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Meet the team behind Plymouth’s multi award-winning mortgage and protection brokers, Mortgages4Plymouth.
The Peverell-based firm is part of the PRIMIS Mortgage Network – the second largest provider of mortgages in the country, responsible for one in 10 mortgages in the UK today. So, to win the network’s 2019 Top Firm – Quality Award for outstanding service is something worth shouting about.
The award is based on client feedback and in Mortgages4Plymouth’s case, the feedback has been unanimously positive with not a single customer complaint!
It’s the latest industry award for Mortgages4Plymouth, which is owned by business partners Tricia Kennedy and Anne-Marie Reilly. In 2018, Tricia won the Top Individual – Quality award and was also the recipient of the inaugural prize for Outstanding Contribution to the Network.
Stepping into the offices in Peverell Park Road, you get the feeling right away that this is a mortgage firm unlike many others. For a start, you’re welcomed by Tricia’s friendly dog, Miss Ellie, who even has a business profile – ‘Client Relations Manager’ – on the company website: “She does all the meets and greets,” says Tricia. “She’s six now and she’s been here since she was seven weeks old, so she’s very experienced.”
It’s all part of the relaxed, “come on in and have a cuppa” feel.
The second thing you notice is all the awards on display, so quality and trust is clearly a given. Of the nine-strong team, three are fully qualified mortgage and protection advisers and the rest are either qualified or are undergoing qualification as CeMAP mortgage advisers: “That level of expertise in one office is extremely unusual and, together with our experience, it explains why the team has won the network’s Quality award. We have outstanding testimonials and that’s because we’ve got a great team.”
Finally, and possibly the biggest difference of all, is the personal approach: “I’ve been in the business for 39 years and I don’t think this is a job you can do successfully without compassion,” explains Tricia. “I respect that some people have been through a hard time. Some might have had a difficult divorce. Others might have been turned away for a mortgage without receiving any advice at all.
“Well, they won’t be turned away from me.”
“I’m always here to listen and I hear quite a lot of difficult stories about what’s happened. If someone isn’t in a position to get a mortgage now, we’ll help them to try and get into the position where they can buy a house. We’ll look at their position and help them to get things moving.”
“We also make sure that in the event of anything happening to someone who takes out a mortgage with us, their family doesn’t lose their home. This sort of care is very important to me. It’s a reason why a good life assurance policy is essential.”
Today, Tricia’s experience and standing have made her a well-known figure nationally in the industry. But when she started out in the sector in 1980, she was one of the first women in financial services – and it might never have happened at all, had she not spotted a newspaper advert for a job in a toy factory and wrongly dialled the number next to it.
The number belonged to Hambro Life – further down the line to become PRIMIS Mortgage Network – and the rest is history. After initially working as a financial consultant, she switched to mortgages and life assurance in 1995. Then, in 2000, she and Anne-Marie founded Mortgages4Plymouth. The company moved to its current premises three years later.
“The business has always been based in Plymouth and I have always worked for the same network,” said Tricia. “The network’s name might have changed a few times – it was Allied Dunbar for a while – but technically, it’s the same people since Day 1. And that is very rare. There aren’t a lot of brokers who can say that.”
So, how’s the housing market looking in Plymouth right now? Well, despite nervousness surrounding Brexit, there are currently more people looking for homes than there are homes available, which is holding house prices steady: “Demand is outweighing supply – and it’s first time buyers who are very active,” revealed Tricia.
The network provides 9,000 mortgages a month nationally, but, says Tricia: “In other parts of the country, most home buyers go to brokers for their mortgage. In London, 85% of mortgages are done through brokers. In Plymouth, however, people still tend to go to their bank, where they’re likely to pay a higher rate.
“Buyers who come to us only need a 5% deposit and we have very low mortgage rates, starting from 2.55%. There are no up-front charges and, for first time buyers, there are deals available where they get £1,000 cash back. Because we’re not tied to any bank, we can offer a wider range of rates and deals that aren’t available on the High Street. So there are plenty of affordable mortgages available.”
While some in the sector have fallen by the wayside down the years, Mortgages4Plymouth is set to grow further in 2019. And next year, Tricia will be celebrating 40 years in the business – not bad going for someone who thought they were applying for a job in toys in 1980!
Whether you’re a first-time buyer, looking to moving homes, re-mortgaging or considering a buy-to-let, call the Mortgages4Plymouth team to book a free, initial no obligation appointment. Office hours are 9am to 5.30pm, and weekend appointments are available. Visit the website to learn more about the firm’s mortgage and life insurance services.
Mortgages4Plymouth
8 Peverell Park Road, Peverell, Plymouth, PL3 4NA
01752 264500 (or 07721 498412 – Available 24/7)
info@mortgages4plymouth.co.uk
mortgages4plymouth.co.uk