Business Strategy

Chestertons Global is an international real estate network connecting leading property professionals across 20+ countries and 4 continents.

Unlike traditional franchises, affiliates retain their independence while gaining access to cross-border referrals, marketing support, and global exposure through the Chestertons brand.

Learn more about us.

Unlike franchise models that charge royalties or enforce strict branding, Chestertons Global operates on a simple annual fee structure, no hidden costs, no revenue sharing.

You maintain full control over your business systems, CRM, and brand identity.

We welcome agencies specialising in residential, commercial, investment, and mixed-use developments.

Whether you’re a boutique brokerage or an established firm, you’ll find value in our cross-border property exposure and referral system.

Our marketing team provides affiliates with shared content resources, PR exposure, and thought leadership opportunities that enhance brand visibility.
From digital campaigns to international press, we help affiliates reach buyers worldwide.

Joining Chestertons Global means becoming part of one of the world’s most established and trusted names in real estate.

You gain access to:

• Cross-border referrals that open new revenue opportunities across 20+ countries.

• Global property exposure through a unified listing distribution network.

• Marketing and PR support that elevates your brand presence internationally.

• Networking events like the Chestertons Global Conference and Polo in the Park Dubai that build lasting partnerships.

Commercial Ejari registers your business lease through RERA oversight. DED requires it as proof for commercial licenses. This step ensures your address holds up under government checks.

DED always demands an Ejari. It verifies your lease and location. Applications fail without it, so complete registration early to avoid delays.

Gather initial approval from DET, your Ejari certificate, signed lease, and activity details. Submit the full package to DED for processing.

UAE offers commercial for trading, professional for services, and industrial for manufacturing. Each matches your core operations.

A trade license handles general business activities. A commercial license focuses on retail sales and goods distribution.

Commercial licenses support sales and retail. Professional ones cover consulting, while industrial suit factories. Every type needs Ejari validation.

The guide suggests mapping where your international enquiries originate, then asking the network for its presence and track record in those specific markets. It also suggests speaking with partner agencies in destination markets.

Check whether the network takes a share of revenue, whether it has approval rights over hiring, pricing or operations, and what the exit terms are. Networks range from prescriptive to lighter-touch models.

Ask how many cross-border introductions were made within the network in the past 12 months, what process exists for managing and tracking them, and whether you can speak with an agency in an overlapping market. Volumes depend on network concentration, member participation and infrastructure.

The guide says affiliation adds most value when the agency has the capacity and infrastructure to use it. Agencies that stepped back often cited timing, such as internal consolidation, a key hire leaving or unfavourable regional market conditions.

Chestertons Global describes itself as an affiliation network with roots in London since 1805, operating across 25+ markets in MENA, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. Member agencies run as fully independent businesses, the network takes no share of revenue and does not direct operations, and membership is selective.

The article names qualification (selective entry over scale), agreement architecture (financial terms, operational parameters and protection mechanisms), technology infrastructure and culture.

The article cites issues such as lost tracking of introductions, commission disputes, abandoned follow-up, inconsistent service and currency conversion losses. It labels its figures as indicative, and several are not traceable to sources, so treat them with caution.

The article outlines days 1 to 30 for the legal framework, technology and a first set of qualified prospects; days 31 to 60 for onboarding partners and running test transactions; and days 61 to 90 for expanding the partner base and marketing. Costs and targets in the article are indicative.

The article states that Portugal real estate no longer qualifies for the Golden Visa under Lei n.º 56/2023 (effective 7 October 2023), mentions a 10-year Dubai Golden Visa for property of AED 2M or more (DLD), Singapore ABSD of up to 60%, doubled stamp duty for non-residents in Hong Kong and FIRB approval in Australia. Rules change, so confirm with local advisers.

The article says Asian UHNW decisions involve 5 to 7 stakeholders, versus 2 to 3 for Western counterparts, which affects how agencies communicate and plan.

The article says independent agencies can keep their edge through personalised service and deep local knowledge, even as luxury brands and national franchises merge to gain scale.

The article presents affiliate networks such as Chestertons Global as a middle path between going alone and fully joining a franchise. Affiliates keep operating under their own name.

It lists independence (operating under your own name), dual branding, collaborative marketing and PR support. Benefits vary by network, so review the terms of any affiliation carefully.

It suggests deepening local expertise through community events, designing signature offerings such as investment property tours, and using network PR channels for press releases, media partnerships and thought-leadership pieces.

The four steps are to map the market and position the agency as the local authority, create a tailored client journey, use network PR channels, and share case studies and testimonials.

The article argues that agile affiliate networks offer an alternative to mandated technology stacks, letting agencies choose tools that fit their business rather than being required to adopt one system.

According to the article, Chestertons Global charges no mandated technology fees.

The article names Zoho One Suite for integrated CRM, finance and HR workflows, Coraly for transaction and document management, 1060 (Tensixty.ai) as an upcoming AI assistant for lead scoring and market insights, and Mimecast for email security, with agencies choosing their own email service.

The article says many businesses struggle with disconnected databases and outdated platforms, and that replacing failed systems increases business disruption costs. It does not give a specific source for these general claims.

The article says the global real estate market is forecast to grow at a 5.00% CAGR through 2032, driven by urbanisation and infrastructure demand.