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Steps to mortgage broking success

Top mortgage broker Grant McFlinn shares his philosophy of what makes a good adviser. As he says it is not complicated, and probably not unique - but it works.

His first piece of advice to other brokers is "we’re in a sales role and we should never forget that."

At the most basic level people will buy more readily from someone they like but in the financial sector, that’s often not enough. The greater majority will only buy from someone they either trust or have confidence in.

Accordingly, everything I do for the clients has the trust and confidence element high on the list of KPIs.

Something which may surprise other brokers is that he treats the lenders as both client and competitor.

"If we want to play in their world, we need to be prepared to do what they’re either not prepared to do or at the very least reluctant to do. My catchphrase when positioning this with the clients is simple. Banks tend to issue instructions re what they want you to do in return for their money."

"I’ll be the one asking passing on those instructions however I’ll also be the one asking how I can help in the process of delivering on those instructions."

We also asked where the greatest need lay when it comes to the house buying process

"I’d say without question it’d be in the area of a 'buyer’s advocate'. Someone a self declared ill equipped prospective buyer could engage in the buying process as their guide and mentor.

"The trouble is, there’s no financial footing for such a person to operate from as very few Kiwis would be prepared to pay for such a service. Particularly given the fact they would have no pre conceived idea what such a service could deliver.

"That being so, no prizes for guessing the space I look to fill when there’s clearly a need. Of course being remunerated for such a fundamental part of the process as the mortgage makes it a financially viable option to invest the time to do so but it links back to the second point of doing what the banks aren’t always prepared to do. Of course once again not unique but anecdotal evidence from clients who I pick up from other brokers and the banks suggest it’s not across the industry."