Applewood to launch IFA acquisition agency

IFA Acquisition is set to go live this week and aims to marry buyers and sellers, in addition to providing advice on funding and compliance issues. The acquisition agency is a stand-alone business and Applewood managing director Karl Hartey says it will fill a gaping hole in the market. "If you want to buy a house you go to an estate agent but if you want to buy or sell an IFA firm where do you go?" he says. The combined influence of the RDR, an ageing adviser workforce, the financial crisis and a general "air of disillusionment" is forcing IFAs to sell or merge their businesses, a...