Your Move Franchise Completes Eighth Your Move franchise acquisition in 18 Months
A successful Your Move franchise operation in Suffolk has continued its impressive expansion after completing its eighth Your Move franchise acquisition in just 18 months.
Franchisee Oliver Hurren, who operates four Your Move branches across the county, has acquired independent lettings agency Your Property Solutions, adding a further 125 managed landlord properties to his growing portfolio thanks to his latest Your Move franchise acquisition.
The acquired properties will transfer to Your Move Beccles, further strengthening the branch’s position in the local lettings market and increasing the scale of Hurren’s existing operation following his Your Move franchise acquisition.
The latest deal is the eighth acquisition completed by Hurren and his team since the beginning of their current expansion programme, demonstrating how an established franchise operation can use acquisitions as part of a wider growth strategy.
Adding scale through acquisition
Your Move Franchise Acquisition Strategy
The acquisition of Your Property Solutions will see its existing landlords and managed properties transition to the Your Move business.
For Hurren, the deal provides an opportunity to expand the branch’s managed property portfolio while continuing to develop its presence across the Suffolk property market.
The acquisition also marks the next chapter for Your Property Solutions owners John and Shirley-Ann Carter, who are retiring from the lettings industry following the sale.
The couple will continue to operate their separate financial services business.
Commenting on the acquisition, Hurren said:
“We are delighted to announce our latest acquisition in Beccles, which demonstrates the first-class service our team continues to provide to our customers.
“John and Shirley can rest assured, as they step back from the lettings industry, that our team will continue the legacy they’ve built and deliver high-quality services to their landlord portfolio, whom I look forward to meeting in the near future.”
Franchise support helps drive expansion
The transaction was supported by LSL Estate Agency Franchising through its Assisted Acquisitions Programme.
The programme is designed to help franchise partners identify and evaluate acquisition opportunities as they look to expand their businesses.
Support can include assistance with business valuations, due diligence and the onboarding of acquired portfolios, while financing options may also be available to help franchisees structure suitable deals.
For franchisees looking to grow beyond organic customer acquisition, programmes of this type can provide an additional route to increasing turnover, managed portfolios and local market presence.
Eight acquisitions in 18 months
Hurren’s latest deal represents a significant milestone for his franchise operation, with eight acquisitions completed in a relatively short period.
The strategy demonstrates one of the potential advantages of operating within an established franchise network: franchisees can combine the local knowledge and entrepreneurial approach of an independent business owner with the systems, brand and wider resources of a national property business.
For established franchisees, acquisitions can also provide a way of accelerating growth by acquiring an existing customer base rather than relying solely on winning new instructions.
The addition of 125 managed landlord properties represents a substantial expansion of the Beccles operation and gives the team a larger portfolio from which to develop its lettings and property management activities.
Further acquisitions on the horizon
LSL Estate Agency Franchising franchise director Kate Ashley-Ives said the latest acquisition demonstrated the hard work of Hurren and his team and indicated that further expansion could follow.
“It has been a pleasure to support Oliver and his team with their latest acquisition, their eighth in the past 18 months, which is a testament to the team’s hard work and the market-leading service they deliver.
“We would like to wish John and Shirley-Ann the very best as they take a step back and focus on their financial services business. I look forward to working with Oliver in the future as he looks for further acquisitions to continue his franchise’s growth in the region.”
Acquisition-led growth becoming part of the franchise strategy
Hurren’s expansion highlights how acquisitions can become an important part of a franchisee’s long-term growth strategy.
While new franchisees often focus initially on building their customer base organically, established operators may have opportunities to accelerate growth by acquiring complementary businesses, customer portfolios or managed property books.
For property and lettings franchisees in particular, acquiring an established portfolio can potentially provide immediate access to landlords and properties while also creating opportunities to introduce additional services.
With eight acquisitions completed in 18 months, Hurren’s Your Move operation is now looking towards further opportunities as it continues to build its presence across Suffolk.
The latest transaction also highlights the role franchisor support can play beyond the initial launch of a franchise, with specialist acquisition programmes helping established franchisees identify, assess and integrate potential growth opportunities.
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