Larry Gibbons of Tucson, Arizona, bought his HomeVestors® of America, Inc. franchise in 2016. For more than 15 years, he worked for a large subcontractor in upper management, but when the company was sold, Gibbons began searching for a business he could call his own. By Patty Horansky
ENTREPRENEUR
Larry Gibbons of Tucson, Arizona, bought his HomeVestors® of America, Inc. franchise in 2016. For more than 15 years, he worked for a large subcontractor in upper management, but when the company was sold, Gibbons began searching for a business he could call his own.
“I realized over time that I didn’t want to work for anybody,” he said.
Gibbons wanted to be his own source of income and provide for himself and his family. That’s when his father encouraged him to look into franchising. Gibbons’ search included restaurants, senior care, cleaning services and more, but in HomeVestors, he discovered a perfect fit.
The brand, founded in 1996, is one of the largest and longest-running homebuyers in the country. Known for its ubiquitous We Buy Ugly Houses® billboards, it boasts more than 1,000 independent owners and more than 140,000 homes purchased quickly.
HomeVestors franchisees help people experiencing difficult situations, such as divorce, unmanageable repairs or inherited or vacant properties. Franchisees purchase homes to fix and hold or fix and flip. There are no typical closing costs, commissions, listings or showings.
Gibbons was drawn to the idea of revitalizing and improving housing and helping others. He found HomeVestors to be a supportive team he could trust. Gibbons opened his franchise with zero experience, and he slowly built a team including an office manager, a buyer, a construction manager, numerous employee team members and reliable subcontractors.
Training included a week at the brand’s Dallas headquarters, learning the company’s processes and visiting properties. Ongoing franchisee support includes a national marketing co-op in which franchisees share advertising dollars. Each franchisee also is assigned a development agent for onboarding and coaching.
Now one of the top-performing HomeVestors owners, Gibbons also serves as a development agent in the Tucson area. According to him, potential franchisees need an entrepreneurial spirit, a willingness to work hard and a desire to build wealth and assist others.
“If you’re willing to help people along the way, you’re going to be successful,” he said.
Patty Horansky