Los Angeles, Feb 04 — Skyline Investors announced today the acquisition of Buddy’s Home Furnishings (“Buddy’s”), the third-largest rent-to-own franchisor in the United States. The investment marks a transformative moment for the established brand, bringing Skyline’s flexible capital solutions and an engaged ownership approach to support Buddy’s nationwide network of 220+ locations.
Operating across 18 states and in Guam, Buddy’s provides accessible furniture, appliance, and home goods solutions to consumers. The company was recently recognized as #276 in Entrepreneur’s Franchise Top 500 for 2025.
“This is an exciting new chapter for Buddy’s,” said CEO Michael Bennett. “Skyline brings a collaborative mindset that our franchisees and customers will feel immediately. Their flexible approach and ability to move quickly allowed them to structure a solution that worked for us when others couldn’t. We’re not just changing ownership; we’re gaining committed partners who understand our business, value our franchise network, and are ready to invest in our collective success.”
Skyline structured this investment alongside Standard Communities’ Co-Founders and Principals Jeffrey Jaeger and Scott Alter, whose expertise in affordable housing development complements Buddy’s mission of serving families across the U.S. Together, Jaeger and Alter bring deep experience in capital formation, balance sheet management, and strategic growth. Their partnership with Skyline ensures Buddy’s is well-capitalized and positioned to invest meaningfully in growth, innovation, and long-term value creation.
“Our collaboration with Skyline on this deal reflects our confidence in their creative approach to investing,” said Jeffrey Jaeger. “By working together, we’re able to bring flexible capital solutions to businesses that strengthen the communities they serve. We look forward to this next phase for Buddy’s and its franchisees.”
Skyline is focused on supporting franchise health and operational improvements with a long-term, collaborative approach. Building on its experience investing in rent-to-own businesses, including Majik Rent-to-Own, Skyline brings practical industry insight to help strengthen Buddy’s operations and drive sustainable growth.
“Buddy’s represents exactly the type of platform opportunity we’re built to support,” said Skyline Investors’ Founder and Managing Partner Kevin Tom. “With Buddy’s proven brand and strong franchise network, there’s a clear runway for growth. We’re excited to roll up our sleeves alongside the management team and franchisees to strengthen operations, support local owners with focus on their profitability, and invest in the next chapter of the business.”
Skyline is actively seeking opportunities to invest in underserved businesses in the healthcare, consumer and business services, technology, and domestic manufacturing sectors.