also mandates the use of specific computer hardware and software, including a proprietary software bundle for which Christies International Real Estate is the sole approved supplier. Furthermore, franchisees may be required to use the communications technology program, Konverse, and pay the associated fees. As technology evolves, Christies International Real Estate reserves the right to require franchisees to adopt new or changed technologies, bearing the initial, conversion, and ongoing costs. Franchisees must also maintain required insurance policies, including comprehensive general liability, workers' compensation, automobile liability, and errors and omissions liability insurance, with minimum coverage amounts specified in the FDD, such as $1,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage under the general liability policy.