Specialist lender Hodge has undergone quite the transformation in the past 12 months. With new teams, new products and a new CEO at the helm, 2019 was the year that saw Hodge move from traditional equity release provider, to innovative later-life specialist – or at least, that’s what managing director of mortgages, Matt Burton, says:
Last year was a pivotal year for Hodge. As a traditional lender and equity release provider for more than fifty years, it would be easy to sit back and just focus all our attention there. But with the market growing, needs changing and later life no longer meaning retiring at 60 and moving to the coast, we know we have to move with it.
We’re an 100% intermediated business – meaning customers come to us via brokers rather than direct – and I can’t stress highly enough the importance of getting independent, trusted financial advice ahead of making any decisions. What we’ve tried to do is create more options, so that we’re doing all we can to support those facing uncertain times – giving them more choice when they do come to make a decision.
Adding retirement interest only mortgages to our product range has obviously been one way of doing this, another has been to ensure that the criteria for our equity release mortgages is as flexible as possible for later-life borrowers. For example, all of our later-life products are available from age 50, our downsizing range has 16 different options and downsizing protection comes as standard from day one.
Crucially though, we can make all the criteria changes in the world, offer every product a later life customer could need, but without the right people to sell them, we wouldn’t get very far.
The people behind the products
Our Specialist Lending Support team is now made up of 15 highly experienced professionals, consisting of national account managers, field-based business development managers and telephone business development managers.
It’s our responsibility to assist intermediaries in navigating the later-life lending market which is why we’ve expanded our team in the past six months. Brokers now have two dedicated points of contact – one in the field and one on the desk to ensure there is always someone available to discuss cases.
Our sales team also have direct access to both our underwriters and our in-house surveyors which means the team are able to give answers quickly.
Some of the key players in our newly formed team include business development director, Emma Graham, who joined us after three years as national account manager for Principality Building Society and brings with her more than two decades experience in financial services.
Bolstering Emma’s team are a national account manager for the south of England, and two new business development managers who will work with our intermediary partners in the Midlands and north Wales and the north and south of England.
Jason Newsway is now our national account manager for the south of England. Donna Spence has taken on the role of business development manager for the north of England and James Enos is now our business development manager for the midlands and north Wales.
- This article was supplied by Hodge. Other firms that wish to be featured on the Council website should send content to [email protected]
