Inform 5th January 2024

LATEST PARTNER BLOGS:

Hodge
Another Key Criteria Enhancement

The Mortgage Lender
Support BTL Clients Better

More2life
Unlock New Possibilities For Your Later Life Clients

Standard Life Home Finance
Walking In The Shoes Of Today’s RIO Customer

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Hodge

Reflections on 2023

Reflecting on 2023, it’s been a tough one, with challenges like the Consumer Duty, the ongoing cost of living crisis, multiple Bank of England base rate increases and a lacklustre Autumn budget for the property market. As intermediaries, lenders and distributors, together we step into 2024 with resilience, dedicated to supporting our customers through the good and the bad.

2024 should also bring with it some brighter news. It seems we’ve reached the peak of the base rate curve, with recent stability following falling inflation. We anticipate a more stable interest rate environment, bringing with it new opportunities.

The broker market share continues to grow, with predictions from IMLA that 90% of mortgages will go through intermediaries this year. Our own Hodge data has also seen a steady increase in intermediated product switches, which is why we made the recent decision to increase procuration fees for mortgage product transfers. We want to recognise and reward the hard work you do right through the mortgage journey.

As a specialist lender, we’re dedicated to supporting you across the specialist markets we serve, from lending into and beyond retirement, to complex income propositions. Our experienced BDMs will provide lead generation sessions to help identify potential customers across these markets.

Looking ahead, we aim to collaborate more closely with you, bringing further innovation and support to the market in the coming months. Thank you for supporting Hodge, during 2023.

Hodge Insight:

Loughborough Building Society

Concessionary Purchases

From time to time a purchase price reflects a family relationship between buyer and seller. In this scenario the Loughborough BS can accept the concessionary purchase price. It can be a way of being able to get on the property ladder for first time buyers. If the parent is looking to remain in the property, we can consider this however they would need to get independent legal advice.

If the applicant is receiving a discount on the purchase price but there is no family relationship for example where a landlord is selling to a tenant, they would require a 5% deposit of the agreed purchase price.

In addition, we can accept right to buy and right to acquire applications. As with all concessionary purchase they are available on our standard product range. In addition, we are now able to accept benefit income.

Vida Homeloans

2023 – a look back

We have put together a PDF that you can share with your advisors that documents all our 2023 highlights at Vida (attached). I hope this is a useful summary of all our key changes this year.

I also wanted to let you know that we are nominated in the Mortgage Strategy 2024 awards! I would really appreciate your support in voting for us for Best Specialist Lender, and you can do so here!

Accord Mortgages

What content should I publish on my website?

If you have a blog section on your website, you might sometimes get stuck for ideas on what to write about.

But did you consider that your clients and prospects can be a valuable source of blog titles?

In our latest Growth Series article, we discuss how you can create a content plan around the questions you’re often being asked, what type of content you can publish, and how this approach can add value both to clients and your brokerage.

Click here to read more.

The Growth Series is a dedicated and FREE resource for mortgage brokers, containing blogs, guides and podcasts, to help you scale and grow your business. For more hints and tips on how to grow your business, you can sign up to the Growth Series here.

Generation Home

Gen H updates intermediary website

The website includes an A to Z searchable criteria hub, affordability calculator, and easy access to Gen H Pro and the lender’s case management tool.

It also has new content on bespoke booster features, real-time service levels, business development manager (BDM) lookup tool and easy to use product guides.

Gen H has been growing its intermediary panel, recently adding The Openwork Partnership which brings its intermediary panel to over 15,000 advisers.

It has also been upgrading its technology, launching an AI-backed packaging tool and adding Experian Score Booster to bolster customer credit scores.

Click here to find out more.