Jobs hope as agents backed by syndicate

AN estate agent which has seen rapid growth in the last two years has been backed with a six-figure investment.

Leicestershire’s Hortons, which was only set up in 2016, has picked up the funding from private investment syndicate Dunelm Partners.

Adam Horton, founder and managing director of the Loughborough firm, said the investment would help him double staff over the next year and grow turnover.

Mr Horton described the firm as a “modern alternative” to a high street estate agent, combining technology with personal agents to focus on high quality service, with no fees to pay until the sale completes.

He said: “Revenues were up 40 per cent in the year just gone and we now have a team of 14, which includes eight agents.

“We aim to get 25 agents over the next 12 months and forecast revenue of £1.4 million.

“The current property market is strong for us in East Midlands.

“Leicester was one the best performing cities in the country last year and with further confidence in the market due to the General Election result I think this year will be even stronger.

LOCAL EXPERTS

“The phrase ‘people buy from people’ is at the centre of our brand.

“We’re building a community of experienced estate agents, who are all self-employed.

“Hortons helps them to develop their personal brands and build their businesses, establishing themselves as local experts while pairing them with cutting-edge technology.

“This means Hortons’ clients deal with only one agent, who will manage every aspect of their move, from initial advice, marketing and viewings, through to negotiating offers and navigating the conveyancing process.”

Hortons covers Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire and as well as using the investment to build its team of agents across the East Midlands, it also has its sights set on achieving national coverage within the next few years.

Dunelm founding partner James Johnson – who was a director at Leicester City as part of the Gary Lineker consortium that helped rescue the club from administration in 2003 – will take a seat on the Hortons board. He is a former partner of law firm Clifford Chance.