ACQUISITION SERVICES SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
The Boom Podcast is all about sharing the real stories behind estate and letting agency sales.
Hosted by Lucy Noonan, Founder of Atomic Consultancy, each episode explores what it really feels like to build, grow and eventually sell a business in the property industry.
In this episode, Lucy is joined by Dave Curtis, former owner of Brookdale Property Management in Peterborough. Brookdale was one of the largest independent letting agencies in the area and a business built on service, consistency, loyalty and genuine care.
This was also a very special transaction for Atomic Consultancy.
Brookdale attracted significant buyer interest, received multiple offers and achieved an excellent outcome for Dave after decades of hard work.
But as this conversation shows, selling a letting agency is never just about the numbers. It is about people, trust, timing, preparation and the emotional reality of stepping away from something you have spent years building.
From the police force to property management
Dave’s route into lettings was not exactly traditional.
Before Brookdale, he was working in the police in Sussex. At the time, he and a friend were looking to move back towards the Peterborough and Stamford area and had decided they wanted to start a business.
The only problem was that they did not know what that business would be.
As Dave explains in the podcast, they had a list of ideas and tried everything from gardening to selling tracksuits and even perfume parties before a friend suggested they look at lettings.
That led to a very early version of market research. They invited a local agent round, collected the landlord information pack, and then mystery-shopped the tenant experience the next day.
It was simple, scrappy and very different from the polished business Brookdale would eventually become.
But it was also the beginning of something significant.
Dave and his business partner started with no industry background, no financial backing and no formal support. What they did have was energy, curiosity and a willingness to learn by doing.
Over time, that approach helped them build one of the most respected independent letting agencies in Peterborough.
Building a letting agency around standards, not shortcuts
One of the most striking parts of the conversation is how much of Brookdale’s success came down to doing the basics exceptionally well.
Lucy highlights two things that stood out when Atomic first reviewed the business:
The strength and longevity of the team.
The quality and stability of the managed portfolio.
Brookdale had more than 1,000 managed properties, a strong team with many long-serving members of staff, and an incredibly clean operational record. Dave also talks about the importance of understanding tenants properly before placing them into a property.
Rather than relying only on forms, references or assumptions, Brookdale would often visit prospective tenants in their current homes.
It was a simple idea. If someone looked after property A, they were likely to look after property B.
As Dave says in the podcast, you could come out of that visit and feel confident that you were “seeing the future.”
That kind of thinking says a lot about the business Brookdale became.
It was not built on shortcuts. It was built on judgment, consistency, relationships and high standards.
For buyers, those things matter.
A strong letting agency is not just measured by revenue or the number of managed properties. It is also measured by the quality of the income, the stability of the portfolio, the team behind it and the systems that keep it running.
Why trust matters when choosing a broker
Selling an estate or letting agency is one of the biggest decisions a business owner can make.
For Dave, the decision to work with Atomic came down to trust.
He explains that he had seen Atomic before, had looked into the business and then invited Lucy to his home for an initial conversation. That meeting lasted several hours. By the time Lucy left, Dave and his partner Ali had already made their decision.
They did not need to speak to anyone else.
That moment says a lot about the kind of relationship that often sits behind a successful agency sale.
A seller needs to feel confident that their broker understands not only the value of the business, but also the emotional weight of the decision. They need someone who can be direct and commercial, but also human and supportive.
Lucy explains in the podcast that Atomic is not necessarily the right broker for everyone. The team drives hard to secure strong deals, but the process is still built around people.
Every seller is different.
Every deal is different.
And the “best” buyer is not always simply the one offering the highest headline figure.
For many agency owners, protecting the team, the brand, the clients and the legacy of the business is just as important as achieving the right price.
Taking Brookdale to market
When Brookdale went to market, the response was strong.
Dave met a range of interested parties, including corporates, independents and equity-backed buyers. The business generated multiple offers and achieved a sale above the guide price.
For Dave, the early part of the process was exciting.
Meeting buyers, talking about the business and seeing the level of interest in Brookdale helped confirm the strength of what had been built.
But as the conversation makes clear, the process changes once a deal is agreed.
That is when due diligence begins.
The reality of due diligence
One of the strongest parts of the episode is Dave’s description of due diligence.
He compares it to being in a wave machine.
Just as one wave settles, another one arrives.
There are legal questions, financial questions, operational questions, additional enquiries, documentation requests and then further follow-ups. For a business the size and quality of Brookdale, that level of detail was always going to be significant.
Lucy explains that this intensity is normal, especially when dealing with a larger letting agency.
The more substantial the business, the more there is for a buyer and their advisers to review.
That does not mean the transaction has to drag on for years. In Brookdale’s case, the deal was completed within a matter of months. But it does mean sellers need to be prepared for the level of focus required once a deal moves into legals.
This is something many agency owners underestimate.
The brokering stage can feel energising. The due diligence stage can feel demanding.
That is why preparation matters so much.
The better organised the business is before going to market, the smoother the process is likely to feel once a buyer has been selected.
The challenge of keeping the sale confidential
For many business owners, one of the hardest parts of selling is confidentiality.
Dave had family, friends and long-standing colleagues working within Brookdale. Some team members had been with the business for more than a decade, and some for much longer.
Keeping the sale confidential was emotionally difficult.
He was still trying to run the business, gather information for the deal and avoid raising questions internally. At times, he felt like he was hiding something from the people closest to him.
Lucy explains that this is one of the most sensitive parts of any agency sale.
Sellers often worry that they are betraying their team by not telling them sooner. But in reality, telling staff before the deal is complete can create uncertainty, anxiety and questions that cannot yet be answered.
Until completion, there is no absolute certainty.
The buyer may not have finalised their plans. The deal structure may still be under review. Integration details may not yet be clear.
Protecting confidentiality is not about excluding the team. It is often about protecting them from unnecessary worry until there is something definite to share.
Life after selling a letting agency
The emotional side of selling does not end on completion day.
For many owners, completion brings relief, pride and financial security. But it can also bring a sense of loss.
After years of being responsible for a business, a team, landlords, tenants, problems, decisions and daily pressure, stepping away can feel strange.
Lucy describes it as similar to a grieving process.
Dave talks openly about that adjustment.
Brookdale had been part of his life for decades. The team mattered to him. The business mattered to him. The transition was not simply a commercial event, it was personal.
But over time, the weight began to lift.
By the time of the podcast, Dave was already starting to enjoy a different rhythm of life. He was exercising more consistently, planning travel with Ali and spending more time thinking about health, family and experiences.
He and Ali also have 10 grandchildren, which gives them plenty of reasons to make the most of the next chapter.
As Lucy notes in the episode, many agency owners are now rethinking when they want to exit.
Some are still selling at retirement age. Others are selling earlier because they want more support, a better quality of life or the freedom to do something different while they are still young and healthy enough to enjoy it.
The decision to sell is not always about wanting to stop working.
Sometimes, it is about wanting to live differently.
A deal built on quality
One of the reasons Brookdale attracted such strong interest was the quality of the business.
The portfolio was stable.
The team was experienced.
The arrears position was exceptional.
The brand had deep roots in the local market.
The business had been built with care and consistency over many years.
Those qualities matter to buyers because they reduce perceived risk. A buyer is not just acquiring income. They are acquiring a business that needs to keep performing after completion.
That is why well-run agencies with strong management, loyal landlords, clean records and good systems can stand out in the market.
Brookdale was not just a big business. It was a good business.
And that made a difference.
Dave’s experience of working with Atomic Consultancy
At the end of the episode, Lucy asks Dave how he would describe working with Atomic.
His answer is simple and powerful.
Atomic did what it said it would do.
He talks about honesty, straightforward advice, efficiency, organisation and communication. He also explains that he never felt misled or unprepared for what came next.
For Atomic, that is exactly the kind of support the team aims to provide.
Selling an estate or letting agency can feel overwhelming, especially when it is something an owner may only do once in their life. The role of a good broker is not just to find a buyer. It is to guide, explain, support, challenge, organise and protect the seller throughout the journey.
That is what makes the relationship so important.
Final thoughts
Dave Curtis built Brookdale Property Management from a standing start into one of Peterborough’s leading independent letting agencies.
He did it without a traditional route into the industry, but with determination, strong values and a clear commitment to doing things properly.
His story is a reminder that the best businesses are often built over time through consistency, judgment, and genuine care.
It is also a reminder that selling a letting agency is about much more than agreeing a price.
It is about choosing the right moment.
Finding the right buyer.
Preparing for due diligence.
Protecting the team.
Managing confidentiality.
And being ready for the emotional shift that comes after completion.
For Dave, the sale of Brookdale marked the end of one extraordinary chapter and the beginning of a new one.
For Atomic Consultancy, it was a privilege to support that journey.
If you are thinking about selling your estate or letting agency, even if it is still a few years away, having a confidential conversation early can help you understand your options, your potential value and the steps you can take to prepare properly.
You can watch the full episode of the Boom Podcast above or follow Atomic Consultancy on YouTube for more honest conversations with estate and letting agency owners who have been through the process first-hand.