Name: Mike Lawlor
Age: 48
Location: High Barnet
Qualification Year: 2004
Firm: Integrity Wealth Management
Specialty: Large loans
Education: Politics degree
Interests: Play football twice a week and keen holidayer – been away six times this year!
Career Journey & Background
- You’ve been in mortgages for over two decades, starting with Alexander Hall in 2006. Looking back, what first drew you into mortgage advising and what’s kept you in the industry all these years?
Like most people I fell into the job and I was working in a bank who paid for me to sit the Cemap exams. The thing that keeps me doing the job is that I love helping people and every day is interesting as there is always a new problem or challenge to overcome.
- You’ve worked within both large corporate networks and now as an experienced independent adviser. How has your approach to client service evolved across those different environments?
The approach has always been the same, trying to get the best outcome for my clients. The big difference now is technology helps us a lot more to make the customer experience a lot smoother from the way we communicate with clients to just the ease they can now get documents to us.
When I started everything was paper based and all had to be done face to face. Forget a bank statement and it meant the client would have to come into the office and see me again. Now you can upload documents to our secure portal at a time of your choosing.
- ‘Mortgage Mike’ has become a recognisable name on social media. How did that persona come about and how important has it been to your brand?
When I first started working with Martyn Gerrard estate agents back in 2009, one of the directors David Smith started calling me ‘Mortgage Mike’ and now hundreds of people in North London have that name saved in their phones. In terms of building a personal brand it’s been great as it’s catchy and very memorable and says exactly what I do.
Life as an adviser in North London
You work closely with estate agent Martyn Gerrard across Barnet, Finchley, Muswell Hill, Hampstead and beyond. How would you describe the property market in these areas right now?
Right now, I would say challenging. Unless a property is priced correctly from the outset it is very difficult to sell. The guys at Martyn Gerrard are very experienced having been in property for over 60 years but we still see a lot of other agents over valuing property which can make it a challenge to get on at the right price.
- What’s a typical day in your life like during the busiest times of the year – and how do you keep on top of the pace?
I’m normally at my desk around 8am and during busy times I can almost be a bit robotic and non-communicative with team members. I will have my day planned out with tasks booked in my diary and I also have a day book that I tick tasks off to make sure nothing is missed.
- Mortgage rules, rates and products have changed massively since 2006. What’s the biggest shift you’ve had to adapt to?
There will always be challenges such as the credit crunch in 2008 when lenders started pulling deals or the changes to buy-to-let criteria from 2016 onwards. As someone who had always arranged mortgages face to face the Covid period was a real learning curve.
The most challenging time for me was during the Liz Truss period when rates seemed to be increasing daily and we were trying to help as many clients as possible, but it just felt like we were in a tsunami.
- What’s the most unusual or challenging mortgage case you’ve ever successfully arranged?
During my career I’ve arranged thousands of mortgages and done them all, from Sharia-compliant mortgages to adverse and everything in between. I wouldn’t say one particular case stands out but it’s always great when you help a first-time buyer onto the property ladder.
Views on estate agent partnerships & potential conflicts
- Working in close association with an estate agency can raise questions about conflicts of interest. How do you ensure your clients always receive impartial advice?
Having worked in the corporate pushy environment during my Foxtons days it’s not something that I would be willing to do again at this stage in my career. We only work with estate agents with incredibly high standards and integrity.
The estate agents know they can recommend us knowing that we will do a good job for their customers first and foremost and would never try and interfere with the advice we give.
- Do you think buyers understand the relationship between mortgage advisers and estate agents or do misconceptions persist?
I could be wrong but I don’t think the general public would understand how some corporates work and the pressure they put on the estate agents and mortgage brokers just to get the deal done.
Also it can be a big deal with the solicitors as they might not highlight any potential issues strongly enough if being recommended for a lot of work from one estate agent.
- How do you balance the sometimes competing priorities of an estate agent wanting to close a deal quickly and a client needing the right mortgage for their long-term goals?
The mortgage process normally takes days and the solicitors process months so I don’t find it arises as an issue.
I’m quite happy going back to an estate agent and saying the client wants to take some more time to decide on a mortgage.
As long as the client is making progress with the solicitors I can’t understand why anyone would have an issue.
- Have you ever faced pressure from an estate agent to steer a client in a particular direction and how did you handle it?
It may be an age thing or the people that I work with but have never come across this.
Being human
- You’ve guided hundreds of people through the home-buying process. Which client stories have stayed with you the most?
It’s always the first-time buyers. People want a home, and they are delighted when you get that mortgage offer for them and they know that piece of the home buying process is sorted.
It’s the best part of the job telling a client buying a home that the mortgage offer has been issued.
It’s why we get so cross with lenders when they inform the clients instead of letting us do it.
- The role can be high-pressure, especially when deals fall through or lenders change terms at the last minute. How do you manage stress and keep motivated?
The pressure at times can be unbelievable. Especially for someone like me who always has a lot of cases going through all the time so something is always popping up most days.
I relieve my stress by playing five-a-side football at the powerleague – it’s the cheapest therapy I’ve come across.
- What’s your proudest moment in your career so far?
There have been lots of milestone from qualifying for several of the MAB top banker trips, being a finalist at the BMAs for Large Loans Adviser, opening my own mortgage shop on the high street. I still feel the best is yet to come!
- If you could give one piece of advice to mortgage brokers navigating both the North London and bigger property market, what would it be?
Get your name out there, make sure people know what you do.
- Do you think that there will be a house price crash in the near future?
I’ve been battling the property price crash cult on Twitter/X almost every day for the last five years and the crash is always just around the corner…
Maybe one day they will be right and Labour certainly seem to want to help make their dreams come true but I just can’t see it.
