A YOUNG entrepreneur is ruffling feathers among estate agents with his new property platform.

Tom Webster, 26, of Seaford, has developed Market My Property – an online agency which allows homeowners to sell without the need for traditional agents and expensive fees.

The service is based in East Sussex at the moment, but Tom is working to scale it up and franchise it across the country with a launch planned in the New Year.

He said: “Franchising will be massive and take us to a whole new level – it’s very exciting.”

The young entrepreneur, who has also worked in digital marketing, club promotion and fashion, is running Fordyce and Playle, a complementary financial services firm which offers advice on mortgages, as well as pensions and investments.

Tom said: “You can tell estate agents are really worried by the way they’ve reacted and said it won’t work.

“At the moment what we’re doing is niche but eventually it will become the norm.

“There will be fewer estate agents on the high street but they will offer a better service.

“Estate agents tend to follow one another but they need to adapt.

“It’s because they haven’t innovated that there’s this gap.”

The ambitious businessmen started selling comic books in school aged nine. His parents were also entrepreneurs.

He has been interested in property from an early age and bought his first house aged 18.

After an early stint in property the recession hit and he got into digital marketing.

Tom hopes to float Market My Property on the stock market before his 30th birthday and wants to be the youngest entrepreneur on Dragons Den.

He added: “It’s easy to say money is the main motivation but for me helping people is a big motivator.

“We don’t charge for mortgage advice, we’d rather do a good job and get referrals and recommendations.

“I love holding someone’s hand as they make a big investment.

“Knowing they wouldn’t have been able to see it through without me on board is a great feeling.”