Mark Judge Principal Linear
Milton Keynes Pink
I had a steady first half of the year and it’s got progressively busier as the year has gone on. I work out of an estate agency a lot of the time and my business mirrors theirs. It’s the busiest November and December I’ve ever known. November was our best month of the year and I know that has been mirrored across Linear. I have the biggest pipeline going into the new year that we’ve ever had, which is also the same across Linear, so it’s looking good for 2012. My hope is that 2012 will go the same as 2011, but my fear is that with the economic uncertainty across Europe that mortgage credit will dry up and we’ll be back to the same situation we were in 2008, but I am keeping my fingers crossed for a good start to the year. The main thrust of my business is mortgages because I work from estate agency office but I foresee that we will continue to do even more protection, especially if it does get more difficult next year.
Brian Parker Principal
Reeds Rains UK-wide
First Complete
The market is still very challenging. First-time buyers are still thin on the ground but there is a growing band of new landlords taking advantage of the opportunities in the current market. Reeds Rains has had a very successful financial services year despite a very challenging residential market, partly because of the acquisition of the Halifax estate agencies the year before as many of the advisers integrated from there have become successful. We’ve improved life penetration since moving to First Complete in January and Reeds Rains single tie with Aviva is working well as Aviva is very much in touch with our needs. For 2012 there are no signs of a improvement in the residential market and unfortunately there is no sign of the remortgage market coming back even though there is evidence that it would benefit some people who are sitting on SVR. I think it will take two rate hikes for people to see it’s in their interest to seek advice.Otherwise more of the same next year, it’s about consolidating our current performance and continuing to strive to increase family protection not just mortgage protection.
This year business has been good, I’ve seen an uplift of about 50% across the spectrum of mortgages, protection and GI. Trading conditions are still difficult still but it’s much better than last year with lenders more willing to lend. Mortgages have gone up and I’ve seen an uplift in remortgages, as lenders have come out with some brilliant fixes. I’ve not seen much increase in buy-to-let although I know other people have. Life and critical illness has increased by 35% though and GI has been better because we’ve had more choice via Pink with some much more competitive policies. I have two or three introducers but most of my business comes through referrals and utilising my client bank. We are much busier than we were although some of this is because mortgages are harder to place so take longer and require more administration. I am confident looking forwards and expect next year to be very similar to this year with mortgage lending flat. Much of our lending will be dictated by issues in the EU however and how well the crisis is sorted out or not. n
Matt Kelynack Kama Mortgages Usk, Monmouthshire Pink
mortgage introducer JANUARY 2012 33
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