ACQUISITION SERVICES SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
Atomic Consultancy was proud to be represented on the main stage at Propertymark One 2026,
as Founder Lucy Noonan joined an expert panel discussing one of the most important topics facing estate and lettings agency owners: how to buy, build, scale and add value to an agency business.
Held at ExCeL London, Propertymark One brought together more than 1,500 property professionals from across the UK, with sessions covering sales, lettings, regulation, profitability, business growth and the future of the property sector.
For Atomic Consultancy, Lucy’s appearance on the main stage was a proud milestone.
The event featured a strong line-up of speakers, including The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP and Karren Brady CBE, with Lucy taking to the main stage shortly before Angela Rayner’s appearance.
It was a significant moment for Atomic and a clear reflection of Lucy’s growing reputation as one of the leading voices in estate and lettings agency mergers, acquisitions and business sales in the UK.
“Speaking on the main stage at Propertymark One was a really proud moment, not just for me personally, but for the whole Atomic team. We work every day with estate and lettings agency owners who are thinking about sale, growth, acquisition or exit, so to be part of that wider industry conversation was a real privilege.” – Lucy Noonan – Founder of Atomic Consultancy
A Major Industry Conversation At Propertymark One
Propertymark One has become one of the key events in the property industry calendar, bringing together agents, business owners, industry suppliers, sector experts and political voices for a full day of insight and discussion.
The 2026 event focused on helping property professionals navigate change, seize opportunities and build stronger businesses.
For many estate and lettings agency owners, those themes are particularly relevant.
The agency market continues to evolve.
Regulation, staffing, profitability, technology, landlord retention, buyer appetite and succession planning are all shaping the decisions business owners are making now.
Some agencies are looking to grow through acquisition.
Some are preparing for a future sale.
Others are simply trying to understand how to make their business stronger, more profitable and more resilient over the next few years.
That made Lucy’s panel especially timely.
Lucy’s Panel: Buy, Build, Scale
Lucy appeared as part of the main stage session, “Buy, Build, Scale: Financing Acquisitions and Adding Value to Your Business.”
The panel explored what makes acquisitions work, how buyers can identify genuine opportunities and what sellers need to understand when preparing their business for market.
For Lucy, the discussion was closely aligned with the work Atomic Consultancy does every day.
Atomic works exclusively with estate and lettings agency businesses, supporting owners who are looking to sell, buyers who are looking to acquire and agency leaders who want to prepare their businesses properly before taking their next step.
While acquisitions are often discussed from the buyer’s perspective, Lucy’s contribution also brought the seller’s viewpoint into focus.
For agency owners considering an exit in the next one to three years, the message was clear.
A successful sale is rarely created at the point the business goes to market. It is usually the result of careful planning, honest advice and proper preparation long before the owner is ready to step away.
Why Preparation Matters Before Selling An Agency
Many estate and lettings agency owners only start thinking seriously about selling when they are already close to wanting out.
That is understandable.
Running an agency is demanding. Most owners are busy managing teams, clients, landlords, tenants, compliance, valuations, instructions, accounts and daily operational pressure.
Sales planning can easily become something for “later”.
But waiting too long can limit options.
If an owner is thinking about selling in the next one to three years, early preparation can make a major difference to the strength of the business, the quality of buyer interest and the smoothness of the transaction.
Good preparation gives sellers time to understand:
• What their business may be worth
• What buyers are likely to focus on
• What risks need to be addressed
• What information will be needed during due diligence
• How to improve buyer confidence
• Whether now is the right time to sell, or whether the business needs work first
It also gives owners the chance to make decisions calmly, rather than under pressure.
That is one of the reasons Atomic has developed its Exit Advantage programme, helping agency owners understand where they are now, where value may exist and what needs to be improved before entering the sale process.
What Makes A Strategically Sound Acquisition?
One of the questions Lucy was asked was:
“What characteristics separate a strategically sound acquisition from one that simply looks attractive on paper?”
This is an important question for buyers, but it is equally important for sellers.
A business can look attractive at first glance because of its size, location, turnover or managed portfolio numbers. But buyers will look much deeper than that once serious discussions begin.
A strategically strong acquisition is not just about the headline figures.
It is about whether the business can continue performing after completion.
Buyers will want to understand the quality of the income, the stability of the client base, the strength of the team and the systems behind the business.
They will also look at how easily the agency can be integrated, whether the culture is a good fit and whether there are hidden risks that could affect future performance.
For sellers, this means the quality of the business matters as much as the size of the business.
A well-prepared agency with clean records, stable recurring income, strong landlord retention and a capable team will usually inspire more confidence than a larger business with poor processes, unclear information or avoidable risk.
“One of the biggest things I wanted to get across is that a good acquisition is not just about what looks strong on paper. The numbers matter, of course, but buyers also need to understand the quality of the business, the strength of the team, the stability of the income and whether the deal genuinely supports their long-term strategy.” – Lucy Noonan – Founder at Atomic Consultancy
What Sellers Look For Beyond The Headline Price
Another question asked of Lucy was:
“From your experience advising on agency sales and acquisitions, what are sellers usually looking for in a buyer, beyond the headline price?”
This is one of the biggest misconceptions in agency sales.
Price matters, of course. For many owners, the sale of their business represents years, sometimes decades, of hard work. It may also form part of their retirement, future security or next life chapter.
But the highest offer is not always the right offer.
Many sellers also care deeply about whether:
• The buyer can complete
• The buyer understands the sector
• Their team will be looked after
• Landlords and clients will be treated properly
• The brand or legacy will be respected
• The buyer has a clear integration plan
• The deal structure is realistic
• There is genuine trust between both sides
For many agency owners, the business is personal.
They may have built it from scratch. They may have long-standing staff, loyal landlords and deep ties to their local market.
They may know that once the deal completes, their name, reputation and relationships are still connected to what happens next.
That is why the right buyer is not always the one with the biggest number on the first offer letter.
The right buyer is the one who can deliver the deal and give the seller confidence in what happens after completion.
“For sellers, price will always be important, but it is rarely the only thing that matters. Many owners have spent years building their agency, so they want to know the buyer can complete, look after the team and protect the reputation they have worked so hard to build.” – Lucy Noonan – Founder at Atomic Consultancy
Warning Signs That A Deal May Not Be As Strong As It First Appears
Lucy’s third question focused on the warning signs that a potential acquisition may not be as strong as it first appears.
Again, this is highly relevant for sellers.
The issues that worry buyers are often the same issues that can reduce value, delay a sale or cause a deal to fall away during due diligence.
Common warning signs can include:
• Over-reliance on a small number of landlords
• Poor-quality financial information
• Unclear management accounts
• Weak landlord agreements or missing documents
• Inconsistent income reporting
• High arrears
• Unresolved compliance concerns
• Staff instability
• Weak systems or processes
• Unrealistic expectations around value
• Limited evidence of recurring income quality
Some of these issues can be fixed.
Others can be explained.
But sellers need to know about them before the business goes to market.
That is where early preparation becomes so valuable. It gives business owners time to address weaknesses, tidy records, improve processes and understand how buyers are likely to view the business.
It also helps avoid surprises later in the process.
What Agency Owners Should Take From The Discussion
For agency owners thinking about exit in the next one to three years, the key takeaway from Lucy’s Propertymark One panel was simple.
Do not wait until you are ready to sell before you start preparing.
A stronger sale usually starts much earlier.
Owners who understand their business from a buyer’s perspective are in a better position to make informed decisions. They can improve weak areas, strengthen value, reduce risk and decide whether the timing is right.
They can also enter conversations with buyers from a position of greater confidence.
This is especially important in the current market.
Some owners are considering an exit because they are ready for retirement. Others are thinking about succession, lifestyle, regulation, staffing pressures, health, profitability or simply whether now is the right time to realise the value they have built.
Introducing Exit Advantage By Atomic
Lucy’s appearance at Propertymark One also came at an important time for Atomic Consultancy, as the business prepares to further support agency owners through its Exit Advantage programme.
This service has been developed for estate and lettings agency owners who may be considering a sale in the next one to three years, but who are not yet ready to go to market.
The aim is to help owners understand their current position, identify potential risks and prepare the business properly before entering a sale process.
It can support agency owners with areas such as:
• Understanding likely buyer considerations
• Reviewing sale readiness
• Identifying areas that may affect value
• Improving preparation before due diligence
• Strengthening the business before market
• Planning a more controlled route towards an exit
For many owners, it offers a practical first step.
It does not mean the business has to be sold immediately. It simply means the owner can make informed decisions earlier, with a clearer understanding of what needs to happen next.
There is no single reason why agency owners sell.
But whatever the reason, the best outcomes are usually created through planning, not panic.
“The earlier an agency owner starts preparing, the more control they usually have over the outcome. Our Exit Advantage programme has been created to help owners understand what buyers will look at, what may affect value and what they can do now if they are thinking about selling in the next one to three years.” – Lucy Noonan – Founder of Atomic Consultancy
A Proud Moment For Atomic Consultancy
Lucy’s main stage appearance at Propertymark One was a proud moment for Atomic Consultancy.
To be part of a national industry event of this scale, alongside high-profile speakers such as Angela Rayner MP and Karren Brady CBE, was a significant recognition of the work Atomic has done within the estate and lettings agency sector.
Atomic has always focused on a very specific area of the market.
The business does not try to be a general broker.
It works exclusively with estate and lettings agency businesses, helping sellers, buyers and agency owners navigate some of the biggest decisions they will make. That specialist focus was at the heart of Lucy’s contribution to the panel.
“To be speaking at Propertymark One, alongside such a strong line-up of industry voices, was a huge moment for Atomic. It shows how far we have come as a specialist consultancy and how important conversations around agency sales, acquisitions and succession planning have become.” – Lucy Noonan – Founder of Atomic Consultancy
Thinking About Selling Your Estate Or Lettings Agency In The Next Few Years?
If you are thinking about selling your estate or lettings agency in the next one to three years, now is the time to start preparing.
You do not need to be ready to sell today.
You may not even be certain that you want to sell.
But understanding your options early can help you make better decisions, protect value and avoid unnecessary stress when the time comes.
Atomic Consultancy works with estate and lettings agency owners across the UK, offering honest, practical and specialist advice around business sales, acquisitions and exit planning.
Whether you are actively considering a sale, starting to think about succession or simply want to understand what your agency may need before going to market, a confidential conversation can be a valuable place to start.