Meet Mike Illingworth of Mortgages By Whiteworths
Tell us about your business?
Mortgages by Whiteworths is a small, highly regarded, Leeds-based mortgage brokerage. I offer a no-nonsense, jargon-free approach, providing advice in a clear and easy-to-understand way.
I usually offer a remote service in this climate, aiming to drive the cost down without compromising on quality.
Where are you based and where do you operate geographically?
I’m based in Leeds and provide advice to whoever requires it, mostly on a remote scale due to the pandemic so I’m not restricted on area.
Most of my clients are from the Yorkshire region as a lot of my clients are referred to me, or contact me looking for a highly-rated local mortgage broker.
What are the main issues impacting your local market?
Like every other broker at this time, housing stock seems to be the main problem. There aren’t enough houses on the market to satisfy demand and it’s taking my clients a lot longer to get an offer accepted on a property at a price they are happy to pay.
What challenges are you facing as a broker?
Rising interest rates seem to be the main issue at present. Clients are used to low-interest rates over the last few years that it’s coming as a bit of a shock to them when they are coming back and the rate in a lot of situations is almost 1% higher than what we discussed three to four months back.
What are the main opportunities for brokers in your area and nationally?
I’m finding that a lot of my clients are saying their local bank/building society isn’t providing the service they are happy with. Hence them looking for a local broker to find them the most competitive rate and hold their hand through the process in a manner that’s more suited to them.
What could lenders do to help further your business?
More and more lenders are using solely web chat facilities to liaise with brokers. This is fine for 75% of cases however every once in a while you get a complex case where you wish to discuss it the old-fashioned way. It’s often very difficult to pick up the phone to a lot of the major lenders.
What sets you apart from the competition?
I try to offer the best service possible. I pride myself on response times. I find nothing more annoying myself when you contact a company and it takes days for them to respond. My clients often compliment me on how quickly they get a response.
How should potential borrowers contact you?
Clients can contact me via phone, email, via the web chat facility on our website or by simply going online and leaving their contact details with whatever questions they would like answering.
