Purplebricks

Purplebricks emerged in 2012 from an idea conceived by brothers Michael and Kenny Bruce, along with David Shepherd, around a kitchen table. With prior experience in traditional estate agency, including leading Burchell Edwards, they envisioned a lower-cost, digital-first model for residential property sales that would eliminate the high overheads of physical offices. The company publicly launched in the UK in April 2014, offering a disruptive fixed-fee alternative to the commission-based structure of high street agents. This model, which initially charged a flat fee starting at £599, was designed to save sellers money and offer more transparency and convenience through a tech-based platform.

The business operates as a hybrid online estate agent. Historically, its revenue was primarily generated from a fixed, upfront fee paid by sellers, regardless of whether the property sold. This core service included a property valuation by a "Local Property Expert," listing on major portals like Rightmove and Zoopla, and an online dashboard for managing viewings and offers. Additional revenue streams were created through optional add-ons such as hosted viewings, premium marketing, and conveyancing services. Following its acquisition by Strike in 2023, the model has shifted. The new Purplebricks offers a free service for selling a home, with revenue now generated from optional extras for both sellers and buyers.

Purplebricks experienced a rapid ascent, floating on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market in December 2015, less than two years after its public launch, achieving a valuation of £240.2 million. The company pursued an aggressive growth strategy, fueled by significant marketing spend and international expansion into Australia, the US, and Canada. At its peak, the company was valued at over £1 billion and claimed substantial brand awareness in the UK. However, the international ventures proved financially draining, leading to significant losses and a withdrawal from the US and Australian markets. After a series of profit warnings and mounting losses, Purplebricks was sold to its competitor Strike for a nominal £1 in June 2023. In a strategic move, Strike later rebranded its own operations under the more recognized Purplebricks name, pivoting the combined entity to a "sell for free" model to continue its disruption of the UK estate agency market.

Keywords: online estate agent, hybrid estate agency, fixed-fee real estate, property technology, proptech, UK property market, home selling, property listings, real estate disruption, digital estate agent, flat-fee estate agent, Strike, Michael Bruce, Kenny Bruce, residential sales, property valuation, Rightmove, Zoopla, conveyancing services, real estate marketing