Dale and Marcy Norris had never thought about owning a franchise until they heard about HomeVestors® of America, known for its slogan “We Buy Ugly Houses®,” in the spring of 2016. By Patty Horansky
Dale and Marcy Norris had never thought about owning a franchise until they heard about HomeVestors® of America, known for its slogan “We Buy Ugly Houses®,” in the spring of 2016.
Dale, a longtime pastor in Seattle, and Marcy, a part-time registered nurse, were raising three children and looking to supplement their income. They tried flipping houses on their own but found the work to be arduous, time-consuming and competitive.
When a friend who owned a HomeVestors franchise told the Norrises about his business, they were intrigued. “I had never even thought about the idea of a franchise,” said Dale.
The couple learned basic home renovation skills, such as painting and laying tile, when they were working on their own.
“We learned everything from hands-on experience,” Dale said. “What was new to me was how to do multiple houses a year. That’s what HomeVestors showed me, and it opened up a whole new world.”
The couple met with the company’s team in Dallas, and they signed on and launched their location in October 2016. “We were very excited about HomeVestors because it provided a proven strategy and system that allowed us to be successful,’’ Dale said.
HomeVestors is a network of franchises that makes up the largest and longest-running for-cash homebuyer in the U.S. Its iconic billboards sporting the We Buy Ugly Houses slogan dot the country, and the brand’s more than 1,100 franchises have collectively purchased over 140,000 houses quickly and for cash since 1996.
The Norrises have purchased more than 50 houses, most of which they fully reconditioned and sold. Their daughter, Lee Audrey, is a licensed real estate agent who posts the properties on a multiple listing service (MLS). The couple’s son, Easton, is attending a trade school, where he is learning subcontracting. The Norrises’ goal is to buy and sell about 15 houses per year.
Before they launched their franchise, Dale and Marcy attended a week of training at HomeVestors’ headquarters. Here they learned important aspects of the business, such as how to value and buy houses at a price to make a profit.
They also learned about the people who contact the company and how best to assist them. “That’s a big deal for us,’’ Dale said. “We’ve been able to do this with an attitude and a heart of helping people.”
Another positive of being a part of the brand is that franchisees reach out to one another to share advice, experience, information and even to sell houses to each other.
The company’s corporate team handles all marketing, from billboards and TV to the internet, social media and direct mail. Franchisees pool their advertising dollars through the brand’s in-house agency so each gets a pro-rata share of advertisements.
People don’t necessarily call HomeVestors because of ugly houses; they do so because of ugly situations such as divorce, illness or inheritance. “Every call I get, there’s some kind of issue they’re dealing with” Dale said.
He sets appointments and walks through the properties with the owners, using the company’s proprietary software to determine values and estimated repair costs. Franchisees can make offers on the spot and close deals in as little time as three weeks.
With the help of their trusted and quality subcontractors and the backing of the brand, the Norrises are building wealth and family time by helping others and making homes pretty again.
Patty Horansky