Keller Williams, the US-based firm, is to open its third “market centre” in the UK.

It will be in Glasgow and headed by Gary Wardell, who is also managing director at Scottish estate agency Realter. He has been with Keller Williams for two years in Glasgow.

The new market centre will serve as a hub for agents in Scotland, providing office and training facilities for agents who set up their own estate agency businesses within the Keller Williams model.

Keller Williams, which appointed former John D Wood managing director Ben Taylor as its new UK managing director in March, operates a model that allows its agents to set up their own businesses and keep most of their commission.

Keller Williams agents pay a monthly fee, which gives them access to training, listings on Zoopla, Rightmove and Scottish portal S1 Homes, office facilities, a CRM system, plus other support needed to establish an independent estate agency under the Keller Williams brand.

The new market centre is the first to open in the UK since a team led by Diane Griffin took over the UK franchise in January this year.

Keller Williams launched in the UK in 2014 with the franchise originally held by Donald Morris.

One market centre is in London – there were two at the start of this year but they have since been combined as one – and another is in Leeds.

The company says it plans to significantly expand its number of market centres and is on a recruitment drive for top agents.

Separately, Keller Williams has been named the happiest company to work for in the world, by US jobs site CareerBliss.com

It comes above Nike, Apple and the Walt Disney Company.