After I passed my driving test in 2001, my favourite thing to do was drive around the local countryside in my little red fiesta looking at all the beautiful houses in the area. One day, I came up with a ridiculously good plan. If I could get a week’s work experience as an estate agent, I could get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the stunning properties that were on the market.
After printing off 20 copies of my CV (we didn’t have email back then!) I hand delivered them to all the high street agents to offer my ‘free work experience’. I received two offers and decided to go with a small, family run company as it felt more aligned to my values. Fast forward to the end of a brilliant week looking around some lovely houses and I was unexpectedly offered a full-time position. I share this story about how I first started in property because my love and fascination with houses was the first step. Then, over the years and throughout my career moves and life stages, I have found that my passion keeps growing. My love for what I do goes beyond finding the perfect mortgage for someone. I have realised that the reason ‘why’ I love it so much is deep rooted in my childhood experiences and my life’s path. (I talk about this more in depth in my chapter of a best-selling book collaboration, more on this on my website!). This passion fuels not just what I do in mortgage terms – but how I do it. I’m not going to be the only mortgage adviser that is intrigued by houses and homes, but I have invested a lot of time into my personal growth and applied all my years of experience to offer not just a bespoke high-end service but one that is also perfectly balanced with an emphasis on values that resonate with those I work with. This also lead me to create a completely original and comprehensive Moving Home Planner, which combines the useful stuff with a sprinkle of mindfulness (available to buy on mindfulmortgages.co.uk). Have you ever stopped to think about the role of a mortgage adviser? We are advising you on one of your most treasured assets and probably one of your biggest liabilities, too. Your emotional feelings are interlinked with your mortgage – from daunting overwhelm through to reassurance, peace of mind and everything in between. It makes sense, therefore, that it should be looked after by someone you have a really good relationship with. At this point, I could wrap up and talk about all the challenges and changes going on in the mortgage and financial world. Whilst this news cannot, and should not, be overlooked, I have found that in my 20 years in this role there is almost always a ‘new’ challenge to face. So, my advice is: a mortgage is a big commitment, a financial undertaking which needs to be thoroughly understood and considered, whatever is happening in the world. Find yourself a mortgage adviser who will take the time to get to know you beyond the numbers and application forms. Then, you will be able to balance professional advice for your finances as well as a life-long trusted and professional relationship. I would absolutely love to listen to where you are and what you need right now, to see if we are a perfect fit to start working together on your home-owning journey. I invite you to book a free, no obligation initial call on my website mindfulmortgages.co.uk. I’ll be back in the next issue, looking into ways we can work together to provide peace of mind for your financial future. |