Mortgage Vision Ltd makes finding the right mortgage simple. We are whole-of-market and can access a huge range of mortgage lenders, including some products that are not available direct.

We focus on helping self-employed people, company directors and contractors to find the right mortgage and protection products.

Our long financial service experience means we can quickly work out which lenders will lend you the most, give you the right rate, provide the best service, or all of the above.

What led you to become a broker?

I’ve always enjoyed meeting and helping people, so assisting customers to finance their dream home is a natural extension of that.

After a couple of years in customer service roles, I started out underwriting secured loans and quickly moved into first charge mortgages.

Working in a small broker firm from 2003 meant I was able to offer a really personal service and meet a lot of interesting clients with varied requirements.

I really enjoyed the face-to-face meetings and being able to explain things in terms my clients could understand.

Since that time I have also worked for a building society and as a self-employed broker, and, most recently, launched Mortgage Vision.

What plans do you have for the future of your firm?

I’m anticipating growth in 2021, despite some of the potential challenges facing the economy, so I’m aiming to take on more brokers next year.

Ultimately, we are a nation of homeowners and the need for advice has arguably never been greater. Specialising in helping the self-employed is a real growth area and will continue to be, I believe.

It’s also vital at this time to continue explaining the benefits of protection to clients, friends and colleagues, and I foresee growth in this area too.

The old assumption that a person’s employer or the state will look after them is now being tested to the full.

As we know, having your own protection policies is the ultimate security.

What single thing could lenders do to improve brokers’ lives the most?

One of the biggest challenges for brokers is criteria. I’ve found that, due to the nature of the market under the strain of Covid challenges, the ‘moving goalposts’ of criteria are even more challenging.

Each case requires even more diligence than usual, so a genuinely up-to-date criteria site would be invaluable.

At present, perhaps understandably, even lenders’ own websites are out of date and don’t always show how they treat certain incomes, for example.

What advice do you have for a broker just starting out?

Listen to your clients and ask the right questions. Often a fact-find can just be a box-ticking exercise but, when you really listen, you’ll find out what your clients are actually saying and what they want. That way you will not only give the right advice but not miss anything vital.

My second tip would be to learn criteria as quickly and thoroughly as you can, because knowing where to place a case is one of the biggest time savers you will ever have. Speak to your BDMs regularly as they will keep you abreast of changes – and there will be lots.

How can the industry encourage a new intake of brokers?

Mortgage broking combines elements of customer service, sales and property knowledge (along with maths). I think those with ambition and a love of helping people from any of the above sectors would enjoy a move into mortgage broking.

It’s challenging, but also rewarding in equal measure. Although some people make a jump into the industry from something completely unrelated, there is a natural crossover from other complementary roles.