Purplebricks: The Online Estate Agent, Unpacked
If you have been thinking about selling your home in the UK, the name Purplebricks has almost certainly crossed your path. Whether you spotted one of their television advertisements, saw a board outside a neighbour’s house, or came across the brand while researching estate agent options online, Purplebricks has become one of the most recognisable names in the British property market. But what exactly is it, how does it work, and is it the right choice for your circumstances? This guide walks you through everything you need to know, from the model itself to the packages on offer, so you can make a well-informed decision about your property sale.
What Are Purplebricks? A Clear Overview of the Hybrid Estate Agent Model
Purplebricks is a British hybrid estate agency that combines the convenience of an online platform with the support of locally based property professionals. Founded in 2012 by brothers Michael and Kenny Bruce, who had previously run a traditional high-street agency called Burchell Edwards, the business was built on a straightforward idea: by eliminating the overhead costs of physical offices and moving operations online, it would be possible to pass significant savings on to the seller. The name was reportedly chosen because “purple” represented a sense of quality and distinction, while “bricks” nodded directly to the world of property.
The company grew rapidly in its early years, listing on the AIM stock market in December 2015 and at one point accounting for a substantial share of the UK’s online agency sector. In 2023, following a period of financial difficulty, Purplebricks was acquired by fellow online agent Strike. Under new ownership, the business relaunched with a refreshed pricing structure and a renewed focus on transparency and value. Today, Purplebricks continues to operate as one of the most prominent names in the online and hybrid estate agency space across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The fundamental difference between Purplebricks and a traditional high-street agency comes down to how the service is structured and how fees are calculated. A conventional estate agent typically charges a commission of between one and three percent of the final sale price, meaning the fee grows as the value of the property grows. Purplebricks, by contrast, operates on a flat-fee or tiered package basis, meaning you know the cost upfront rather than waiting to see what your sale price turns out to be.
How Does the Purplebricks Selling Process Work?
Understanding the step-by-step process is important before committing to any estate agent, and Purplebricks is no different. The process is largely managed through a combination of their online dashboard, a mobile app, and direct communication with a Local Property Expert assigned to your area.
Step One: Book a Free Property Valuation
The process begins when you request a valuation. Purplebricks offers both in-person and virtual valuation options, and this initial appointment is free of charge regardless of which package you choose. A Local Property Expert visits your home or connects with you online to assess its condition, review comparable sales in the surrounding area, and suggest a competitive asking price. You receive a full valuation report following this appointment, giving you a clear picture of where your property sits in the current market.
Step Two: Choose Your Selling Package
Once your valuation is complete and you are ready to proceed, you select one of the available selling packages. Purplebricks currently offers a tiered structure designed to give sellers flexibility depending on how much support they want and what their budget allows. As of 2025, the three main packages are:
- Free: Covers the core essentials including valuation, a property listing, negotiation support, and ongoing communication with your assigned expert. Note that with the free package, your property is advertised on the Purplebricks platform, but portal listings on Rightmove and Zoopla are not included.
- Boost (£999): Includes enhanced photography, a premium Rightmove listing, a floor plan, and access to mortgage advice. This package gives your property significantly wider exposure across the UK’s most visited property portals.
- Full House (£1,499): The most comprehensive option, adding hosted viewings and dedicated mortgage advice on top of everything included in the Boost package. This is particularly useful for sellers who do not want to conduct viewings themselves or who have limited availability.
Each package can be paid upfront, split across payments, or deferred until completion, depending on personal preference and financial circumstances.
Step Three: Listing Creation and Going Live
Once you have chosen your package, your Local Property Expert helps create your property listing. This includes arranging professional photography, drafting the written description, and producing a floor plan. You review and approve everything before it goes live, ensuring your home is presented accurately and compellingly. Your listing is then published across the agreed platforms, including Rightmove and Zoopla where included in your package.
Step Four: Managing Viewings and Offers
After your property goes live, enquiries and viewing requests come directly to you through the Purplebricks app and online dashboard. You can track activity, respond to messages, manage booking slots, and receive offers all from one central hub. For sellers on the Free or Boost packages who have not added hosted viewings, this means coordinating and conducting viewings themselves. Those on the Full House package, or who have added hosted viewings as an optional extra, will have a viewing assistant attend on their behalf.
Step Five: Negotiation, Offer Acceptance, and Completion
When an offer is received, your Local Property Expert provides guidance on negotiating with the buyer to secure the best possible outcome. Once an offer is accepted, the legal process moves to a conveyancer or solicitor who handles the contracts, searches, and exchange of funds through to completion. Purplebricks can recommend conveyancing services, though sellers are free to appoint their own solicitor independently.
Purplebricks Local Property Experts: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
One of the defining features of the Purplebricks model is the use of Local Property Experts, often referred to as LPEs. These are licensed agents assigned to specific geographic areas who serve as your primary point of contact throughout the selling process. They handle the initial valuation, assist with marketing strategy, advise on pricing, and provide support during negotiations.
It is worth understanding how these professionals differ from agents at a traditional high-street firm. LPEs are largely self-employed and cover broader geographic territories than a typical branch-based agent. Their knowledge of the local market is a genuine asset, particularly when it comes to setting the right asking price and advising on how to present a property effectively. However, the scale of their coverage means the relationship can feel less personalised than working with an agent who is physically based in your town or village and focused exclusively on that immediate area.
For many sellers, particularly those who are digitally confident and comfortable managing their own viewings, the LPE model works well. For others, especially first-time sellers or those dealing with more complex or unusual properties, a more hands-on and locally embedded approach may be preferable.
Comparing Purplebricks to Traditional High-Street Estate Agents
The comparison between Purplebricks and a conventional estate agent is one of the most common questions sellers ask, and it is worth exploring honestly rather than simply looking at the headline price difference.
The most obvious advantage of using Purplebricks is the potential saving on fees. On an average UK property priced at around £288,000, a traditional agent charging 1.42% plus VAT would cost approximately £4,800 or more. Purplebricks’ packages sit well below that figure, meaning the fee saving alone can be meaningful. For sellers of higher-value properties, the difference is even more pronounced.
That said, the payment structure is an important consideration. Traditional agents typically charge nothing unless the property sells. Purplebricks’ paid packages, once the service has been rendered, are generally non-refundable even if the sale does not proceed. This is a meaningful distinction for anyone selling in a slow market, dealing with an unusual property type, or facing circumstances that might require them to withdraw from the market at short notice.
There are also differences in the depth of service. A traditional estate agent handles virtually every aspect of the sale on your behalf, from managing communication with buyers and solicitors to chasing the chain and problem-solving when issues arise. With Purplebricks, particularly at the lower tier packages, more of the day-to-day management falls to the seller themselves. This works well for organised and proactive sellers, but can feel overwhelming for those who prefer to delegate.
The level of local market intelligence also varies. Purplebricks operates nationally, which gives it broad reach, but high-street agents with deep roots in a specific community often bring a granular understanding of buyer demand, local pricing trends, and neighbourhood-specific nuances that a nationally deployed LPE may not always match.
Who Is Purplebricks Best Suited For?
Purplebricks is not the right fit for every seller, and being honest about this helps you make a smarter decision. The model tends to work particularly well in the following situations:
- Standard properties in active markets. If your home is a straightforward house or flat in an area with consistent buyer demand, it is more likely to attract interest quickly through a well-placed portal listing. The simpler the property and the more active the market, the more the Purplebricks model is likely to perform effectively.
- Cost-conscious sellers with time to manage the process. If keeping fees low is a primary priority and you are comfortable engaging with the platform, managing your own viewings, and staying on top of correspondence, the savings can be genuinely worthwhile.
- Sellers who are digitally confident. The entire process is built around an app and online dashboard. Sellers who are comfortable with technology and prefer having real-time visibility over every aspect of their sale will find the platform intuitive and useful.
- Those who prefer transparency over commission. Knowing your exact fee from the outset, rather than watching it scale with the final sale price, appeals to many sellers who find commission-based structures opaque.
Conversely, sellers with unique or high-value properties, those in slower or more competitive local markets, first-time sellers who need comprehensive guidance, or anyone who places a premium on having an agent who will proactively manage every detail from start to finish, may find more value in a traditional high-street agency.
Purplebricks’ Online Platform and Property Dashboard
One area where Purplebricks consistently receives positive feedback is the technology behind the service. The Purplebricks online dashboard and mobile app give sellers a clear, real-time view of their sale at any hour of the day or night. You can see exactly how many people have viewed your listing, how many enquiries have been received, which viewing slots have been booked, and what feedback has come in following each visit to the property.
This level of transparency is a genuine improvement over many traditional arrangements, where sellers often rely on their agent making contact with updates rather than having direct access to the data themselves. For anyone who values being in control of the process and wants to monitor performance closely, the dashboard is a strong feature.
Purplebricks for Landlords: Letting and Property Management Services
Beyond selling, Purplebricks also offers a range of services for landlords. These include tenant-find packages, rent collection management, and fully managed letting services. Landlords can access a rental calculator to estimate achievable monthly income, and the platform provides support at each stage of the tenancy process, from listing the property and vetting tenants to ongoing management of the rental relationship. For smaller landlords who want professional support without the cost of a traditional letting agent, this represents a worthwhile option to explore alongside established specialists such as those at Reuterings.
Purplebricks Fees: What You Actually Pay
Understanding the full picture of costs before committing is essential. While the headline packages are straightforward, there are optional add-ons that sellers should be aware of:
- Hosted viewings: If you opt for a package that does not include viewings and then decide to add them later, this comes at an additional cost.
- Premium portal listings: A featured or highlighted listing on Rightmove offers greater visibility and can improve the volume of enquiries, but comes at an added price.
- Mortgage advice: Purplebricks offers access to mortgage advisors, typically for a fee of up to 1%, with a typical cost of £299. This service is optional and sellers are free to seek independent mortgage advice elsewhere.
- Conveyancing referrals: Purplebricks can recommend conveyancing services. Sellers should take care to compare these with independent quotes, as the rates offered through referral arrangements are not always the most competitive available on the open market.
Being clear about which extras you need before selecting a package ensures you are not surprised by the total cost once these additions are factored in.
What Customers Say About Purplebricks
Customer opinion on Purplebricks covers a wide spectrum, and reading reviews across multiple independent platforms gives a more balanced picture than relying on any single source. Sellers who have had positive experiences frequently praise the ease of use of the platform, the professionalism of their assigned Local Property Expert, the speed with which their property was listed, and the overall saving on fees when compared to a traditional agent.
Critical reviews tend to focus on communication delays, particularly at busy periods, and the variability in quality between different Local Property Experts depending on the area. Some sellers have also noted that the more hands-off nature of the service, particularly at the lower package levels, means you need to be proactive about chasing progress and managing correspondence. The experience can vary meaningfully based on the individual LPE assigned to your sale.
Is Purplebricks the Right Choice for Selling Your Home in 2025?
Purplebricks occupies a well-defined space in the UK property market. It offers a credible, lower-cost alternative to traditional estate agencies for sellers who are willing to take a more active role in the process and who are comfortable managing much of their sale digitally. The platform itself is polished and functional, the free valuation is a genuinely useful starting point, and the potential savings compared to commission-based agencies are real and meaningful for many homeowners.
The key is matching the model to your own situation. If you are selling a well-presented property in a healthy local market, you have the time and organisational confidence to manage viewings and correspondence, and keeping your selling costs as low as possible is a priority, Purplebricks represents a sensible and practical choice. If you are dealing with a complex sale, a challenging property, an uncertain market, or you simply prefer to hand the process over entirely to an expert you can call at any time and trust to manage every detail, the additional cost of a full-service traditional agent may be worth every penny.
As with any significant financial decision, taking the time to understand exactly what is included in each package, what optional extras will cost, and how each model performs in your specific local market will always lead to a better outcome than making a choice based on price alone.
