The recession or threat of recession is more often than not a scapegoat for when things go wrong, particularly when it comes to the housing market. But, one estate agent has pledged to use the threat of a double dip slowdown as a positive rather than a negative.

I Am The Agent is a self-service estate and lettings agency with an online portal and a physical high street location in Greenwich. Headlines urging spending caution, quiet high streets and yet more falls in house prices have given the London-firm even more reason to continue its quest to provide choice and value for money to homeowners with a house to sell and landlords needing to advertise a property online without breaking the bank.

The self-styled online estate agent has pioneered a low cost, self-service approach to selling and renting. A recently re-launched website gives those wanting to go it alone a cost effective way of advertising their property for sale or rental with a 24/7 online account area provided for property listing changes, image uploads and tenant enquires. The onus is on the owner or landlord to perform many of the tasks a traditional estate agent would – such as writing an inventory of furniture in the case of landlords renting out a private property, or preparing a description of the house and its location for vendors looking to sell a private property. Those with just a small space to share can also get in on the act with a new ‘Rent My Room’ service, priced at just £49.

Rebecca Peach from I Am The Agent said, “The whole point behind creating an online estate agent and self-service letting agent is to give homeowners and landlords a choice of real estate products. So many people are on such tight budgets and unable to commit to paying large commissions in the event of a sale or the first month of rent in the event of a lease that an online solution seemed to be ideal. It’s also perfect for those with time on their hands who want the option to be more involved in the sale or rental of a property they’ve likely poured heart and soul into.”

I Am The Agent offers a choice of packages, all include extensive online advertising with the house, flat or room advertised on major portals such as Rightmove, Zoopla and Prime Location. There’s also the option to purchase essentials such as a tenancy agreement for a small fee if needed.

For those looking for a bit more support, I Am The Agent also has a Greenwich Estate Agency, staffed with knowledgeable estate agents offering the full range of traditional services.

Ms Peach added, “What makes us unique is that we offer the self-service side of things but also have a physical office and ‘traditional;’ high street agency where estate agents will handle the entire sales or rental process from beginning to end. We’re proud of the fact that we offer such a range of choices and value for money at a set fee.”