Gunne Estate Agents is pinning its colours to the mast of market recovery by rebranding and changing its name to Quillsen.

It marks the end of an era for the agency, which traded in Dublin under the Gunne title for almost 60 years, and came to the fore in the 1980s and 1990s under the stewardship of the late Fintan Gunne.

In 2006 Pat Gunne and the Gunne family sold their interest in the business for an undisclosed sum to Marian McQuillan, Anne Walsh, Peter Fahey, and then managing director Declan Cassidy.

The Quillsen branding is a play on McQuillan’s surname, and its seven branches (six in Dublin and one in Navan)and “For sale” boards will sport the new livery from this week.

McQuillan says the look may have changed but the focus will remain on giving customers a “boutique” start-to-finish service from its experienced staff.

“As we move out of the downturn we now want to invest in the business. We’re looking to expand our people and open one or two new branches in strategic locations.”

These moves are likely to be into south Co Dublin and into west Dublin around Lucan. McQuillan adds that their biggest challenge at the moment is finding new staff.

“We could do with five new negotiators in the morning, and at least one extra person is needed in every branch.”