Connells Group, a privately owned real estate firm, completed the acquisition of Countrywide, a UK-based real estate agent, from Apollo Global for £223m ($309m). “Countrywide shareholders have repeatedly been promised jam tomorrow and it has never been delivered. There is no quick and easy fix for Countrywide. Turning the business around, especially in unpredictable market conditions, will be a difficult, expensive and lengthy process," David Livesey, Connells Group Chief Executive.