What are the Engel & Volkers franchisee's responsibilities regarding the operation hours of their real estate brokerage?

According to Engel & Volkers's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must ensure their real estate brokerage is open during local normal business hours for residential real estate brokerages. This requirement ensures that the Engel & Volkers brand is accessible to clients and maintains a consistent presence in the local market.

This obligation is part of the broader agreement that franchisees must use their premises solely for operating the Residential Real Estate Brokerage and related promotional activities. The franchisee cannot use the real estate brokerage premises for any other purpose or activity at any time. This reinforces the focus on Engel & Volkers's core business and prevents any conflicting or diluting activities from taking place at the approved location.

Maintaining standard business hours is a common practice in the franchise industry, particularly in service-oriented businesses like real estate. It helps build customer trust and ensures that the business is available when customers expect it to be. For a prospective Engel & Volkers franchisee, this means planning staffing and operations to meet these local business hour requirements, which may vary depending on the specific location and market conditions.