Online Estate Agents
- Thread starter SteveS1
- Start date
Clive D
Low fidelity victim
I’ve never used one but my son has. He & his girlfriend bought a house last year, it was on with Burple Pricks. I think that’s what they were called….
From his perspective:
Good - they failed to mention there was a downstairs toilet or a garage. The property was a two bedroom terrace in a North Bristol suburb, a typical first home. It was probably undervalued by £15,000.
Bad - almost impossible to get an answer from BP, they rarely answered their phone. Fortunately he got the seller’s phone number & email address so was able to get most of his questions answered.
Ugly - cheap for a reason but when you consider what many Estate Agents are like you can understand their popularity.
From his perspective:
Good - they failed to mention there was a downstairs toilet or a garage. The property was a two bedroom terrace in a North Bristol suburb, a typical first home. It was probably undervalued by £15,000.
Bad - almost impossible to get an answer from BP, they rarely answered their phone. Fortunately he got the seller’s phone number & email address so was able to get most of his questions answered.
Ugly - cheap for a reason but when you consider what many Estate Agents are like you can understand their popularity.
My daughter used Zoopla and they were about as much use as a chocolate fire guard. The only good thing was that the picturesque were good, my daughter basically did their job and had she not it is doubtful she would have sold. You get what you pay for but to be fair both my daughters are in the process of buying and the estate agents have been downright devious.
guey
pfm Member
Purple Bricks, and their recommended conveyancer held up our last house move by about three months.
We didn't use them, but other people in the chain did.
As said above, almost impossible to get hold of them; their conveyancer missed a couple of important points, and were amazingly slow in sorting searchs etc.
We didn't use them, but other people in the chain did.
As said above, almost impossible to get hold of them; their conveyancer missed a couple of important points, and were amazingly slow in sorting searchs etc.
TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
We did three property transactions last year involving the same bricks and mortar estate agent (Rettie & Co) .They were recommended by a neighbour, a solicitor who sold his house with them and they’re highly effective at selling- in particular sniffing out the buyers with the most free cash and knowing how far they would go, so when we were buying a property they were selling we knew what they would get up to. They will agree a target price based fee - if they fail to hit their % is cut. In the end with the closing date/ sealed bids system in Scotland we knew we would have to offer an amount that would eliminate the seven other known bidders.
JensenHealey
pfm Member
There have been well publicised issues with Purple Bricks. Especially so when people have been railroaded into using their 'preferred' or in-house conveyancing service.
But equally some local solicitors can be very tardy - someone I know is just completing a house move that has taken since last October - for no good reason. As soon as she has completed, the ombudsman is going to be hearing from her.
But equally some local solicitors can be very tardy - someone I know is just completing a house move that has taken since last October - for no good reason. As soon as she has completed, the ombudsman is going to be hearing from her.
simon g
Older, wiser but no longer retired
When we were looking around to buy a house for retirement a couple of years back, we saw 2 or 3 that were being marketed by PB. Trying to view them, or even get any sensible answers to reasonable questions, was a real struggle. May advice; use an established, well regarded Agent that you can actually talk to and visit, if necessary. It may cost more, but it'll almost certainly work out better for all concerned.
Ponty
pfm Member
True. My recent buyers solicitor was dreadful. Didn’t check their mortgage funds were in from the bank the day before completion. Morning of completion, no funds. Very nearly caused me to be in breach of contract on my purchase. Still ended up costing me £600 due to their negligence with no recourse, cost them nothing. Never buying / selling again.
Tony Lockhart
Avoiding Stress, at Every Opportunity
I’ll be selling a family park home at some point.
The landlord and other residents have warned me away from one particular online agent as they have a reputation for taking a client’s £1,500 fee and then sitting back and doing nothing. Eventually the client’s frustration becomes too much, so they leave, thus losing their £1,500. The key to this is promising a much higher sale price than the competition offers, thus guaranteeing it won’t sell.
Be careful!
The landlord and other residents have warned me away from one particular online agent as they have a reputation for taking a client’s £1,500 fee and then sitting back and doing nothing. Eventually the client’s frustration becomes too much, so they leave, thus losing their £1,500. The key to this is promising a much higher sale price than the competition offers, thus guaranteeing it won’t sell.
Be careful!
CraShWilliams
pfm Member
Wife used PB and was very unhappy, very shoddy service - no answers to questions etc - very much wishes she had used the local estate agent, someone she could call in on or pick up the phone to.
MikeMA
pfm Member
I've no direct personal experience, but one of my daughters works in a bricks-and-mortar estate agent and tells me that she and all the other traditional agents in the chain are filled with dread as soon as they find out an on-line agent is involved anywhere along the line. Yes, you pay more with a traditional agent, and things can and do still go wrong, but at least there is someone to visit and shout at.
kensalriser
pfm Member
Two basic agent tricks:
Overvalue so they get the listing on their books (as above).
Undervalue so they get a quick sale.
Tony Lockhart
Avoiding Stress, at Every Opportunity
But, with a traditional agent, no sale equals no money coming in. The online thieves who charge upfront have no such worries. It's in their interest for the client to walk away.
hifinutt
hifinutt
bought a house last year with purple bricks . came on market on friday at about 5pm on a cold january weekend in the middle of covid . booked to see it next morning and offered and bought it next day in the evening at asking price . At no time did anyone check i was genuine , not a time waster . i could have been hannibal lector , penniless and still been able to book to see it !!!
So the advantage for me was i could buy it fast , when high street agents were closed in the evening .
Throughout the process my surveyor could not get hold of the agent . the only way was organise it ourselves as you get to talk to the vendor yourself . now i could see this getting very nasty in some cases when things go pear shaped as they do .
on the day of completion NO ONE told me it was completed so i could get the keys .
So overall i would give purple bricks 1/10 for accessibility only and would never use them again ever . i was pretty angry with them i must say
So the advantage for me was i could buy it fast , when high street agents were closed in the evening .
Throughout the process my surveyor could not get hold of the agent . the only way was organise it ourselves as you get to talk to the vendor yourself . now i could see this getting very nasty in some cases when things go pear shaped as they do .
on the day of completion NO ONE told me it was completed so i could get the keys .
So overall i would give purple bricks 1/10 for accessibility only and would never use them again ever . i was pretty angry with them i must say
hifinutt
hifinutt
yes this is very common practice
mandryka
pfm Member
I had to do a reference last year for a tenant. The landlord of the property my tenant was moving to said she was using Purple Bricks as a letting agent, and that they were fabulous. I'm so sick of paying renewal commissions to agents that I said to myself that the next time I get something on the market I'll give them a try. But so far, all my tenants are staying so I can't report further.
venton
pfm Member
Let's face it, you use them to save a ton of money. The house goes on rightmove and that's what sells it. If you can face a bit of aggro but want to save thousands go for it. I've used them, did the viewings myself and someone bought the house, it's not rocket science.
Don't kid yourself that high street agents are amazing, they're not!
Don't kid yourself that high street agents are amazing, they're not!