Following the example of their Scottish counterparts, TSB England & Wales have entered the field of estate agency acquisition.
They have bought the Hampshire firm of Morris Dibben and the practice of Wilson Smith Howkins, based in Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire.
Morris Dibben have two offices in Southampton along with outlets in Winchester, Totton, Hedge End, Chandlers Ford and Romsey. Wilson Smith Howkins also have seven offices, in Kettering, Northampton, Weston Favell, Corby, Wellingborough, Rushden and Peterborough.
With their three in-house agency operations in Strood, Chatham and Gravesend, TSB England & Wales now have 17 agency outlets.
Earlier this year TSB England & Wales made an unsuccessful bid to take over Hogg Robinson, which would have brought them a substantial chain of estate agency outlets.
Meanwhile, Abbey National Building Society have expanded their Cornerstone estate agency operation with the purchase of West Country agents Marchand Large.
Marchand Large have offices in Newton Abbot, Kingsteignton, Bovey Tracey, Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Chudleigh, Totnes and Exeter.
Fox Holdings and Bristol & West-owned Webbers have both announced further acquisitions in the West Country.
Webbers have acquired the firm of Kathy Wilcox, with offices at Dulverton and Porklock. The firm was founded nine years ago by Norman and Kathy Wilcox, who are now to retire.
Their son, Napoleon, will remain at the Dulverton office.
Bristol & West Property Services Network now have 27 outlets.
The latest buy for Fox Holdings is the Bristol-based firm of Osmond Tricks. They have offices in Bristol, Clifton, Blagdon and Wells.
