10-branch agency rebrands to Hunters with plans to open central hub

An estate agency based in Cumbria has rebranded to Hunters following a management buyout.

Cumberland Estate Agents has been purchased by its managing director Graeme Macleod (pictured above right) and will now operate as Hunters Cumbria, South West Scotland and Lancaster.

The agency was part of the Cumberland Building Society since 1989, with Macleod running the estate agency for the past three years.

The new Hunters franchise will continue to serve the same areas as Cumberland and there are plans to open a central office hub in Carlisle.

Hunters, founded by Kevin Hollinrake MP in 1992, launched its franchise offering in 2006 and now has over 200 branches nationwide.

Cumberland Estate Agents' existing customers, suppliers and partners have all been notified of the buyout and told that it is 'very much business as usual'.

The same team will continue to serve clients with added support from Hunters.

The agency will continue to have a close relationship with The Cumberland, the UK's 10th largest building society and the region's leading provider of mortgages and savings.

The building society will also provide support to the agency during an agreed post-transfer transitional period, with all estate agency staff transferring to the new company.

"The last three years has seen some fabulous achievements by the team, cementing our place at the heart of the North West’s property community," says Macleod, now franchise owner at Hunters Cumbria, South West Scotland, and Lancaster.

"Becoming part of a respected national brand will enable us to deliver an even better service to our customers through being able to access better technology and best practice – such as training and marketing support - from a larger estate agency group."

Glynis Frew, Hunters chief executive, adds: "We share a common ambition to grow our businesses by delivering first class customer service and our primary objective of becoming the nation’s favourite estate agent."

"Cumbria and South West Scotland and Lancaster are new territories for Hunters who will now be the region’s largest estate agent by measure of listed properties; it’s a very exciting time with huge potential for further growth."

Meanwhile, the chief executive of Cumberland building society, Des Moore (pictured left) says the estate agency will benefit from Hunters' additional 'resource and expertise'.