Is Purplebricks still a major threat?

Purple Bricks Logo

Instructions are up and even share price is up today, so is there still life in the giant yet? Despite having lost £millions in recent times, poor reports and with a somewhat negative appraisal from within the industry, is the recent upturn of consumers using the globally recognised brand a sign of things to come and can be taken as a positive?

Covid-19 has changed how we think about business in nearly all industry sectors and including that of estate agency. For sure we will see a shake up and things might not ever be the same again as, in my opinion, progress will has to increase in the #proptech route so that if lock-downs and high street agencies have to close then the industry can continue to survive mostly on-line.

Vic Darvey, CEO of Purplebricks was quoted as saying: “Despite the challenges of Covid-19, our strategic initiatives are being delivered at pace to accelerate our digital and data capabilities, and with a very healthy net cash balance of £66m, I’m confident that we can take advantage of the changing landscape.

The group is encouraged by the early signs of the housing market rebounding well following the lifting of the lock-down and the government’s stamp duty holiday.

We strongly believe that, in the current market, technology led estate agency is starting to emerge as the winning model and there is clear evidence that consumers are increasingly shifting towards apps and tech-based alternatives.

With our strengthened leadership team and balance sheet, we are in a strong position to accelerate our model, extend our market share and grow our value-add revenues.

July saw a big jump in new instructions for Purplebricks, though we are seeing this across most of the sector anyway from property portals to high street agencies and with the stamp duty holiday period it isn’t anything that would raise eyebrows is it?

‘Estate agent Purplebricks recorded its highest ever month for instructions in the UK in July due to the stamp duty holiday and pent-up demand following the coronavirus lockdown.’ Read more via: CityAM website

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Overseas Property

Why 2026 is the Best Year to Invest in Dominican Republic Land

If you’re eyeing Caribbean real estate, 2026 offers an exceptional window to invest in Dominican Republic land. The country has emerged as the fastest-growing Caribbean economy, creating ideal conditions for land investors. Tax incentives, infrastructure projects, and rising international interest are converging at just the right moment. Whether you’re searching for beach land for sale…
Read More
Breaking News

Property expert on how to bag the BEST mortgage deal in today’s market

Finding a good mortgage deal in today’s market demands more than just comparing rates. While the average 2-year and 5-year fixed mortgage rates have gone down this year, they’re still higher than rates pre-pandemic. This means those in their current homes will have to pay more than they once were each month, and new buyers…
Read More
Breaking News

Halloween Named the UK’s Most Popular Moving Day of 2025

Halloween was the most popular day to move house in 2025, breaking the long-standing trend of summer being the busiest time for home moves. We analysed the data and spoke to industry experts to understand why the peak moving day has shifted and why it fell on an international holiday.  Compare My Move reviewed more than 170,000 house moves made in 2025 and…
Read More
for sale sign london
Breaking News

Industry Response to Halifax House Price Index

Industry response to the Halifax House Price Index December 2025 The latest index shows that: – On a monthly basis, house prices fell by 0.6% between November and December of last year. Annually, house prices were up 0.3% versus this time last year, although this annual rate of growth had slowed from 0.7% the previous…
Read More
Breaking News

Halifax House Price Index December 2025

House prices in December 2025 were 0.3% higher compared to the same month a year earlier. UK house prices dipped in December • House prices dipped by -0.6% in December, following a -0.1% fall in November • Average property price is now £297,755, the lowest since June • Annual growth slowed to +0.3%, down from…
Read More
Breaking News

Homebuyer demand returns following Autumn Budget

New research from Property DriveBuy reveals that Bristol, Tyne & Wear, and South Yorkshire emerged as the UK’s most in-demand areas of the housing market following the Autumn Budget, with as many as 61% of homes listed for sale successfully securing a buyer in Q4 2025. Property Drivebuy analysed residential listings data across the nation…
Read More