Renovation Sells Targets Naperville as Its Next Market for Growth

As Americans make their move away from cities and into the suburbs, home improvement brand Renovation Sells has plans to move with them. Based in Chicago, the brand is ready to welcome some of its first franchisees in the neighborhood to the west — Naperville, Illinois.

Michael Valente, one of the co-founders of Renovation Sells, was inspired to start the company after feeling burnt out from his experience as a general contractor and a licensed realtor. After completing more than 500 client construction projects in his career, mostly in the luxury market, he became frustrated with the pile up of last minute requests and demands that ate away at his time and his budget. Now, Renovation Sells is making moves to grow rapidly, having already rehabbed and renovated more than 170 Chicago-area homes for an average of $20,000 per project. 

“I was sick of the BS,” Valente said. “I was tired of working on projects where there was always one more thing — one more change to the plan or additional upgrade that made it impossible to complete on time or make a decent profit. It fueled me enough to want to start my own business and have things run on my terms. Now I’m excited to keep up that momentum and keep growing through the Greater Chicago area where they seem to want us most.”

Since the business began in 2017, residents of the Naperville and other surrounding Chicago suburbs have increasingly expressed an interest in the brand’s services, and as the pandemic continues to move people to suburban areas, Renovation Sell’s potential is only growing. Traffic to the brand’s website has seen a double digit increase quarter-over-quarter in 2020. With a demand this high already, Valente predicts it will only increase if customers have more access to the brand at a local level. 

“Even before the pandemic began, we were fielding requests from Chicago’s surrounding suburbs left and right,” said Valente. “Now that we’re in the thick of it and more and more people are deciding to move that way, the demand has only grown.”

Prior to franchising the brand, Valente partnered with real estate agents to spread the word of the company’s lucrative and impressive services, giving him a leg up in Chicago and its surrounding markets. Now, with an easy-to-replicate model and no particular licensing to qualify, Renovation Sells is primed to grow exponentially. 

In its first year, Renovation Sells’ clients sold their homes for an average of 98% of the asking price. By 2019 more clients had signed on and the company saw a 310% increase in sales. Since the onset of an economy-sinking pandemic, the brand proved to be recession proof — seeing a 20% increase in year-over-year sales.

In a quest for new franchisees in Naperville, Valente says he’s confident the brand will sell, but to him, it’s more about finding the perfect fit. Though experience in the industry isn’t required, having some experience with real estate or an interest in renovation would make the transition easy and exciting.

“For business-minded construction professionals who are sick of the headaches that come with standard renovation projects, entrepreneurs who see the growth potential in the housing market but aren’t sure quite how to jump in and realtors who have a passion for the industry but a looking for a more regular schedule this is an incredibly valuable opportunity,” Michael said. “We’ve got the business nailed, we just need smart, capable people to step in and start working it.”

The initial investment to franchise with Renovation Sells ranges from $78,208 to $101,142, including a $50,000 franchise fee. The brand is actively seeking franchise owners in Illinois. For more information on franchising with Renovation Sells, please visit https://www.renovationsells.com/franchise.