'I even gave mortgage advice on my honeymoon'

Broker shares his enthusiasm for the job he loves – and his top tips for success

'I even gave mortgage advice on my honeymoon'

Broker Luke Hollingdale absolutely loves his job – he oozes enthusiasm for the role.

“My energy levels never dip,” Hollingdale (pictured) told Mortgage Introducer. “I've never been one of those people who works from nine to five. I always log in an hour early, I always finish an hour late. Even on my honeymoon, I was giving mortgage advice to clients.

“I've had people crying on the phone before because I've saved them a thousand pounds a month and saying, ‘you've changed my life, you don't know what this means to me.’ I always say to them that I do - and I do. I've been in situations in the past where I know how hard it can be.”

Hollingdale grew up on a council estate, with modest teenage expectations of his career ahead.

“I used to be very, very shy and timid, and I was convinced I would be a landscape gardener,”  he recalled. “I did well at college but afterwards fell into a summer job, doing gardening, which I loved.”

When that came to an end, Hollingdale took up a commission-based role, selling broadband door-to-door.

“I absolutely smashed it,” he recalled. “I learned that I was really good at talking to people. My confidence went through the roof, and I was appointed an assistant manager at the age of 20.”

Hollingdale went on to secure a job in customer service in banking and then latterly as a trainee mortgage broker with a London firm, after randomly applying to an advertisement that intrigued him.

“I qualified and the mortgage market was booming,” he said. “At the time everyone thought property prices would continue to grow, and then the credit crunch hit. Obviously it went completely the opposite way - I was thrown in at the deep end, and I ploughed through it.”

The usual ebb and flow of a career journey took Hollingdale through various jobs, until he settled in his current role at Mojo Mortgages.

“I like puzzles,” he shared. “I love complicated cases and being able to find a lender that will help where all where others have failed. I enjoy helping people get out of situations they've got themselves into, where they might have run up too much debt.”

Read more: "Money's a big part of being a broker – I don't know if it's pure greed"

How to succeed in mortgages

Given that he has a well-established career, spanning nearly 20 years, what are Hollingdale’s tips for success as a broker in the mortgage business?

“Never ignore clients – ever,” he offered, without hesitation. “Always get back to the client when you say you're going to get back to them. I tend to try to reply to my emails within the hour if I can, at least with a holding email. Be polite.

“Don't use any jargon, don't over complicate things – make sure you keep it as simple as possible. Listen to a client’s needs and tailor the mortgage to what they've told you their needs are. The more you listen to a client, the more you'll be able to give them the best advice. If you can't help them, just be honest and always tell them over the phone that you can't help them - don't send them an e-mail.”

He continued: “If you're feeling overwhelmed, which you can do with lenders pulling rates and all of a sudden you've got a thousand things to do…. just take a breath, stay calm. Like any industry, you get your ups and downs. You have just got to dig deep, work hard, and if you need to work a little bit harder to get through the harder times, you just have to.

“I always write a ‘to do’ list, religiously. I always start early, check my emails, do my list and work methodically like that every day.  If you find something that works for you, there's no point in changing it. Stay consistent, and show up every day with a smile on your face.”

Importantly, Hollingdale believes it is vital to always come fresh to a call with a client.

“Bring the best energy you can to every call and don't bring any negative energy from any previous calls over to the new one,” he said. “Always be positive. It could be the first person they're speaking with and you’ve only get one chance to make a first impression. If you can do that, then nine times out of ten, you'll get their business.”