Paul Ryder, from Northwood Eastbourne, has recently completed on his fifth acquisition, and admits he is on the lookout for further expansion opportunities.

Following the retirement of Gary Mills, owner of Martin & Co Eastbourne since 2004, Paul jumped at the opportunity to buy this well-established and reputable business and absorb it into Northwood Eastbourne.

“I knew that Gary was looking for a trusted agent to take over his business,” says Paul. “I thought it seemed like a very good opportunity and was delighted when the deal completed last month, adding a further 130 managed properties to our portfolio, as well as a pipeline of residential sales properties. I would like to wish Gary a very long and happy retirement.

“The Martin & Co business, including the two staff members who worked there, has now been absorbed into Northwood Eastbourne, which means we currently have a team of nine very dedicated people. The team has been busy contacting all our new landlords and tenants to let them know that Northwood Eastbourne is now managing their properties, and everyone seemed delighted. I am confident that all our customers can rely on us to deliver the levels of service they expect in today’s demanding market.

“I think one of the best things about being a Northwood franchisee is the fact that we are able to invite our landlords to be part of our Guaranteed Rent Scheme. This offers great value to landlords, as it essentially means that Northwood Eastbourne becomes their tenant, who will pay their rent every month, regardless of whether there is a tenant in situ or not. It also means these landlords don’t pay any set up fees, commission fees or face any other surprise costs. More and more landlords are taking advantage of the scheme, as in the long run they tend to receive more money than if they went down the route of traditional property management, and that is a very attractive prospect.

“Eastbourne is a large and vibrant seaside town with a growing population, where property is always in high demand. As a result, I’m still on the lookout for further acquisitions, and in fact I took a call from the Group Franchise Sales & Acquisitions team at TPFG today, so watch this space, as I’m sure there will be more business growth in the future!”

Speaking of Paul’s latest acquisition, Northwood MD Phil Gee said: “I would like to offer Paul many congratulations on his latest acquisition. Paul has been a Northwood franchisee for almost 20 years and runs a superb business in Eastbourne. He is a very ambitious, dedicated entrepreneur, and I am confident that the acquisition of Martin & Co Eastbourne will be an excellent addition to his existing business. One of the many benefits of becoming a franchisee with Northwood, is the opportunity for business growth, as we are part of The Property Franchise Group (TPFG), which has a dedicated team who can match franchisees with some fantastic opportunities.”