Acquisitions key to growth of Chan’s branch

Whitegates Huddersfield franchisee, Chan Khangura, continues to expand his business at a phenomenal rate, having recently completed on his eighth acquisition.

“I am delighted to have completed on the resale of Whitegates Estate Agents Pontefract and Whitegate Estate Agents South Elmsall,” says Chan, who first joined Whitegates as a franchisee in 2012.

This latest acquisition brings Chan’s managed portfolio close to 1500 properties and puts him firmly on target to become one of the largest residential agents in the area.

“It’s been a busy few years,” laughs Chan, whose first acquisition came when he purchased the portfolio of Linden Lettings in Huddersfield.

Easy Lettings followed in 2019, followed by Chan absorbing the portfolio of Whitegates’ office in nearby Brighouse. An additional 200 managed properties were added following the acquisition of independent agency Whitworths, and three independent rental businesses were purchased in 2023 - CMK, McField Residential Brighouse & Let Two.

“People trust me and the business in the town. Any businesses we’ve spoken to in the past have always been keen to sell to us because we have that reputation, even if we’re not the highest bidder. I always work hard to maintain my contacts and I like to view my competitors as colleagues and offer to help them out if I can. This means the business owners grow to trust me, and know I’ll look after their clients. When the time comes for them to sell, it is often me they approach, with customer care being a major concern -alongside getting the right price for their business.”

Chan’s team has now grown to 25 across sales, lettings, property management and auctions.

“All clients have different requirements and obviously you need a great team to manage that,” reflects Chan, who is assisted by his father Kashmir Khangura, who has a wealth of experience in property.

“Following this latest acquisition, I was delighted to be able to promote Liam Reilly, a loyal and long-term employee as well as great friend, to the position of Associate Director. Liam will be overseeing sales operations from our Pontefract & South Elmsall offices. His expertise has grown considerably over the last six years, and I know he can create and add to an already busy sales environment.

For Chan, each acquisition has provided a unique learning experience.

“I’ve learned from each one, which has been key to success,” he says. “I’m a real fan of lists and being organised and each time I have completed on an acquisition, I’ve been able to improve the process. As a result, we’ve lost very few landlords and that’s down to being extremely organised, with great software and internal processes, alongside superb staff and a personal service.”

“Thanks to CEO Gareth Samples and the rest of the TPFG team we now have access to some amazing Operations Managers across the various brands. No matter what your query, there is always someone with a high level of expertise that you can tap into, and as a business owner that is incredibly reassuring. Plus, we are provided with regular legal updates, which is becoming more and more important. Every year there seems to be more changes to industry regulations and with the Renters Rights Bill coming up next year it’s invaluable to be part of an outstanding franchise network.

Chan also has some great advice for anyone considering a career in estate agency franchising.

“The biggest thing is to be focused, driven and dedicated,” he says. “Being part of TPFG will provide you with the tools, infrastructure and ideas needed to succeed, but you still have to be prepared to do the work, as it’s not easy. In addition, I do a lot of networking, and often give talks at networking events, to help establish myself as a local expert. We also do a lot of charity work, and support community events. Giving back to the community gets us known locally and helps to establish Whitegates Huddersfield as a brand within a brand.

“This is a very competitive industry, and in Huddersfield alone, we have over 40 agents. I would say anyone who wants to be successful needs to look seriously at acquisitions and opportunities to swallow up their competitors.

“Acquisitions have been a great strategy for us. They have helped us strengthen our position as the largest agent in Huddersfield and that position has enabled us to grow organically, too.”