Estate agents snaps up two rival firms

ESTATE agency Linley & Simpson has acquired two long-established rivals in York and Leeds.

Minster Property in York, as well as Heritage, based in East Leeds, have been acquired by the firm for an undisclosed sum.

The companies will merge into Linley & Simpson’s network of 11 branches in North and West Yorkshire, with Minster moving to its Micklegate branch.

Heritage’s sales and lettings portfolio will be shared among Linley & Simpson’s four offices in Leeds as well as its branch in Wakefield.

The estate agency received a £1.8m funding package from Santander last year and since then has made six acquisitions, including today’s.

Linley & Simpson launched in 1997 with two offices and employed just six staff.

Now, it employs 161 staff and has grown into a branch network that now extends to York, Harrogate, Ripon, Wetherby, Wakefield, Ilkley, Saltaire and four in Leeds.

“Both Minster and Heritage are long-established independent agencies like ourselves, and are well-known names and respected brands in the heart of their own communities,” said director Will Linley.

“We are delighted to acquire the property portfolios of both businesses – they form a natural progression for us, and our investment represents a further signal of our future confidence in the Yorkshire market.

“These extra homes we inherit will help us keep pace with an ever-increasing demand for properties to both rent and buy and inject more choice into the marketplace for tenants and buyers alike.”