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Original poster

Online ESTATE AGENTS experience/recommendations

36 replies

topsyturvypants · 08/09/2022 17:02

Having had a shocker with our local estate agents, we would like to sell our house with someone like purple bricks, or Sold.
Does anyone have experience of using any online estate agents and recommendations?
Thank you

OP posts:
TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 08/09/2022 17:51

I used an online agent a few years ago who have since gone bust (eMoov). The problem wasn't selling the house but getting the sale through to competition. They didn't vet my buyers well enough so four months into the sale they couldn't get a mortgage (self employed), so they pulled out. By this time I was heavily invested in my purchase so went up for sale with the same agent I was buying through - sold again in 48 hours and the manager who was a bit of a Rottweiler pushed & pushed it through to completion.

Online agents list on Rightmove so advertising is on par with local agents but they don't seem to have the same commitment to push it through all the torturous comings and goings of a sale.

Twiglets1 · 08/09/2022 18:07

I wouldn’t use an online agent. I would just try another local agent.

senua · 08/09/2022 18:11

I've seen people on here saying that they wouldn't buy through PB. You could lose some potential purchasers.

sparklecement · 08/09/2022 20:13

you restrict your market using online. It does depend on what house you have and where. A lot of buyers won’t buy via an online agent such as PB and that’s before you even get to the Conveyancing process which, if connected to the online agency, will be a bucket shop, last minute outfit. Causing you stress.

PeachTea1 · 08/09/2022 21:02

We’ve used Purple Bricks to sell our place they’ve been alright! I’d use them again based on our experience.
We’re buying a property through Strike and they’ve been useless - they had no information on either property we viewed with them, it was pointless them being there. They’re also incredibly slow on email - we chased them three time on an issue, they then emailed us on a fresh chain days later asking for an “urgent response” to the thing we’d been chasing them on…

pompei8309 · 08/09/2022 21:13

I used Purple Brick many times, family member recently used Strike and they were pleased, after many disputes and disappointment from the high street estate agents I will only sell through Purple Bricks, buying is not too much of an issue as I don’t deal with them too much after the viewing has been taken place

MrsPeacockDidIt · 08/09/2022 21:55

We are buying a property on with purple bricks and it’s been a nightmare from our end. Our estate agent and myself have had to pick up so much of the slack of PB agent and conveyancers not doing much and not responding to queries. Luckily my seller was happy to directly liaise with me through the app but it’s not ideal

IrisVersicolor · 08/09/2022 22:28

I tried to buy a flat that was on with Purple Bricks. I had to do all the estate agent’s work. Their model means they get their fee upfront so the agents cba to do their job. He was the shittest most ignorant agent I’ve ever met, and that’s saying something.

So not only would I never use to sell a property, I would never buy a property on with them.

The low fee may seem tempting, but you get what you pay for.

Twiglets1 · 09/09/2022 05:42

When my daughter was buying a flat recently we stopped bothering with properties on with PB, Strike etc. It was difficult & annoying to organise viewings- they barely respond to emails. At least with a traditional estate agent you can physically walk into the office if their online communication is poor.
It’s a false economy when you’re trying to sell your biggest asset worth £££.

hesbeen2021 · 09/09/2022 06:55

I sold a £375,000 house couple of years ago with Doorsteps for the total cost of £250. It was the fourth house I've sold and I'd never sell again with high street EA where it would have cost me almost £4,000
The photographer came and took amazing photos on the Thursday or Friday and the house was live on right move on the Monday. I wrote the blurb about the cottage as it was rural and quite unusual. It sold in a month after I dropped the price from 400,000 ( which was a bit optimistic)
The buyers were lovely and I really think this helped as Doorsteps didn't actually make any further communication after the sale was agreed. You need to be prepared to show buyers around yourself which I much prefer anyway
I bought the conveyancing package through them too so got a great deal and went as well as any I've done through local solicitors. I didn't buy straight away and was able to port half of the conveyancing cost until I found a new property.
I'd looked at Purple bricks but decided to go with this cheaper option as thought I'd have less to lose if it didnt sell ( you pay upfront to Doorsteps)
Promise I'm not an agent for them! I rave to everyone but so many people end up going to high street agents as find the idea unappealing

hesbeen2021 · 09/09/2022 06:58

I've just had a look at Doorsteps again and the cost is now £499

hgaj · 09/09/2022 07:41

Online agents are ok if you know what you're doing and are prepared to do viewings, vet your buyers and do the negotiation but I wouldn't pick either of the ones you've mentioned.
Sold has a dodgy looking business model ("no fees to seller")
Purple bricks is expensive for an online agent

TheMoonisaBalloon · 09/09/2022 07:43

@topsyturvypants

Don't bother - that's it really.

mondaytosunday · 09/09/2022 07:47

I buy and sell property and hate Purple Bricks and have not had much joy from other online agents. I think just unlocking a door is not enough - and the online offering process is a joke.

Joewasmyfave · 09/09/2022 07:47

Used purple bricks and great from my pov. It was my 3rd house Ive sold I knew I would be showing potential buyers round more and need to be proactive pushing everything along but needed to do that with the 2x previous agents (Haart and Connells) so only difference was I saved a chunk of money. Word to the wise though PB pressured me big time to accept 295k on a house up for 315 several times but I held my nerve we got a 310k offer within a week from another buyer. My feeling was they thrive in slightly lower but quick frequent sales so don't let them pressure you.

HeyBlaby · 09/09/2022 07:50

Sold my house with Strike, viewings are easy to sort as people request viewings directly with you online and you arrange a time/date, I can only assume people getting frustrated were being ignored by the vendor.

Make sure they have properly vetted the buyer before accepting an offer and be prepared to have to push them a bit for updates along the way, to me it was worth the saving we made (we paid nothing) but then it was a straightforward sale with tiny chain.

Cluelessasacucumber · 09/09/2022 08:07

Just bought through Purplebricks (we have another name for them...) and it was the most stressful experience of my life to date. Our sellers were ended up on the verge of a breakdown, and are now perusing formal complaints (not that it'll make a difference).

Process which should have taken 3 months, took 8. PB repeatedly lied and misled both us and our sellers. The "postsale support team" are just a call center, they have no incentive to help and no training.

Original poster
topsyturvypants · 09/09/2022 20:21

Thanks all for your input, interesting to hear your experiences , sorry for those who have had a terrible time!

OP posts:
Itmakessense · 13/09/2022 07:32

Find a small independent agent all of the big groups are on referral fees (bungs). Ask them if they receive referral fees and if not then fix your set price. Don't go with %ages. There are not enough houses on the market currently so a sellers market. Pick a good conveyancer (recommended) who does not pay referral fees (ask them) and then you are good to go.

If you use an agent who demands referral fees then they will not promote your property to potential buyers who refuse to use the agents preferred solicitor/conveyancer. This is a fact contrary to what anyone else says on here or anywhere else.

Personally I would not use online companies. That is up to you.

Good luck.

Whatevergetsyouthroughthenight · 13/09/2022 07:45

I tried using Doorsteps to sell a property after after a bereavement, it was a distance away from me so I paid for their viewing package. TLDR: don’t touch them with a barge pole.

Guy who did the photos did a great job (independent sub contractor) and I was happy with the listing, looked great. That’s when they chase you and chase you to leave a good trust pilot review.

The team supposedly organising the viewings were useless and they didn’t book a single viewing from multiple enquiries. I started contacting the potential viewers myself who were all telling me how shite the company was, I chased and tried to co-ordinate between the company and the viewers, complained etc, still they didn’t set up a single viewing.

I ended up making separate arrangements for viewings and asked for my money back. I only got it back after multiple fobbing offs when I contacted them and told them if the refund for the viewing fee wasn’t in my bank in x days I was taking them to the small claims court.

Even if you are doing your own viewings, I was told by potential buyers that the system to request a booking is complex and time consuming. I wouldn’t touch one of these companies with a barge pole unless I had tried out the system from the other end as a buyer first (pretend to be interested in a local property and see what they are like) and as a seller I was planning to do my own viewings.

Attictroll · 13/09/2022 07:47

Tried purple bricks awful experience ended up costing us time and money. Mostly because valuation was done by someone who covered such a wide area he didn't get the area

Dukemartin · 17/02/2023 10:53

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Bobshhh · 17/02/2023 10:55

A house sale we were part of fell through because of purple bricks. I'd never use them.

Mildura · 17/02/2023 11:14

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Duke, are you actually part of the Umega marketing team...?

mickeysmug · 17/02/2023 11:46

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Haha. I work in property covering Edinburgh and I’ve never heard of Umega.