Lomond continues to target East Midlands with growth strategy, acquiring 58th estate agency business.
The company, one of the UK’s largest acquirers of estate and letting agency businesses, has announced further expansion within the East Midlands region, with the purchase of Acquire Sales and Lettings, an agent with a presence in Derby, Burton and Chesterfield.
The East Midlands property market has performed strongly in recent years, with house prices climbing by 15.1% in the last three years, outperforming the UK benchmark in the process, while rental values have also climbed by 20%.
Such is the strength of the region’s property market that it has become a key area of focus for Lomond, as the firm continues to execute an aggressive growth strategy that has already seen four acquisitions complete within the East Midlands region.
Lomond previously acquired the Nottingham and Derby lettings book of Royston and Lund, swiftly followed by the significant rental portfolio of Centrick and Nottingham based agent Tassi Sales and Lettings.
Its latest acquisition of Acquire Sales and Lettings brings further investment to the East Midlands region and will add some 700 properties under management to Lomond’s John Shepherd brand.
The already established business will now operate under the John Shepherd brand, guided by the trusted hands of Chief Exec Richard Crathorne.
However, Crathorne has been quick to pile praise on his senior team – Operations and Property Management Director Chris Blick, Lettings Director Jack Spellman and Sales Director Katie Ridley – all of whom have been pivotal in shaping the journey of the John Shepherd brand to date, and who remain an integral part of the brand’s future growth ambitions.
Chief executive of John Shepherd, Richard Crathorne, commented: “The East Midlands has been a key area of focus with regard to the expansion of the John Shepherd brand and my senior team have been key in realising the ambitions of the business to date.
“We’ve been on quite the journey and, with the string of significant acquisitions made of late, it’s fair to say that we’re only just getting started.
“We’re extremely excited to welcome the team at Acquire Sales and Lettings to the John Shepherd brand and the wider Lomond family and we look forward to further establishing the brand amongst buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants across the East Midlands.”
Lomond CEO, Ed Phillips, added: “Our latest acquisition of Acquire Properties sees us procure yet another top quality business within the East Midlands area and this will only help fuel the momentum that our John Shepherd brand is building across the region.”
