Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) has bought consumer platform HomeOwners Alliance as it looks to build relationships with borrowers earlier in the home-moving process and widen its role beyond mortgage advice.
The deal gives MAB a 100% stake in HomeOwners Alliance Ltd, with the business acquired from its founders and Smoove Limited.
HomeOwners Alliance is a UK-facing consumer platform that attracts millions of website visits each year and offers guidance, tools and services to homeowners and prospective buyers.
MAB said the acquisition would support its strategy of expanding further into the wider home-moving market, with a particular focus on engaging consumers before they are ready to take mortgage advice.
The move also gives the broker group another route into areas linked to the transaction process, as it seeks to connect mortgage advice more closely with other services used by buyers and homeowners.
MAB said HomeOwners Alliance would continue to introduce mortgage customers, while also aligning with the group’s preferred suppliers across the wider home-moving journey.
The acquisition comes as the government continues its consultation on home-selling and buying, with firms across the sector looking at how changes to the transaction process could affect consumer behaviour and the way services are delivered.
For MAB, the purchase is also intended to support lead generation and broaden the range of services it can bring to customers, including protection. The group said integrating and developing the HomeOwners Alliance digital platform should help it reach consumers sooner in the buying process, increase lead volumes and strengthen links between advice and related home-moving services.
Ben Thompson, director of home moving strategy at Mortgage Advice Bureau, said: “HomeOwners Alliance has built a strong reputation as a trusted source of information for homeowners and prospective buyers.
“This acquisition strengthens our ability to engage with customers earlier in their homebuying journey and supports our strategy to broaden MAB’s role across the wider home-moving process.
“We’re pleased to welcome HomeOwners Alliance to the Group and look forward to supporting its continued growth.”
Paula Higgins, founder and chief executive of HomeOwners Alliance, added: “HomeOwners Alliance was created to help people navigate one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. By joining Mortgage Advice Bureau, we will benefit from additional resources and reach, allowing us to expand the guidance, tools, and research we provide.
“We will continue to operate independently, retaining a strong voice for consumers, and are excited about our growth plans under MAB’s ownership.”
The transaction underlines MAB’s interest in building a bigger presence across the full housing journey rather than focusing solely on the point at which a borrower needs a mortgage. It also reflects a wider trend in the property and mortgage sectors, where firms are trying to secure earlier contact with consumers and create closer links between advice, technology and transaction-related services.
