Has anyone used Purple Bricks?
No but they were on the panel of 5 we got round and their valuation seemed about right in the end. Reasons we didn't choose them:
1. The woman managed to annoy the cr@p out of me in the 40mins she was here and she was much more high pressure "selling" her services than the others, put us both off immediately.
2. Payment options. Yes, you can sell it for £999 or whatever with them but only if you want to pay up front (we couldn't) and if you do all your own viewings (we wanted the option for them to do some if we were out).
3. Solicitors. If you want to pay on completion you have to use their solicitors for conveyance and pay an extra £400 (I think) for the privilege. This was a red line for us, we have a family solicitor who we have used for over 15yrs and trust implicitly. Everyone I know (without exception) who has selected their estate agent's solicitor has had no end of problems, this is because they stack em high, sell em cheap and you get what you pay for, peanuts and monkeys.
4. Photos. All the purple bricks places round us have very obviously been photograped by the agent. Our place doesn't photograph well and we decided we needed a professional photographer - it made an unbelievable difference.
5. Cost. So, if you want professional photos, to pay on completion and to not do your own viewings, Purple Bricks are up to £1500 plus you pay for the photographer, oh and EPC on top. We paid £1750 + VAT fixed fee with a local outfit and got all that, plus premium rightmove listing, plus the house in the local rags plus its in their shop window. Oh and the guy didn't annoy the sh!t our of me.
Ultimately it comes down to what you're selling. If you're looking to shift a sub £100k terrace where chances are you'll be selling to a Buy to Let landlord or first time buyer, I'd use them. If you're trying to put your house in the best light possible so you can take a premium on it over and above the norm, then I would look elsewhere.