Purplebricks, Yopa or private

LostMyMSEAccount

fishfingerbutties said:

I was buying a house previously that was being sold through PB and didn't really have any issues. I actually viewed a couple through PB and one through HouseSimple (as I think Strike was back then). I was moving up to a new area and actually found it really handy having the sellers show me round as I could ask lots of questions about the area as well as the house itself.

But it's not for everyone. I think for an 'easy house' (so freehold, family house, bog standard kind of house) it's probably a little easier. And as you read on here many people have had issues getting viewings or kite flying sellers (although I'm not sure why people are viewing them if they are that kite flying...)

For the sake of a few hundred quid, personally I'd go for a local agent. I'd be a bit more tempted once the difference starts to become a bit more stark.

I think the local agent are desperately trying to compete with PB tbh. I'm going to go local though.

LostMyMSEAccount

I went with my local EA and it was a great decision. They've worked tirelessly to ensure my house is sold, although they haven't done any of the viewings which I opted to do.
PurpleBricks are already showing their true colours. There's a house in the area that is absolutely perfect and I want to view and their booking system is saying Wednesday? No other Estate Agent has required a whole 2 days before being able to show me a house. The others have been the same day, or tomorrow.....

Painful. 

LostMyMSEAccount

For anyone reading this, please reconsider using your local estate agents. Purplebricks are proving to be useless at selling a fairly expensive property right now... 

field1990

I sold my house via Doorsteps for £99 and sold within a week and they have been great and even have done follow up calls with me and the buyers since SSTC.
We previously listed six months prior with a local agent and didnt sell at all and the viewings they sent were people that couldnt even afford the house or didnt want a house like ours so was a waste us taking time off for viewings. Using the online agent let us have control of who was coming to view our house and know their personal situation and we were able to speak to the buyers direct which was so much easier to negotiate on. Plus saved us £5,500 in EA fees going to Doorsteps!

My case might be a fluke but for £99 we gave it a try and thankfully it worked

yllop1101

LostMyMSEAccount said:

I went with my local EA and it was a great decision. They've worked tirelessly to ensure my house is sold, although they haven't done any of the viewings which I opted to do.
PurpleBricks are already showing their true colours. There's a house in the area that is absolutely perfect and I want to view and their booking system is saying Wednesday? No other Estate Agent has required a whole 2 days before being able to show me a house. The others have been the same day, or tomorrow.....

Painful. 

This will also be in part down to the seller, who, if doing viewings themselves, can set their own availability. Pretty sure you can request viewings sooner with PB, they're just not confirmed until the agent/owner has confirmed them?
I'm not PBs biggest fan but I did use them, I sold my flat easily, their after sale support is poor however and they don't routinely keep in touch with the buyer or seller, it's entirely on the individuals to draw PB in or contact the buyer/seller directly if needed. 

LostMyMSEAccount

field1990 said:

I sold my house via Doorsteps for £99 and sold within a week and they have been great and even have done follow up calls with me and the buyers since SSTC.
We previously listed six months prior with a local agent and didnt sell at all and the viewings they sent were people that couldnt even afford the house or didnt want a house like ours so was a waste us taking time off for viewings. Using the online agent let us have control of who was coming to view our house and know their personal situation and we were able to speak to the buyers direct which was so much easier to negotiate on. Plus saved us £5,500 in EA fees going to Doorsteps!

My case might be a fluke but for £99 we gave it a try and thankfully it worked

But you are doing your own viewings. For this house, purple bricks is doing the viewings as it is vacant and the owner is not available to do viewings. It's an expensive property. I'm in a situation where I can make an offer right now and am very interested in the house.... but the Purplebricks rep is a bit too busy for a few days to deal with me.
No other Estate Agent has been like this. I've been able to get a viewing, usually the same day or next day, regardless of whether it's the EA or owner showing me around. Purplebricks were unavailable yesterday, unavailable today and can only do a very short time period tomorrow. 

field1990

LostMyMSEAccount said:

field1990 said:

I sold my house via Doorsteps for £99 and sold within a week and they have been great and even have done follow up calls with me and the buyers since SSTC.
We previously listed six months prior with a local agent and didnt sell at all and the viewings they sent were people that couldnt even afford the house or didnt want a house like ours so was a waste us taking time off for viewings. Using the online agent let us have control of who was coming to view our house and know their personal situation and we were able to speak to the buyers direct which was so much easier to negotiate on. Plus saved us £5,500 in EA fees going to Doorsteps!

My case might be a fluke but for £99 we gave it a try and thankfully it worked

But you are doing your own viewings. For this house, purple bricks is doing the viewings as it is vacant and the owner is not available to do viewings. It's an expensive property. I'm in a situation where I can make an offer right now and am very interested in the house.... but the Purplebricks rep is a bit too busy for a few days to deal with me.
No other Estate Agent has been like this. I've been able to get a viewing, usually the same day or next day, regardless of whether it's the EA or owner showing me around. Purplebricks were unavailable yesterday, unavailable today and can only do a very short time period tomorrow. 

Sorry I hadnt read the full story - was just commenting on my experience with online vs local agents. I have actually viewed someone's house who was with purple bricks and done the next day so not sure I'm afraid!

bagand96

LostMyMSEAccount said:

field1990 said:

I sold my house via Doorsteps for £99 and sold within a week and they have been great and even have done follow up calls with me and the buyers since SSTC.
We previously listed six months prior with a local agent and didnt sell at all and the viewings they sent were people that couldnt even afford the house or didnt want a house like ours so was a waste us taking time off for viewings. Using the online agent let us have control of who was coming to view our house and know their personal situation and we were able to speak to the buyers direct which was so much easier to negotiate on. Plus saved us £5,500 in EA fees going to Doorsteps!

My case might be a fluke but for £99 we gave it a try and thankfully it worked

But you are doing your own viewings. For this house, purple bricks is doing the viewings as it is vacant and the owner is not available to do viewings. It's an expensive property. I'm in a situation where I can make an offer right now and am very interested in the house.... but the Purplebricks rep is a bit too busy for a few days to deal with me.
No other Estate Agent has been like this. I've been able to get a viewing, usually the same day or next day, regardless of whether it's the EA or owner showing me around. Purplebricks were unavailable yesterday, unavailable today and can only do a very short time period tomorrow. 

As with all these things one it varies on a case by case basis.  I'm currently in the market to buy and have had similar poor experiences with local estate agents.  One property it took 3 phonecalls before I got a "Sorry we're just very busy, can we call you back in a few days".  I was gobsmcacked!  Does it mean all local EA's are bad? Of course not. 

The thing with PB is that it needs a motivated seller really who is happy to put some leg work in themselves and take some responsibility in exchange for the cost saving.  That's when it works best.  Sellers who just choose an online agent for the cheap price then sit around waiting for it to sell will be disappointed, and make life hard for their potential buyers.