Well-respected estate agency founder Edward Mellor has died, 43 years after opening his first branch in Reddish in 1983. He passed away on Sunday, 15 February.

The company he founded, Edward Mellor Estate Agents, now operates 13 branches across Tameside, Stockport, Cheshire and Greater Manchester, in addition to running a North West-based online property auction.

The group also provides integrated financial services, planning, conveyancing and surveying, and employs more than 150 staff.

Edward’s son and current Edward Mellor CEO, Colin Mellor, has paid an emotional tribute to his father, who was born in 1939, describing him as one of Greater Manchester’s ‘most respected estate agents’ who ‘built a culture and family legacy that continues today’.

He said: “Edward Mellor was first and foremost an estate agent.

“His career in property was built on professionalism, integrity, and an instinctive understanding that estate agency is, at its heart, a people business.

“He believed that trust mattered, relationships mattered, and that reputation was earned over decades, not transactions.

“His career in property was built on professionalism, integrity, and an instinctive understanding that estate agency is, at its heart, a people business. He believed that trust mattered, relationships mattered, and that reputation was earned over decades, not transactions.

“Before founding his own company, Edward established himself as one of Greater Manchester’s most respected estate agents. Known for his market knowledge, consistency, and straight-talking approach, he built long-standing relationships with buyers, sellers, solicitors, banks, and fellow professionals — many of which lasted a lifetime.

“Those relationships, and the respect they were built on, formed the foundation of everything
that followed.

“In March 1983, Edward opened the first Edward Mellor office in Gorton. From the outset, his vision was clear: to create an independent estate agency that combined strong local knowledge with high professional standards and genuine care for clients.

“Growth followed, but it was never growth for its own sake. The business expanded steadily, guided by Edward’s belief that quality, consistency, and integrity should always come first. Today, the business is led by his son, Colin Mellor, with the next generation — Edward’s grandchildren, Jessica and Austin — also part of the company. This multi-generational involvement is not accidental; it is a direct continuation of the values Edward instilled.

“Although Edward retired from day-to-day operations in the mid-1990s, he remained closely connected to the business he founded. He took a keen interest in its progress, offered guidance when asked, and remained immensely proud of what it became and the people within it.

“His name remains above the door not as branding, but as a promise – a reminder of the standards, values, and commitment on which the business was built. Edward Mellor Estate Agents continues to operate across Greater Manchester under the principles Edward established more than four decades ago.

“His legacy lives on through the people who work here, the clients we serve, and the family who continue to lead the business. Edward Mellor built more than an estate agency. He built a reputation, a culture, and a family legacy that continues today.

“He is a legend – a title truly and well deserved.”