As runner up of The Intermediary and Newspage’s ‘Best Broker in The Universe’ competition for 2023, Chloe Stock, company director at The Stock Mortgage Company Ltd, certainly takes customer service to the next level.
As a mortgage broker who is willing to take clients on forest walks, provide people with free animal therapy on her self-proclaimed “farm”, and even persevere through a broken shoulder and conduct a meeting enroute to the hospital, Stock, it seems, will stop at nothing to ensure positive outcomes for her clients.
In light of her recent win, The Intermediary sat down with Stock to delve a little deeper into this tireless commitment to her client base, as well as to explore her beginnings as a broker, and her predictions for the market as we enter 2024.
The ‘mortgage bug’
While as a child, Stock had dreams of appearing on stage and screen, she admits that it was the few years that she spent as an estate agent that led her to the world of mortgage broking.
“I have been a broker since 2009 and was an estate agent two years prior to that,” she explains.
“I loved being an estate agent, but an opportunity came up to become a mortgage broker and the moment I started the training was the moment I fell in love with it.”
Upon establishing her own brokerage in 2019, Stock trained to become a master broker, determined to service all areas of the market – whilst giving her own employees the flexibility they needed.
She says: “Once I had the mortgage bug, I made it my mission to set up my own mortgage brokerage – I wanted more laid-back approach so my team could work around other commitments, not just their career.
“I finally achieved that […] after completing every exam to become a master broker, specialising in all finance, commercial lending and all areas of protection advice.
“I wanted to offer the whole of industry advice not just the standard residential mortgages, this is why I am now part of the elite, ‘Best Brokers in the Universe 2023’, and continuing in 2024!”
Achieving dreams
With her dream of being a master broker now a reality, Stock turned her attention to other people’s dreams, mainly, those of her clients.
Taking the time to get to know her clients on a personal level is of the utmost importance to Stock, as not only has she helped many families onto the property ladder – but has formed many long-lasting relationships along the way.
“I love being part of the link that helps to make the clients dream a reality”, she says.
“I go to my clients’ weddings, parties, children’s parties and sadly funerals, it’s not just a mortgage appointment to me, it is so much more, it is personal.
“I have made many amazing friends for many years from one mortgage appointment. I love to watch a couples evolving into beautiful families.”
Word-of-mouth
With the client front and centre to her philosophy, and the personal touch ever-present, Stock says that she has retained a strong base of returning customers over the years.
She explains: “[We have] years of returning customers, people buying from people and using the old school way of word-of-mouth recommendations, hence why my social media is not the best.
“In 2024, I am pushing myself to be more present on social media, so I can appeal to the wider market.”
As any broker will admit, maintaining a loyal customer base is no mean feat, and with her sights set on a new social media demographic, Stock reports that she is always willing to go the extra mile for her returning customers.
“I do all the usual stuff any good broker does listen, care, help – but I sing happy birthday to every client and I try the Mariah Carey version too!”, she jokes.
“On a serious note, all the brokers in the final 18 were worthy of this award, I am not sure why I was picked, it could be the same reason why my clients return to me and my team year after year.
“I would like to say thank you to Erjona Braqi and Rachel Savage for working so hard in 2023, supporting myself and going along with every crazy idea I have.”
She adds: “Behind every amazing company director is a wonderful team, I am extremely grateful for this award and acknowledge every other broker’s hard work.”
A year in review
Despite strong customer loyalty and her willingness to treat every client with the utmost care, Stock says she was not immune to the challenges that plagued the market in 2023.
Speaking on the tumultuous year, she reports subdued enquires, particularly when it came to buy-to-let.
She says: “Buy-to-let was not as vibrant due to the rate increases, the rental yield was just not there.
“I felt 2023 was so hard as the rates increased so dramatically by the time you walked away from your desk made a cuppa and went back again, the rates had increased.
“For some clients I have locked them in deals and changed it five times in the process where the rates then dropped. “
However, all was not doom and gloom. Stock notes a marked, and somewhat unexpected, rise in protection cases as of late.”
“After covid, I feel the insurance side of the industry outperformed itself,” she begins.
“With the world understanding no one is promised tomorrow, I have never written so many wills and life cover policies into trusts.”
Looking ahead
Looking to the future, Stock remains more optimistic regarding the market in 2024.
Holding out for further rate drops for remortgage customers, she predicts that there will be a potential boom within the first-time buyer market this year.
She says: “I think first-time buyers will excel while the rates are dropping!
“Hopefully there will be a stamp duty incentive to help push the market again.
“I have spoken to a lot of first-time buyers already and it is still only January.”
The Mortgage Training Academy
Aside from promising market trends, 2024 is also set to be a positive year for Stock more personally, as she lays out plans for the year ahead.
Her main goal, she reports, lies with her new venture: The Mortgage Training Academy.
With the aim of training the next generation of mortgage professionals, Stock is set to launch the new training course as of February this year.
She explains: “My goal is to finish the setup of The Mortgage Training Academy – it is time to pay forward all my skills.”
“If you want in on this training (or if you are already a broker and fancy a change of company or a freshen up on some skills) just send me a message at [email protected].
“You can’t blame a girl for promoting her next venture!”
She adds: “I also want to push myself to do TikTok and social media better – I have always got referrals for my amazing personality as people buy from people, but now people buy from TikTok!”
Even with the launch of her training academy and her new social media campaign on the horizon, Stock has one final wish for 2024.
“I need to be a character in a Marvel or DC film”, she says.
“I have been an extra in a couple of films, but I am still dreaming for a speaking part, not a silent part!”
Who knows, maybe Marvel’s “The Master of Mortgages” will be coming to a theatre near you soon…
