Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Molo?
I cover a sizeable region across the North East and the North West of England. Honestly, I am still adding more firms to the list.
This variety is one of the things I enjoy most about my role, because no two conversations are ever the same. One minute, you are discussing a fairly straightforward buy-to-let (BTL) refinance; the next, you are deep into a complex multi-unit freehold block (MUFB) structure, an expat case, or something involving mixed-use property and title splits.
There is also a huge amount of entrepreneurial thinking in these regions. Brokers are constantly finding opportunities in areas of the market that perhaps were not getting the same attention a few years ago, whether that is semi-commercial property, houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), holiday lets, or landlords trying to diversify income streams. You can really see how experienced brokers are adapting to changing investor behaviour by providing the funding solutions required.
What personal talent or skill is most valuable in your role?
Without question, communication. Many specialist lending cases involve multiple moving parts and multiple stakeholders. You have brokers, valuers, solicitors, underwriters, packagers, landlords and investors all trying to keep momentum going at the same time, often against tight deadlines.
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I think the ability to keep dialogue flowing properly between everyone involved is what keeps cases alive. Brokers do not necessarily need constant updates, they just need clarity and honesty around what is happening and what the next step looks like to remain on track.
What personal talent or skill would you most like to improve on?
Organisation is probably the honest answer (don’t read this, Martin), particularly when it comes to diary management. The demands of the role change very quickly, and you can move from a Teams call, to a credit discussion, to a broker meeting, then straight into responding to urgent case queries, all within the space of an hour.
I think most BDMs would probably say they are constantly trying to improve how they structure their day, because there is always more that can be done. The challenge is making sure you stay accessible while also giving brokers proper time and attention when they need support.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
There simply are not enough hours in the day. You always try to get back to everybody immediately, particularly when brokers are trying to secure a property, but the workload across specialist lending at the moment can make that aim difficult.
That said, I think brokers are generally very understanding, as long as communication stays clear and they know somebody is actively engaged with the case.
The market has also become more complex in recent years. Cases involving foreign nationals, expats, HMOs, MUFBs and semi-commercial properties are all becoming common, which naturally means brokers need more hands-on support throughout the process.
What do you love most about your job?
For me, it is being able to genuinely add value to a broker’s journey. A lot of brokers are dealing with clients whose circumstances can be quite complex, so when you can help structure a real solution, while keeping momentum and ultimately get a difficult deal completed, that is incredibly rewarding.
Relationship-building is a huge part of it too. The strongest broker relationships are always the ones built on trust, consistency and transparency over time.
I also enjoy the fact specialist lending constantly evolves. Markets change, investor behaviour evolves and brokers have to adapt incredibly quickly. That keeps the role interesting, because I feel like I am always learning something new.
What’s the best bit of career-related advice you have ever been given? Who gave it to you?
“Work with who you know, and do what you say you’re going to do.” That was passed down from Martin Sims, our distribution director at Molo Finance, and it is probably the simplest but most accurate advice I have heard in this industry.
Relationships matter enormously, but reliability matters even more. Brokers remember the people who follow through, communicate properly and stay involved when cases become difficult.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career?
Make the most of every opportunity and every chance to form a connection. Sometimes, the most valuable conversations are the informal ones over coffee at an industry event or after a meeting has finished. You never really know which relationship or conversation might lead to something important later down the line.
This industry is still very relationship-driven, despite all the advances in technology and automation. Platforms and systems absolutely improve efficiency, but people still want access to someone who understands the nuance of a case and can have a proper conversation when needed.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
A combination of internal discussions and external market engagement. We’re fortunate at Molo to have very strong credit and marketing teams, so there is always a good flow of insight internally around borrower behaviour, product trends and areas where brokers are increasingly seeking support.
Beyond that, industry events remain hugely valuable because they give you a real sense of what brokers are seeing on the ground. A lot of the conversations recently have centred around diversification, yield and landlords trying to make assets work harder.
What is the most quirky or unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
One that always sticks in my mind involved a highly complex student let case made up of nine HMOs on a single title, alongside ambitious redevelopment plans that included communal living areas and even a five-a-side football pitch.
It was one of those deals where every time you thought you had fully understood the structure, another layer appeared.
But those are often the most interesting cases because they really test everybody involved, from underwriting and valuation through to legal structuring and communication between all parties.
Tell us about your trickiest case: what happened and how did you resolve the problems?
A recent standout involved three extremely time-sensitive MUFB title-split cases covering 16 flats, all being refinanced away from bridging finance.
The biggest challenge was simply the level of coordination required. There were tight timelines, multiple parties involved and a huge amount of pressure to keep everything progressing smoothly from decision in principle (DIP) through to completion.
What ultimately kept the cases on track was maintaining communication throughout the process. Everybody understood where things stood, what was outstanding and what the next steps were at every stage.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
I’ve always enjoyed helping people and being proactive in solving problems, so once I properly understood the impact a BDM can have on a broker’s overall experience, the role immediately appealed to me.
I like being involved in the process rather than simply sitting on the sidelines. There is a genuine sense of satisfaction when you help guide a complex case through to completion, particularly when the broker or borrower initially thought the deal might not be possible.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
Probably conveyancing, purely because it would be interesting to see the process from the other side and understand the sheer amount of coordination involved in keeping transactions moving. I think anyone working in our space will appreciate just how many moving parts there are behind the scenes.
