Article Archive

Sizing up Purplebricks alternatives: online estate agent competitors league table

A recent survey by YouGov for SellingUp.com showed that 39% of property owners had heard of Purplebricks – but not many people know just how many alternative online estate agents there are to choose from. Ongoing research into the sector by SellingUp.com enables us to estimate that there are approximately 50 credible online estate agents in the UK – that’s a lot of consumer choice. Read more »

Why does Purplebricks call itself a hybrid estate agent?

[Important SellingUp information: Housesimple is now called Strike and its property selling service is now 100% FREE. That means with Strike you can sell your property with no estate agent’s fees. For fully updated information on this opportunity to sell your home without paying a estate agent please visit the Strike website.]

Once upon a time – way, way back in the early noughties – they were simply called ‘estate agents’. Read more »

One in three would ‘seriously consider’ an online estate agent – YouGov/SellingUp

One third of property owners in the UK would “seriously consider” hiring an online agent if selling tomorrow, according to exclusive YouGov research for SellingUp.com. The polling company asked 1300 about their willingness to use an online fixed fee estate agent charging £300-£800 instead of paying a high street agency’s commission.

surveyThe purpose of the survey was to get a better understanding of sellers’ attitudes to the online estate agency sector and assess the potential size of the market. Read more »

Who is the best online estate agent?

Every year there are a series of industry prizes for the best estate agents in the UK. Entries cover a wide range of different areas and almost every aspect of the sector. Of course, what makes an agent ‘the best’ is not only somewhat subjective but depends on the criteria set – but here’s what the judges say about the online agencies… Read more »

Purplebricks easily most recognisable online estate agent – YouGov/SellingUp

In the month of its stock market launch, Purplebricks has been shown to be easily the most recognisable online estate agency. A poll of 1300 homeowners by YouGov for SellingUp.com found that 39% knew the Purplebricks name, even though it only launched in April 2014.

The survey revealed Purplebricks to have a far higher brand awareness than all of its six major online estate agents rivals combined, who between them tallied 22% recognition. Read more »

How Purplebricks brothers built £70million fortune from failure in under four years

[Important content update: Housesimple is now called Strike and its property selling service is now 100% FREE. That means with Strike you can sell your property with no estate agent’s fees. For fully updated information on this opportunity to sell your home without paying a estate agent please visit the Strike website.]

Purplebricks online estate agent launched on the London Stock Exchange today with a valuation of £240 million.  Read more »

SellingUp/Populus survey: the property dealbreakers that could ruin your sale

Any estate agent will tell you about typical property buyers’ most obvious dealbreakers: think location, space, condition, transport links, crime, local schools and so on. But what about the many hidden factors that could make an otherwise keen property buyer reduce their offer – or worse, lose interest in the purchase entirely?

When a buyer changes the price they are tearing up the contract

Does having a bad mobile reception matter to buyers more than living next door to a cemetery? Read more »

How to get your conveyancing solicitor to work harder on your sale

Hiring a solicitor is one of the first things you will do when selling your property. They provide a vital service and like estate agents are an integral cog in the property selling machine. The truth is though that you don’t actually have to use a traditional high street estate agent.

If you want to save a few thousand pounds you can try giving the marketing of your property to one of the cheap online estate agents who will stick it on Rightmove and Zoopla for a few hundred pounds and you can do the rest yourself (viewings, negotiation etc.) Read more »

Online estate agents league table: size, growth and sales data on Zoopla

Online estate agency is a fast evolving sector with a handful of big competitors dominating and a large number of small entrants. With more than one claiming to be ‘the biggest in the UK’, SellingUp.com decided to look at who is leading in terms of number of properties listed on Zoopla.

League table of online estate agents

zoopla oea table

Note: The agencies in the table are ranked by the first column of figures: ‘Residential properties listed for sale’.
Read more »

What are online estate agents? A beginner’s guide to the new way to sell

[Important SellingUp information: Housesimple is now called Strike and its property selling service is now 100% FREE. That means with Strike you can sell your property with no estate agent’s fees. For fully updated information on this opportunity to sell your home without paying a estate agent please visit the Strike website.]

Over the past few years a new type of property service has emerged – the ‘online estate agent’ – offering to sell your property for a low fixed fee. Read more »