Connells Group expands into North East Lincolnshire with Crofts acquisition

What's the deal? Connells Group has acquired Crofts Estate Agents, a 20-year-old firm headquartered in Cleethorpes with branches in Louth and Immingham. The deal adds three offices and a managed portfolio of around 700 rental properties to Connells Group's network.

The Crofts team will stay on as part of the wider group structure. The business covers both sales and lettings.

Why now? Connells Group had limited presence in North East Lincolnshire, making this a gap-filling move. Chris Rosindale, group managing director, called it "a strategic opportunity to expand our footprint into a new territory where we are not currently represented."

Gary Croft, the firm's founder, said the deal gives his customers access to "the reach of a huge powerful national brand" while preserving the local team and brand identity.

The signal: The acquisition fits a broader pattern of national estate agency groups consolidating regional independents to grow their geographic coverage. For Connells Group — already one of the UK's largest property services firms — it's another incremental step toward nationwide dominance, snapping up well-regarded local operators rather than building from scratch.

Read more: propertyindustryeye.com