| A look at a UK mortgage broker franchise and | | | | week after. Nine out of the ten passed their |
| the UK mortgage indutry. | | | | relevant exams. |
| Many people thinking of entering the UK Financial | | | | The challenges of the CeMAP exams are that |
| Services Industry as mortgage advisers think that | | | | you need to learn the qualification content and |
| the way forward is to look for UK mortgage | | | | pass the exams at 70% but that is not all. Many |
| broker franchises with a view to buying into a | | | | people coming into the mortgage industry have |
| mortgage broker franchise of some kind. In my | | | | not sat exams for years and in some cases not |
| opinion, the reality of all this is that most UK | | | | since they left school. Our CeMAP training courses |
| mortgage franchises either offer bad value for | | | | were built for individuals who are new to the |
| money or they have just not evolved yet to the | | | | mortgage industry and as a consequence, we |
| required standards. | | | | teach the course content and mock examine you |
| With the Financial Services Authority (FSA) now | | | | on a daily basis. |
| regulating the mortgage industry, it have become | | | | The advantage to this system is obvious, not only |
| an extremely expensive franchise to both set up, | | | | are you learning the course content but the exam |
| train individuals and to maintain the standards set | | | | techniques as well. With strengths and |
| out by the FSA. As a consequence of this the | | | | weaknesses identified on a daily basis, it is easy |
| market is either shrinking or at best standing still. | | | | to identify the areas that require extra tuition |
| With the expansion of Networks springing up in | | | | during the week. This proven system allows us to |
| the UK, a lot of experienced advisers have | | | | help hundreds of people get through their |
| scurried under their umbrella and newly qualified | | | | Certificate in Mortgage Advice & Practice |
| advisers continue to struggle to find work. | | | | (CeMAP) exams per month. |
| With the regulations of the mortgage industry | | | | Do take care, as the route to becoming a |
| now well on the way, the exodus of the older | | | | mortgage adviser could be fraught with dangers |
| and under qualified advisers has left a void and | | | | for the unprepared and under researched person, |
| there is now a massive shortage of qualified | | | | as the journey could be a long and arduous one. |
| advisers on a national basis. This is all well and | | | | Care should be taken when choosing the |
| good you may say but if you are a newly | | | | company for the initial CeMAP training as many |
| qualified adviser or considering entering the | | | | organisations are strictly in the business of |
| mortgage industry, how do you get fixed up with | | | | offering either a two-day revision course or a |
| work or maybe buy into a mortgage franchise. | | | | self-study CeMAP examination course that in our |
| Lets look at this below: | | | | opinion is not enough. |
| Newly Qualified Mortgage Advisers | | | | Mortgage Advisor Jobs |
| The key to finding work as a mortgage is to | | | | We all aspire to the nice things in life but rarely do |
| quickly identify the market that you would prefer | | | | we find the ideal job that gives us job satisfaction. |
| to work in, e.g. employed or self employed. | | | | Before deciding on any career, you have to |
| Banks, Building Societies, Estate Agents | | | | identify your strengths and weaknesses and |
| As an employee, the starting salary of a trainee | | | | decide on what career path you want to follow. |
| mortgage adviser is around £18,000 - | | | | Having decided that you would like to pursue the |
| £25,000 plus bonuses and in some | | | | mortgage advisor career, you need exposure. |
| instances a company car is supplied. | | | | The more potential employers that you can meet |
| These positions are ideal for individuals that | | | | and talk too, the better the chance of finding |
| require an immediate income, security, and have a | | | | those mortgage advisor jobs |
| preference for being looked after and guided on a | | | | The mortgage market is a recession proof |
| daily basis. | | | | business, as when times are good and consumer |
| UK Mortgage Brokerages | | | | confidence is high, people tend to borrow for cars, |
| There are however individuals who prefer a more | | | | holidays, home improvements and many other |
| flexible working arrangement of not having to | | | | things. Then, when consumer spending has |
| turn up for work on a 9-5 situation and prefer to | | | | peaked and the economy slows down, many |
| have the flexibility of working evenings and having | | | | people experience difficulty repaying their debts |
| their destiny in their own hands. Some of these | | | | and meeting their other financial commitments. In |
| brokerages offer different financial packages and | | | | such circumstances, it is often necessary for |
| the may range from fully commission only to part | | | | them to consolidate their debts into one lower |
| salary and part commission and in some instances | | | | monthly repayment by remortgaging. |
| a car may also be provided. | | | | Remortgaging clients, debt consolidation, raising |
| New Entrants and CeMAP Training Courses | | | | capital for home improvements, financing the |
| Being in the Financial Services Industry for over | | | | purchase of holiday homes are all solutions that a |
| 20 years, many people have asked me what it | | | | mortgage advisor will be able to provide and it will |
| takes to become a qualified mortgage advisor. As | | | | keep them very busy in times of recession. |
| the Marketing Director of Money Marketing | | | | As previously mentioned, most mortgage |
| Limited, a company that trains hundreds of | | | | advisors working for banks, building societies and |
| budding UK mortgage advisers per month, I feel | | | | estate agents work on a salary plus a bonus |
| that I am well qualified to answer that question. | | | | system and the employer keeps the bulk of the |
| It takes dedication, focus, hard work, the ability to | | | | commission income generated from the sale of |
| strive for success and a little help from cemap | | | | mortgages and insurances. The packages on offer |
| training courses. | | | | to the employed UK mortgage advisor can range |
| So what criteria should you use when deciding on | | | | from a minimum of £18,000 pa plus car |
| your future career direction? Well, try asking | | | | and bonuses, to £35,000 pa plus car and |
| yourself a few of the following questions: | | | | bonuses, dependent upon what part of the |
| · Do you think that you would enjoy | | | | country you work in. |
| helping people with their finances? | | | | For the inexperienced individuals who cannot |
| · Would you prefer to be an employee? | | | | expose themselves to the potential employers |
| · Would you like to be self-employed? | | | | there is help available. Employment agencies, |
| · Are you determined to become a high | | | | referral systems and inside knowledge are all |
| earner? | | | | areas that will help the determined mortgage |
| · Are you intent on being successful? | | | | advisor job seeker. |
| · Would you like to be in charge of your | | | | Which Mortgage Broker Franchise? |
| own destiny? | | | | As previously mentioned, most mortgage |
| A 'yes' answer to most of these could mean that | | | | advisors working for banks, building societies and |
| you could consider investigating how to become a | | | | estate agents work on a salary plus a bonus |
| mortgage adviser but before you do, let us look a | | | | system and the employer keeps the bulk of the |
| little further. The start to becoming a UK | | | | commission income generated from the sale of |
| mortgage advisor is passing a mortgage advice | | | | mortgages and insurances. The packages on offer |
| qualification and in my opinion the most recognised | | | | to the employed UK mortgage advisor can range |
| one in the UK is the Certificate in Mortgage | | | | from a minimum of £18,000 pa plus car |
| Advice and Practice (CeMAP) | | | | and bonuses, to £35,000 pa plus car and |
| You will not need academic qualifications to be | | | | bonuses, dependent upon what part of the |
| able to pass the Cemap exams but one thing you | | | | country you work in. |
| will need is a strong desire to succeed in a highly | | | | The best mortgage broker amongst us is well |
| competitive industry. If you are looking to start a | | | | capable of dealing with economic changes, as they |
| career in Financial Services as a mortgage advisor | | | | are well prepared, honed, well trained and have all |
| but are finding it hard to get your foot in the | | | | the sales skills on board to make the difference, |
| door, let our dedicated team of | | | | but be aware that the income of a mortgage |
| industry-experienced CeMAP training professionals | | | | broker can vary from £25,000 to |
| lead the way. We have people travelling to our | | | | £150,000 pa. The self-employed mortgage |
| venues from all parts of the country including | | | | broker however can determine his/her own |
| Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. | | | | income but this can depend on a number of |
| The best five-day cemap training courses are | | | | factors. |
| based on groups of around 10 people for ease of | | | | · How skilled are they? |
| control and ability to interact with the tutor. The | | | | · Do they and can they charge a broker |
| courses are extremely focused, intensive and | | | | fee? |
| prepare delegates for the CeMAP 1, 2, 3 exams. | | | | . How well trained are they? |
| The courses fast track candidates in five-days | | | | · Do they arrange insurances? |
| per intensive course, in hotels throughout many | | | | Typical commissions earned from arranging |
| regions of the UK, including London, Coventry, | | | | insurance products can range from a few hundred |
| Sheffield, Manchester and the North West, | | | | pounds to thousands, dependent on the type of |
| ensuring that one of the CeMAP courses will be | | | | policy sold. The ability to arrange insurances for |
| near to you. | | | | mortgage protection purposes is a requirement of |
| The trainers successfully help individuals to pass | | | | the Financial Services Authority but as well as that |
| their mortgage advice qualifications in literally days | | | | it is another earnings opportunity for the go for it |
| of intensive, fast track cemap training. Having said | | | | mortgage broker. |
| that, it can be easy for the gifted people who are | | | | For the right person the career of a mortgage |
| just natural at passing academic exams. I recently | | | | broker can be extremely satisfying and for the |
| spent a week with a group of 10 delegates on a | | | | most successful ones the world is their oyster, as |
| CEMAP 2 & 3 training course and the range | | | | the opportunities are endless. Let your imagination |
| of abilities on the course was extremely diverse. | | | | run away with itself and picture the nice house, |
| The challenge here for the cemap trainer was to | | | | the quality car, the white sands on holiday and the |
| get them all to the same standard by the end of | | | | clothes that you have always dreamed of. |
| the week and prepare them for their exams, the | | | | |