Landlord Products / Services
While I’m a huge fan of choice, this whole “online estate agency” market has become ridiculously overcrowded. There are just way too many of them battling it out for every available speckle of market share.
You won’t have heard of 95% of the online estate agents trading today, and you probably never will, because the reality is – and this should certainly come as no surprise – the online agents with the deepest pockets are winning this jam-packed race, everyone else is gasping for air and being bullied out of the market. That’s precisely why most us are only familiar with the three market leaders’ – the online agents with disgustingly rich backers and bottomless marketing budgets – and that’s why I’ve decided to throw them under the magnifying glass, so you can see how/if they differ from one another.
Strike vs. Purplebricks vs. Yopa – which online estate agent (or ‘Hybrid agent‘ if you want to get technical) should you use to flog your crib?
Brief Introduction to the Top 3 Online Agents
Purplebricks.co.uk: the current market leader by a country mile; their brand is so hefty that it’s synonymous with “online estate agent” And to be honest, if I were them, I’d be pissed if that wasn’t the case, because they’ve spent a small literal fortune on marketing over the years, making us believe that they’re one of a kind (which they’re not).
Yopa.co.uk: in a similar way to Puplebricks, Yopa have gone buck wild on marketing blitzes in recent years, which is why they’re also scolded into our memory banks. There was a time when it looked like they had vomited all over London- you couldn’t walk through a back alley without seeing a Black Cab wrapped in a Yopa advert.
Strike.co.uk, the up-and-comer that’s grabbing a lot of attention with their TV adverts, because they’re screaming about their “FREE” house-selling service. FREE? Yup, that’s right, 100% FREE – and believe you me, you’re not the only one confused by the freakish offer on the table.
In short, it’s not a gimmick or trapdoor to hell, Strike’s service is legitimately 100% free, no strings attached. If you’re still baffled and consequently need the long story to appease your bewilderment (no judgement, I completely understand), you can digest my Strike review, which explains why and how their service is free in detail.
Comparison: Strike vs. Purplebricks vs. Yopa
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Cost | FREE | £999* | £999* |
| Visit website | Visit website | Visit website | |
| TrustPilot Rating | TrustPilot Reviews | TrustPilot Reviews | TrustPilot Reviews |
| Core service | |||
| Service coverage | England only | UK | UK |
| In-person Valuation | |||
| Dedicated agent | |||
| Advert on Rightmove & Zoopla | |||
| Photographs | |||
| Floorplan | |||
| For Sale board/sign | |||
| Negotiation & Sales progression | |||
| **Sole agency contract | 13 weeks | 12 weeks | 16 weeks |
| Online dashboard | |||
| App | |||
| Extras | |||
| *London prices | FREE | £1499(Total fixed cost) | £1499(Total fixed cost) |
| *No sale, no fee | Varies by location(Starting from £999) | ||
| EPC | £90 | £84 | £85 |
| Hosted viewings | £699 | £300 | £300 |
| Visit website | Visit website | Visit website | |
Conclusion: it is what it is!
If you’re looking at the comparison table and expecting a twist, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. This is one of those cases where the situation is exactly what it looks like.
Here are my thoughts:
- Strike is a no brainer (if you’re selling in England): I wouldn’t waste time debating it if you’re looking to sell a property in England via an online estate agent, so go ahead, a book a valuation (no obligations) to get the ball-rolling. Their service is entirely free (unless you opt in for any add-on services e.g. Energy Performance Certificate, Conveyancing services etc). What more is there to say?
- Purplebricks Vs Yopa (if you’re selling elsewhere in the UK): if you’re adamant on using one of the market leaders’, I don’t think it matters which you choose, unless you really care about managing your sale through a dedicated App. In that case, go for Purplebricks. If you don’t particularly care, flip a coin to determine your destiny, because they pretty much do the same thing for the same price.
- Other options: as mentioned, there are plenty of reputable and highly-rated online estate agents to choose from. Yes, Strike would always be my first choice (unless something drastically changes), but I really can’t say Purplebricks & Yopa would be my go-to second. Personally, I’d probably just look for a much cheaper alternative, which by and large provides the same level of service.
For example, 99homes.co.uk is a fine choice, they have packages starting from £59 (with the use of a 99home discount code available from here).
Is there anything you need to be aware of when using Strike, Purplebricks or Yopa?
Nothing particularly toxic comes to mind, but I will say the following:
- Be wary of add-on services: upselling services like conveyancing and mortgages is actually how these online agents make a chunk of their change. Actually, that’s how Strike in particular make any money, period.
It’s big business to online agents, so don’t be surprised if they hard-sell these services once you’ve opted in for their core house-selling service. But you can’t blame them, really.
While it can be convenient to get everything arranged from one place, you’re unlikely going to get great deals from them, so it’s worth shopping around before committing to any of their add-on services. If you’re open to recommendations, ‘ere you go:
- Mortgage quotes: Habito is a free online specialist mortgage broker, who search the whole market to get the best mortgage deals. They’re fab, in my opinion.
- Conveyancing quotes: Reallymoving.com provide free, no obligation quotes. Fill in this quick form and they’ll provide you with 4 instant quotes from expert SRA or CLC regulated conveyancing solicitors or Licensed Conveyancers.
- **Sole agency contract: note that once you instruct one of these agents, you’ll be be tied into a sole agency contract (duration of contract specified in the comparison table), which means you won’t be able to instruct another agent during that period without breaching the T&C’s of your contract.
To be honest, sole agency contracts are pretty standard among traditional high-street agents. It’s nothing new.
Over to you, what do you think?
Disclaimer: I'm just a landlord blogger; I'm 100% not qualified to give legal or financial advice. I'm a doofus. Any information I share is my unqualified opinion, and should never be construed as professional legal or financial advice. You should definitely get advice from a qualified professional for any legal or financial matters. For more information, please read my full disclaimer.
