Coulters to merge with HBJ Property

Edinburgh based solicitor-estate agency Coulters has announced a merger with HBJ Property, a division of HBJ Gateley.

The merger aims to bring together two well-respected brands in the Scottish property scene to create a more compelling proposition across both residential and commercial markets. The new business will continue to trade under the name of Coulters.

The property agency will increase from 12 to 22, with its legal team increasing post-merger to 10. This will enable Coulters to at least double the number of legal and sales transactions it handles every month.

Mark Coulter, managing director of Coulters, said: “This is a key milestone for both organisations. We are excited about the opportunities available to us moving forward and have ambitious plans to more than treble our revenue over the next five years.

“We are confident the merger will result in a company that will be able to deliver an unrivalled customer experience, whether on the lettings, sales or legal side of the business.

“By combining the customer focus and responsiveness of our sales and lettings professionals with the expertise of HBJ’s legal specialists, we intend to consolidate our position in Edinburgh while building our profile outside of the capital, reaching across Scotland and into the North of England.”

Coulters originally launched in the Scottish capital in August 2013, opening its first branch in Stockbridge before adding a second in Marchmont 18 months later. Following the merger, Coulters will retain both high street branches, while initially operating its legal hub from Canning Street.

Malcolm McPherson, senior partner at HBJ Gateley, said: “Coulters is an established and well-respected brand in the property market, regularly outperforming the market with the speed of its sales and the sale prices it achieves. We felt there was a strong and mutually-beneficial synergy between the business and our own property division.

“It has an excellent ethos of providing exceptional levels of customer service, which makes it a natural fit for HBJ Property.”