Humberts, one of the UK’s oldest estate agency brands, has announced its first international expansion with the opening of a franchise in Dubai.

Humberts Group Limited, established in 1842, decided that now is the right time to expand in the Middle Eastern market, after reaching a franchise agreement.

The new Humberts franchise in Dubai will be operated under the name Humberts Real Estate LLC and will be led by Waqar Hasan, a seasoned real estate professional, author and real estate trainer.

Hasan is also the vice chair of the Dubai Real Estate Brokerage and Property Management Group, a non-profit organisation set up by the Dubai Chambers and Dubai Land Department for industry representation.

As part of the move, Itihad Community Management, specialising in commonhold management, will also become part of the Humberts franchise. Established in 2010, Itihad Community Management has earned a strong reputation for managing community associations.

The Humberts franchise in Dubai will concentrate on expanding its market reach within the UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), especially Saudi Arabia. The collaboration aims to blend Humberts’ legacy of excellence with Waqar Hasan’s local expertise to drive growth and innovation in the property sector. It will also make the UK property market easily accessible for UAE and Middle Eastern based Investors.

Services will include buying, selling and letting residential and commercial properties, property management and advisory consultancy in order to support clients with reserve fund studies, capital expense planning and verifications, buildings condition audits and bespoke requirements.

Hasan said: “We are thrilled to become part of the Humberts Group Limited, a brand that embodies excellence and professionalism. This allows us to offer enhanced services to our clients and expand our footprint across the UAE and GCC markets.”

Tim Stephens, CEO Humberts Group Limited, added: “We are excited to collaborate with Waqar Hasan and Itihad Community Management, who with their expertise and local market knowledge will provide a platform to reach the UAE and further Middle East markets. This will enable us to provide a cross flow of business from and into the UK and to continue our expansion and growth plans.”