The H&H Group based at Carlisle have announced the expansion of its Estate Agency business H&H King with the opening of a new branch at Penrith, and the acquisition of the well-known Michael CL Hodgson Estate and Land Agency, with its offices in Kendal and Grange-over-Sands. Dovetailing with the existing H&H King office in Carlisle, these three additional offices significantly increase the company’s coverage across the North of England. The H&H King brand is a well-known and well respected Estate Agency in Carlisle, and for some time the H&H Group have been looking at how best to expand this area of their business. These two initiatives and three new office locations provide the H&H Group with excellent opportunities to enable them to develop their business, increase market share and to build on their reputation. This decision to expand is based on research and careful consideration as Brian Richardson Chief Executive of the H&H Group explains: “The H&H company generally, and our Estate Agency, has been built around high levels of service, something which is incredibly important when selling a property. People’s homes are most often their most valuable asset and selling it is not a simple process. From the marketing of the property to seeing it through the negotiations, to the final sale there often tends to be many complications requiring knowledge and experience. This is what we are skilled at, and this is what H&H King has built their success on. “This is an exciting time for H&H, and we look forward to widening the scope of what we do, using the experience we have in the business to develop a family of Estate Agency brands under the H&H banner. We will be delivering what house sellers want by getting the sales and seeing them through to closure”. “There is some divergence in the market between agents who want to do the job on the cheap, providing little service together with handling things through call centres and the internet, and companies such as ourselves who offer a tailored one to one approach. Frankly you get what you pay for and there is no substitute for experience, local knowledge and developing a personal relationship with customers. Michael CL Hodgson has Estate Agency branches in Kendal and Grange-over-Sands, and a Land Agency Practice, based in Kendal. Employing seventeen members of staff, the land agency business operates across Cumbria throughout the Lake District National Park and surrounding area, and down to the North Yorkshire Dales and North Lancashire. Now as part of the H&H Land and Property brand, they will continue to offer an extensive of range of professional agricultural and rural services including, planning, environmental and agricultural advice, land and property sales, valuations, acquisitions and planning. “The synergy between the two companies is very strong. Michael CL Hodgson is recognised as an established firm of Land Agents and Valuers, managing a number of large to medium sized estates, including in the National Park,” says Brian. Commenting further Brian said: “We are very pleased that the Michael CL Hodgson business is joining the H&H Group of Companies. The company and the brand are very well respected in the area and fits very well with our long term strategy to expand our geographical reach and develop our Estate Agency presence.” “We are particularly delighted to be welcoming to H&H, the first class team of staff all who are very committed to high levels of customer service. “Myself and Colin Tomlinson, the owner of Michael CL Hodgson, have been talking for some time about this transaction. It was evident to us that the company was a good fit both in terms of business, and personnel, both of which complement our existing property interests.” Colin Tomlinson will become a Director of H&H Land and Property and, together with his existing staff, will oversee the Michael CL Hodgson brand with the additional support of the extensive team at H&H Land and Property. This will allow the business to offer an enhanced range of specialist services to customers. Colin Tomlinson, commenting on the acquisition continues: “Over the past few years the business has grown significantly, prompting us also to look at ways of expanding our services whilst ensuring that we continue to maintain our recognised high level of professional standards. “We have a thriving mixed practice, primarily based on estate and land agency. We recognised the need to retain our strong identity within Cumbria and are immensely pleased that Michael CL Hodgson is now part of the H&H Group of Companies. The team and I are especially delighted to have the opportunity to be able to continue to work with our customers across Cumbria.” Working with farmers, landowners and commercial, leisure and residential portfolios, H&H Land and Property offers expertise in every aspect of rural property from its offices in Carlisle, Durham and Middleton in Teesdale.

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