Emoov well ahead of Purplebricks in new assessment of online agencies

An assessment of nine online agencies undertaken by a property website has seen Emoov come out on top after being analysed on a number of measures, with industry leader Purplebricks only coming seventh.

Website Propertyroad has undertaken analyses of nine agencies; although the ratings and assessments are inevitably to some extent subjective, Emoov was a clear winner with 9.4 out of 10. 

At the bottom of the pile was Express Estate Agency, which describes itself as “the UK’s leading hybrid estate agency” - although in the Propertyroad analysis it scored only 7.2.

Emoov was praised for its “pretty comprehensive package” of services and in particular for including a For Sale board in the main fee, and the “major selling point” of an option allowing customers to only pay on completion - the site says it wishes more online operators offered this facility.

However, the site did say that the extra charge for an Energy Performance Certificate was “a slight negative.”

On Purplebricks - which scored 8.2 out of 10 -  the site says “they are a real mixed bag” offering neither the For Sale board nor the No Sale No Fee option on which Emoov scored well. *

The site observes: “We found the prices for add-ons were not very transparent. Most other online estate agents publish prices of the extra services clearly, Purplebricks do not. Other than a fleeting mention that their viewings service costs £300, and an FAQ that stated a For Sale board cost £60 plus VAT, we couldn’t find any clear information as to what additional services you can purchase and how much they cost. This lack of transparency is certainly a little concerning but doesn’t automatically make them a bad estate agent.”

However, Propertyroad emphasises that Purplebricks is now a well-known brand, making it a preferable choice for sellers than lesser-known agencies; in addition, there is “plenty to like” about the good value for service offered by the firm.

Propertyroad says Purplebricks has “a raft of positive reviews on TrustPilot, including plenty from people who appear to have successfully sold their property which is always a good sign” - but it adds that equally, elsewhere on the internet, there are many negative reviews.

The site concludes by saying: “It’s hard to say what the truth is about Purplebricks as there are so many conflicting reviews.”

[ *  After publication of this article, Purplebricks contacted Estate Agent Today. A spokeswoman told us: "We do not (and have never) charged customers for boards."]

Overall, Propertyroad’s assessments of nine online operators produced this league table:

- Emoov 9.4

- Yopa 9.2

- HouseSimple 9.1

- Doorsteps 9.0

- House Network 9.0

- Tepilo 8.8

- Purplebricks 8.2

- Settled 8.2

- Express Estate Agency 7.1

You can see the assessments in detail here.