Nottingham property group swoops for North-West estate agency

SDL Group, the Nottingham property group, has revealed its third business acquisition in 12 months.

Humphreys of Chester, one of the most respected estate agencies in the region, has been acquired by the SDL Group for an undisclosed amount.

Following the acquisition, the Chester office on Lower Bridge Street will also become a regional hub for hundreds of SDL Group’s private rental sector (PRS) build-to-rent properties while its auction business will join the SDL Auctions network – the UK’s largest auction network outside of London.

Paul Gratton, group chief executive officer of the SDL Group, said: “Humphreys of Chester is a leading agent in the North West property market and is hugely respected so I’m delighted to welcome them to the SDL Group.

“Their areas of expertise, particularly in auctions, estate agency and lettings, perfectly complement our own portfolio of property services and our aim through this investment and acquisition is to create a regional hub with much growth locally, to offer customers an enhanced and personalised property experience.”

Peter Humphreys, founder and managing director of Humphreys, said: “We’re very excited about the Humphreys business becoming part of the SDL Group. By combining the Chester team’s regional reputation and knowledge with the SDL Group’s national expertise Humphreys can provide an unmatched service to its clients.

“We’ve had a highly successful year to date across all areas of our business and we’re keen to see this great business move to the next chapter under new ownership. My team’s dedication and clear ambition is matched by the team at SDL Group. I’m incredibly proud of what we have built over almost three decades and delighted about its outlook as part of the SDL Group.”

The acquisition of Humphreys of Chester comes less than a year after SDL Group acquired auctioneers CP Bigwood in the West Midlands and Graham Penny Auctions in the East Midlands.