From university flatmates to industry trailblazers, Jamie Cooke and Ben Ridgway, co-founders of iamproperty, have spent the last 15 years attempting to transform how homes are bought and sold in the UK.
With innovation at its core, the Newcastle-based business is now powering over 1% of all UK property transactions – and it’s only just getting started.
The duo met as students at Northumbria University, with Cooke studying estate management and Ridgway real estate management.
“We quickly realised that we also knew lots of people with a horror story when it came to buying or selling a property,” said Cooke.
“From collapsing chains to last minute fall-throughs, and that there was a real need to identify a solution that worked better for both Estate Agents and consumers.
From concept to completion – in 56 days
Founded on the idea of making the process faster, safer, and more consumer-friendly, iamproperty was born from nearly a decade of development work post-graduation.
The pair designed an online method of sale with a goal few had dared to chase – average completion in just 56 days.
What began as a radical idea evolved into the Modern Method of Auction – a tech-enabled alternative to private treaty sales that provides buyers and sellers with a more transparent and time-efficient route to property ownership.
The firm now has over 700 employees and aims to create another 100 jobs in the next 18 months.
Cooke explained: “This is partly because we have seen a significant rise in demand in recent months and we are only at the beginning in terms of expanding our ecosystem of integrated digital solutions to save our Partner Agents time, create real value and help them meet the needs of their customers.
“Over the next 12 months, our main priorities are to continue building market share organically, develop our suite of end-to-end solutions and our strong balance sheet means we are well placed to take advantage of any opportunities that arise.”
Building a digital ecosystem
At the heart of iamproperty is a fully integrated tech stack tailored for estate agents, including a market-leading CRM platform and their flagship auction service, iamsold. This digital ecosystem streamlines the entire journey from lead generation to legal completion.
“Innovation is at the core of everything we do,” said Cooke.
“However, our technology is not intended to replace people; rather, it is there to enrich the experience while preserving the crucial human touch.
“The company is developing an integrated ecosystem of digital solutions aimed at streamlining the property buying and selling process.”
With over 6,500 estate agency branches now in its network and more than 51,000 properties sold, iamproperty is on a mission to help agents unlock new revenue streams, strengthen sales pipelines and better serve clients in a market where speed and certainty are of huge importance.
Scaling through innovation – and private equity
The business has flown over the past decade and a half, a word that may bring back bad memories for Cooke, who once jumped out of a plane and his parachute didn’t open.
The substantial growth culminated in a landmark partnership with private equity firm Perwyn in 2023.
In 2024 alone, the business delivered double-digit revenue growth, with a CAGR of 35% for revenue and 38% for EBITDA between 2021 and 2024.
Last year saw over 10,600 sales, up 14% year-on-year and representing 1.2% of all UK residential transactions.
“With Perwyn at our side, we entered 2025 with even bigger, ambitious plans to lead the way in the property sector and our success is highlighted by iamproperty’s double digit revenue growth in 2024,” he said.
“There is a great synergy between our teams, and our exceptional growth shows we are realising our vision with Perwyn’s close support, investment and expertise.”
Powered by people, rooted in Newcastle
With over 700 team members, including a large cohort of remote workers, iamproperty has nurtured a culture of agility, innovation and inclusivity.
Cooke said: “We founded iamproperty to do what no one else was doing, and we’ve grown because we have the best people.
“It’s our team who drive our success and make our culture unique, creative, and filled with personality.
“With over half our staff working remotely, location is no barrier, allowing us to hire people from across the country and benefit from a diverse and inclusive workforce.
“We work hard to ensure that iamproperty offers more than just a job – it’s a place where you can build a career, achieve your ambitions, and contribute to a shared mission of continuous innovation and industry transformation.
“We are proudly headquartered in Newcastle, a city known for its strong sense of history, innovation, and community.
“Through our membership of Dynamo North East, we also actively participate in a wide range of regional events, championing our fellow peers in the local tech sector and pushing for greater digital inclusions across the UK economy.
“More broadly, we remain fiercely committed to playing a part in the region’s growth story and returning value to the area in which we operate.”