LSL, the parent company of estate agency brands Reeds Rains and Your Move, has acquired Huddersfield-based National Search Service (NSS), a property search provider serving the legal profession.
The company described the transaction as “a small bolt-on” to its existing conveyancing operation, Homefast. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
About National Search Service
Founded in 2004, NSS operates as a family-owned business providing property searches to law firms and estate agents through both direct service and a franchising model. The firm is regulated by the Property Codes Compliance Board (PCCB) and counts major law firms and estate agents, including West Midlands-based Paul Carr, among its clients.
The founders will remain with the business following the acquisition to support the transition period.
Strategic positioning
Paul Hardy, managing director at LSL Estate Agency Franchising, said: “We are pleased to welcome NSS into the LSL Group. Their reputation for quality and compliance aligns perfectly with our values, and this acquisition will enhance the support we offer to our franchise partners and clients across England and Wales.”
LSL currently operates 62 estate agency franchisees across 310 territories in the UK, positioning it among the largest franchise service providers in the property sector.
The acquisition adds to LSL’s vertical integration strategy, bringing property search capabilities in-house alongside its existing estate agency and conveyancing operations. This approach aims to reduce transaction times by controlling more elements of the property transaction process, though the company has not provided specific targets for efficiency improvements.