On the acquisition trail! Paul Ryder of Northwood Eastbourne completes on his fifth acquisition
When it comes to business expansion, Paul Ryder, owner of the Northwood Eastbourne office, has never been one to let the grass grow under his feet and recently completed his fifth acquisition.
“Martin & Co Eastbourne, which has been in business since 2004, was just around the corner from our Northwood Eastbourne premises,” says Paul. “The owner, Gary Mills, had decided the time was right for him to retire, and was looking for a trusted agent to take over the business. I was very interested, and when due diligence confirmed it to be an excellent opportunity, we decided to proceed. This is our fifth acquisition, so we are very well-rehearsed in the processes, which made it a very straightforward and seamless transition.
It was very helpful to have the support and expertise of the TPFG Group Franchise Sales & Acquisitions Team as and when this was needed.
The acquisition completed on 1st August and added a further 130 managed properties to our portfolio, as well as a pipeline of residential properties for sale. The 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 working here. The team has been busy contacting and writing to all our new landlords and tenants to let them know that Northwood Eastbourne is managing their properties going forward and I think everyone was delighted as we were able to reassure them that they can look forward to receiving a very high level of professional customer service.
“I think this is important, as I have always firmly believed that if we get customer service right the business will always follow. I am confident all our customers can rely on us to deliver the levels of service they expect in today’s demanding market”.
Previous experience
Prior to starting Northwood Eastbourne in 2007, Paul worked in corporate sales and marketing and became very experienced in buying and selling businesses. “It’s probably where my interest in acquisitions came from, and I knew that when I started my own business, I would want to grow it through acquisition,” he says.
“When I was considering which business to buy, I decided to go down the franchise route rather than buy an independent agency. This was because in 2007 the credit crunch was significantly impacting the property industry, so it made good business sense to have the backing and support of a trusted and reputable franchisor like Northwood. It’s a decision I have never regretted. The service that franchisees receive, and the support we get is superb.
Business expansion
“I started with Northwood Eastbourne, then opened Northwood Hastings in 2013, acquired Northwood Brighton in May 2016, Brooks Harrison in March 2018, Letts Lettings in October 2018, K-Lettings in February 2023, and Martin & Co in August 2025.
“During the Covid pandemic of 2020, I made the decision to consolidate all of the businesses into the one office at Eastbourne, which has worked very well. Because all of our data is now online, there is plenty of room here, although I suppose if we continue with more acquisitions in the future and find we need more physical space, it’s something we can always look into.
“Eastbourne is a large seaside resort with a growing population, and property is in high demand, so I’m still on the lookout for further acquisitions. In fact, I took a call from the Acquisition 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, which has a dedicated Sales & Acquisitions Team who can match franchisees with some fantastic opportunities.”
Advantages of franchising
“After 20 years in business, we are now very familiar with the day to day running of Northwood Eastbourne,” says Paul. “However, it definitely helps to know that we have got the support of TPFG if ever we need it. In addition, TPFG has done a great job in negotiating better deals with the companies that franchisees work with. They are always looking at how we can improve profitability and enhance customer service by offering better products.
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, and we will pay their rent every month, on time, regardless of whether there is a tenant in situ or not. It also means that landlords never receive any nasty surprises regarding set up fees, which is something that landlords in the scheme don’t pay, and there are no commission fees or hidden extra costs. More and more landlords are taking advantage of the scheme, as they actually tend to receive more money in the long run than if they went down the route of traditional property management.”