Purplebricks has launched in Canada despite saying it would not be introducing its brand to the country following the purchase of local hybrid agency DuProprio in July last year for £29.3 million.
But DuProprio’s Chief Operating officer Lukas Lhotsky appeared on Canadian TV over the weekend dressed in a purple branded shirt (see above) and was subtitled as its in-country CEO.
During his interview with Canada’s CityNews TV channel, Lhotsky made familiar claims that Purplebricks would save vendors ‘tens of thousands’ of dollars via a flat upfront fee of $800 for a listing on Canada’s Rightmove equivalent Realtor.ca.
This includes taking photos and help with pricing, although it charges an extra $400 for viewings and $1,900 for a negotiation service.
In Canada vendors traditionally pay a commission of 5% on the sale of a property.
Flat fee
Lhotsky took the camera crew on a tour of Purplebricks’ new offices in Toronto and revealed that, unlike in the UK, its agents would be directly employed and be paid a flat fee for each sale achieved.
The TV show also claimed that Purplebricks agents in Canada are expected to sell 280 homes a year.
But it was also revealed that Purplebricks has been operating for some months under the radar; one property vendor interviewed said she has already sold two homes via the business.
The Purplebricks.ca site is live and it says the business covers four key Canadian provinces; Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia, offering vendors a $2,000 cash-back if they sign up to use its service.
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