HomeVestors of America, Inc. is a privately owned, nationwide US real estate investing franchisor. Its independently owned and operated franchisees buy homes in need of repair and homes that owners need to sell more quickly than usually can be done through a realtor. Franchisees usually renovate and sell or rent the homes. The company operates in 45 states with over 1000 franchises and growing. The firm is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Currently David Hicks is CEO and President of HomeVestors.
History
Real estate agent Ken D'Angelo founded HomeVestors of America in 1989 and began franchising in 1996. By the end of that year, it had 17 franchisees and generated about $800,000 in revenue. It also sold its 25,000th house, in Jonesboro, GA. Franchisees hold the homes for six months on average. 1997 In 1997, HomeVestors reached 30 franchises with $1.7 million in revenue. 2003 By 2003, HomeVestors had grown to 135 offices in 17 states. In February 2004 the company signed an agreement with The Home Depot, making the hardware company its official provider of building materials. 2004 In July 2004, the company launched a real estate-owned program. HomeVestors purchased single-family houses from its franchisees and called them "ugly notes". They were then sold to third party note purchasers. By the end of 2004 the firm had moved to a larger headquarters. A new mascot was launched, “UG” the Caveman. The company added an additional advertising slogan, "UG Buys Ugly Houses," and both mascot and slogan appeared on new billboards and TV commercials. In 2004 Ken D'Angelo was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and in September 2004 national franchise consultant John Hayes took over as president and CEO. D'Angelo died on January 8, 2005. 2007-2009 After the slowdown in housing sales due to the United Statessub-prime mortgage crisis, the firm marketed its services to financially distressed home owners who were facing foreclosures and looking for a quick sale. Holding company Franchise Brands LLC acquired majority interest of the firm on June 11, 2008. 2017 On February 7, 2018, HomeVestors purchased its 85,000th house since its incorporation in 1996.. HomeVestors passed hands again on April 27, 2017, when it was purchased by the Los Angeles-based private equity firm Levine Leichtman Capital Partners and Management.
Proprietary Tools
The company provides franchisees with a proprietary software system, ValueChek, to evaluate single-family homes for repair costs and after-repair market value of a property. The firm, in conjunction with Local Market Monitor, maintained a set of "Best Markets to Invest in Rental Property" rankings, to forecast expected performance of rental properties, particularly single-family homes.
Awards
On October 15, 2018, Franchising Times again named HomeVestors the "third fastest-growing franchise in America."
