In my last Natter, I explored the differences between estate agency in the UK and the US with the help of...
Archive

A leading expert on estate agency and the housing market in Australia has lifted the lid on how Purplebricks failed down...
14 August 2020
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks says changes to its fees structure - possibly becoming less reliant on controversial upfront charges - has been delayed until...
03 August 2020
From: Breaking News

The phrase ‘game-changer’ has been hugely overused. But when applied to how Covid-19 is changing the way estate agents will work...
20 June 2020
From: Features

Purplebricks Local Property Experts are asking sellers who are not allowing agents into their homes during the virus crisis to draw...
03 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Hello and another Monday means PJT Day, your regular update on movers in the industry - and it’s March already. If there...
02 March 2020
From: Breaking News

The chief executive of Purplebricks says agents are “miles behind” in using digital information to provide a personalised service. Vic Darvey has given...
13 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks is not revealing details of the different pricing strategies it is testing “in the field” early this year. Last month the...
06 January 2020
From: Breaking News

A statement made by Purplebricks in its trading statement yesterday appears to fly in the face of statements it has made...
13 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks says it’s put four different pricing strategies into the market with a view to testing them in 2020. In a trading...
12 December 2019
From: Breaking News

The relaunched easyProperty hybrid agency is to rely exclusively on local marketing to drive awareness and customers, and not follow the...
09 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Controversy and Purplebricks have gone hand in hand since the agency was first launched in 2012, through its float on the...
18 October 2019
From: Breaking News

Upad, the national online letting agent set up by entrepreneur James Davis has announced that it is “closed to new business”...
15 October 2019
From: Sponsored Content

The Advertising Standards Authority has issued a guidance note warning online estate agents, after complaints about them have “grown dramatically”. “Property is big...
01 August 2019
From: Breaking News

The former chief executive of Purplebricks has defended claims that some Local Property Experts are underpaid, saying that success comes through...
08 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks’ former chief executive Lee Wainwright has made a stout defence of the controversial agency’s sales progression process and its local...
28 June 2019
From: Breaking News

The former chief executive of Purplebricks UK says the agency completes on over 80 per cent of the homes it lists...
25 June 2019
From: Breaking News

A former Territory Owner at Purplebricks, who at one time managed 11 Local Property Experts, has spoken out in support of...
24 June 2019
From: Breaking News

A series of damning reviews about Purplebricks’ working environment, apparently written by existing and former staff, have appeared online. Indeed is a...
19 June 2019
From: Breaking News

The failure of online agencies to significantly disrupt the industry is down to their being too cheap and creating a perception...
16 April 2019
From: Breaking News

Analysts at Berenberg Bank have sharply reduced their price target for Purplebricks by over 80 per cent from 470p to 80p, accusing...
05 April 2019
From: Breaking News

An online estate agency insists the online/hybrid sector will take a 50 per cent market share in the future - despite...
01 April 2019
From: Breaking News

Regional agency Prospect, which already has offices in Berkshire and Surrey, has opened its 10th office at Farnborough in Hampshire. Last year Prospect...
18 March 2019
From: Breaking News
13 March 2019
From: Features

Here’s an unusual story, describing the work of one of Purplebricks’ Local Property Experts who was with the company for around...
04 March 2019
From: Breaking News

The regional agency MoveSelf, which set up in 2017 as an online estate agent, is shifting emphasis towards For Sale By...
05 February 2019
From: Breaking News

The demise of Emoov, Tepilo and lettings platform Urban raises question marks over the long-term viability of online agencies according to...
04 December 2018
From: Breaking News

However mild the weather may have been for most of us, it’s a cold autumn for the online estate agency market...
10 November 2018
From: Features

Fine & Country has opened its latest office in the Lancashire town of Rossendale, specialising in high-end properties across the county. The...
25 September 2018
From: Breaking News

Next week ludlowthompson celebrates its 25th anniversary. Here, I catch up with Stephen Ludlow, co-founder and now executive director of the...
11 August 2018
From: Features

Purplebricks co-founder Michael Bruce says traditional agents sell only around 50 per cent of the homes that they list, so spend...
07 August 2018
From: Breaking News

A businessman who’s just entered the estate agency industry says he’s got the secret behind Purplebricks’ success - even though he...
26 July 2018
From: Breaking News

The Advertising Standards Authority has today issued a three-point guidance note for estate agents, including controversial interpretations of what constitutes a...
18 July 2018
From: Breaking News

A hybrid estate agency has launched in Bury, one of the first of its kind to operate in the UK on...
10 July 2018
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks says it enjoyed an 81 per cent growth in revenue in the UK the year to the end of April and...
05 July 2018
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks says it completely rejects any claim of bullying its representatives in Australia. The Australian Financial Review, which last week reported the...
26 June 2018
From: Breaking News

It looks as if Purplebricks has hit something less than a purple patch in the Australian housing market. The Australian Financial Review,...
22 June 2018
From: Breaking News

Major online agencies appear to be unaffected by yesterday’s Supreme Court decision over workers' rights in the so-called 'gig economy'. Yesterday’s case concerned...
14 June 2018
From: Breaking News

GetAgent, an estate agent comparison website, has won investment from a growth fund that also provides a 10 month advertising campaign on...
11 May 2018
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has returned to the fray after recent controversies with a claim that home owners saved themselves over £140m in commission...
16 April 2018
From: Breaking News

With the rise of Purplebricks in recent years, many will be eager to know what the hybrid agency’s Local Property Experts...
07 April 2018
From: Features

Purplebricks has given details of how it intends to use some of its new investment, and in particular is spelling out...
27 March 2018
From: Breaking News

Why I won’t buy Purplebricks shares and why if I had any, I’d sell fast… In its latest adverts, Purplebricks attempts to...
13 February 2018
From: Features

Controversial new Purplebricks advertisements on social media mock traditional estate agents who “twiddle their thumbs” in offices and claim the hybrid...
13 February 2018
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks’ new UK chief executive officer, Lee Wainwright, is to address a major industry conference in May - his first address...
02 February 2018
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has announced that former Countrywide director Lee Wainwright has been appointed chief executive officer of the hybrid agency’s UK operations...
09 January 2018
From: Breaking News

Here it is - the industry’s verdict on the latest set of figures from Purplebricks. The agency doesn’t play by any of...
15 December 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks’ latest trading statement for the six months ending October 31 claims a large rise in revenue, its number of UK...
13 December 2017
From: Breaking News

Outspoken estate agent Chris Wood has criticised the Advertising Standards Authority for its succession of ‘informally resolved’ judgements on complaints against...
07 December 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has issued the briefest-of-brief statements to the City and the company's investors to assure them it is "on course". The latest...
07 November 2017
From: Breaking News

Estate Agent Today has been told that there are four more complaints filed to the Advertising Standards Authority about hybrid agency...
30 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Complaints about a Purplebricks claim concerning its Local Property Experts have been rejected by the Advertising Standards Authority. Complaints came from PDQ...
25 October 2017
From: Breaking News

London’s long-standing chain Douglas & Gordon is the latest company to embrace the concept of the Purplebricks-style hybrid estate agency. The company’s...
04 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks' latest trading statement, issued this morning, claims "good progress" and says its revenue in the UK for the first half...
29 September 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has launched something of a charm offensive to lift the lid on the experience and work of its Local Property...
29 September 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has issued a strong defence of its Local Property Experts after an agency comparison website’s analysis was critical of the...
28 September 2017
From: Breaking News

An analysis conducted by estate agency comparison website GetAgent has for the first time attempted to calculate how ‘local’ agencies' local property...
27 September 2017
From: Breaking News

easyProperty has unveiled details of its relaunch, declaring itself to be the UK’s second largest hybrid estate agency - second only...
07 September 2017
From: Breaking News

eMoov, the online agency which last month secured an additional £9m funding from investors, has launched a recruitment drive for what...
01 September 2017
From: Breaking News

An interview in an online magazine aimed at the small business sector lifts the lid on some of the structure surrounding...
18 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Trustpilot, the review service quoted frequently by Purplebricks as evidence of its apparent popularity, is declining to comment on the adverse...
07 August 2017
From: Breaking News

The share price of beleaguered hybrid agency Purplebricks has recovered some of the ground it lost earlier in the week after...
04 August 2017
From: Breaking News

The Property Ombudsman has told Estate Agent Today that it is happy with the controversial deferred payment scheme operated on behalf of...
03 August 2017
From: Breaking News

After a roller-coaster day on the Stock Exchange yesterday, Purplebricks has sought to defend itself against further possible share price losses...
03 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks’ share price this afternoon dropped to a recent low of 406.50p before recovering to close down about five per cernt...
02 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Franchise estate and lettings group HomeXperts has announced the latest areas where it has recruited local property experts. They are Berkshire, Essex, Kent and...
21 July 2017
From: Breaking News

We’re already more than halfway through 2017 and, against all the odds, it’s pushing 2016 close in terms of eventfulness and...
14 July 2017
From: Features

Purplebricks has released more details of expansion plans to recruit hundreds of additional Local Property Experts. The recruitment drive was launched yesterday...
12 July 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has this morning announced a drive to recruit “hundreds” of new Local Property Experts” in a bid to become what...
11 July 2017
From: Breaking News

An expert analysis of the Purplebricks trading statement for 2016 reveals that the agency’s Local Property Experts each earn an average...
10 July 2017
From: Breaking News

New figures released this morning from Purplebricks shows the onward march of the hybrid agency and its Local Property Experts. For the...
29 June 2017
From: Breaking News

The share price of hybrid estate agency Purplebricks dipped yesterday after it announced its US expansion will begin in California. Purplebricks' share...
15 June 2017
From: Breaking News

Since we last spoke, the ESTAS – the biggest and best property awards ceremony in the UK – has been and...
27 May 2017
From: Features

Hybrid estate agency YOPA has announced a successful Series B round of funding in which it raised a total of £15...
17 May 2017
From: Breaking News

Viewber, the outsourced property viewing service and brainchild of high-profile former estate agent Ed Mead, says its network of 'Viewbers' now...
16 May 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks' share price moved up over two per cent yesterday on the strength of its latest trading statement - but its...
05 May 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has this morning issued its latest trading update, reporting what it calls "strong growth" in the UK and updating investors on...
04 May 2017
From: Breaking News

A London investment broker says Purplebricks’ share price - currently around 300p - could rise another 50 per cent or more...
25 April 2017
From: Breaking News

As debate continues over the merits of upfront fees against post-sale commission for agents and consumers, the fledgling UK ProperTech Association...
25 April 2017
From: Breaking News

There’s been another flurry of publicity for Purplebricks following the posting of photographs and statements online by a blogger whose property...
21 March 2017
From: Breaking News

1) Who are you? Kevin Ward – Director and founder of Agentlocator.co.uk 2) For those not familiar with Agent Locator, can you explain...
16 February 2017
From: 60 Second Interview

A new website supporting high street estate agents has recently launched. Agent Locator provides an online platform for high street estate agents to showcase...
16 February 2017
From: Sponsored Content

One of the founders of hybrid agency Purplebricks says sellers in the UK may never accept the sale of their property...
09 January 2017
From: Breaking News

Forecasts are so last year: who anticipated Bowie, Brexit or Balls for example? Quotes, on the other hand, really ARE last year...
17 December 2016
From: Features

Purplebricks says it is receiving an average revenue per customer of £1,000, has more than doubled instructions and is now generating...
05 December 2016
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks chief executive Michael Bruce has suggested that calling his area representatives ‘Local Property Experts’ means they can be more proud...
22 November 2016
From: Breaking News

An online agency called DoorStepAgents.com claims to have set up a service which is both the cheapest and ‘best value’ sales...
28 October 2016
From: Breaking News

One of the world’s leading property portal and online consultants says Purplebricks, which is now operating in Australia and the UK,...
18 October 2016
From: Breaking News

Later on, the title of this piece should become clearer (at least I hope so). First, though, a few bits and...
09 September 2016
From: Features

Ed Mead, one of the most high profile estate agents in the industry, is leaving London agency Douglas and Gordon to...
06 September 2016
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks says it will have a marketing budget of AUS$17.2m - that's over £9.9m - to spend on marketing for its...
30 August 2016
From: Breaking News

One of the most respected City analysts of the changing residential sales industry says Purplebricks’ business model is worth admiring -...
17 June 2016
From: Breaking News

In a very buoyant report to the City, Purplebricks claims it has sold £2.8 billion worth of property in the year...
16 June 2016
From: Breaking News

One of the country’s leading high-end buying agencies says it has ‘mystery shopped’ Purplebricks - with mixed results. For while it found its...
13 June 2016
From: Breaking News

Forgive the footballing headline – perhaps inevitable now that Euro 2016 has started – but several decisions and statements across the...
10 June 2016
From: Features

An investment consultancy has issued a note to investors, advising them not to buy shares in Purplebricks. Jefferies – the firm which...
01 June 2016
From: Breaking News

The main debate at this year’s FUTURE: PropTech conference - the industry’s leading technology forum, held yesterday in London - saw...
20 May 2016
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks Group has issued a trading statement to the City - with another dramatic revenue increase and a claim that the...
11 May 2016
From: Breaking News

One of the founders of online agency Purplebricks says his aim is for the firm to become the "first choice" for...
04 May 2016
From: Breaking News

Advertising industry website Campaign Live says Purplebricks has made a shortlist of four creative consultancies to handle its marketing - while...
30 March 2016
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks and its ad agency BMB have split - but the hybrid agency is nonetheless reported to be on the verge...
25 March 2016
From: Breaking News

Hybrid agency Purplebricks has launched a recruitment drive for what it calls ‘local property experts’ in 17 parts of the country...
23 March 2016
From: Breaking News

The City consultancy which advises Purplebricks says the online agency will break even in terms of its month-to-month activities by the...
27 January 2016
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has launched in another region of the UK as speculation continues over the date of its expected flotation. It has now...