Hunters estate agents is today expected to confirm its intention to float on the AIM stock market.

The firm originally announced in February that it was looking to float, and launched a pre-Initial Public Offering to raise funds. It invited investors, including staff and partners, to buy shares. This round of fund-raising was over-subscribed by 30%.

Hunters also appointed ex-Countrywide boss and Rightmove founder Harry Hill as its CEO to take it through the flotation.

It is likely to list on AIM at the end of this month.

According to the Telegraph, the company has been priced at £20m and plans to take the business to a valuation of £100m by 2018 – rivalling that of Countrywide.

Hunters currently has 150 branches and plans to expand to 500.

Hunters opened its first branch 22 years ago in York, the brainchild of brothers Kevin and Keith Hollinrake, and John Waterhouse.

The network is now almost entirely franchised and has branches nationwide in key cities across the UK including London, Birmingham, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Middlesbrough and Liverpool and, as of yesterday, Norwich.