Online estate agent Purplebricks has launched a mortgage broker business, called Purplebricks Financial Services.  

The business says the unit will be able to “provide personalised mortgage advice from a team of qualified experts providing customers with access to thousands of mortgage deals”.  

The service will cater for first-time buyers and home movers, and will not be restricted to customers buying or selling a property through Purplebricks.  

Purplebricks chief executive Helena Marston says: “Mortgages are the biggest financial decisions most people ever make and now more than ever it is crucial that home-buyers or those looking to re-mortgage use the services of a broker, not just for advice, but also to ensure they can access the largest number of lenders, providing a wide range of choice for customers.   

“Mortgages have not been far from the news over recent months with rising interest rates and the cost-of-living crisis making it more challenging for many. Our advisors will work closely with customers to ensure they are getting the deal that’s right for them.”  

This month, Purplebricks posted a half-year adjusted operating loss of £11.7m, which widened by 5% from a year ago, while sales fell 16% to £34.5m in the same period.  

The group blamed a mixture of restructuring costs and tax charges for the loss, but said its plans to diversify its revenue streams were running ahead of plan.   

Aim-listed Purplebricks was founded a decade ago in 2012 by brothers Michael Bruce and Kenny Bruce.