Monday
I am currently arranging a £2m mortgage for a former Olympic athlete. After a chat with him at his home and some reminiscing about his glory days, I sit down in front of the underwriter to pitch his case. After work, I head off to play five-a-side football with some colleagues.
Tuesday
On Tuesday mornings we run through ‘unplaceables’ as a team; this is a good way for anyone who is struggling to place a deal to use the experience of others on the floor, and we come up with some creative solutions in this way. After lunch, I meet a lender for coffee. She brings me up-to-date with some of their latest rates, criteria and deal structures. Back in the office after hours, I have a quick game on the office pool table, a recent addition which has injected some healthy competition into our afternoons.
Wednesday
Wednesday is our quarterly event, so I get into the office early to make sure I am on top of things. One of my clients is looking for a mortgage of £2.5m to buy a property which currently belongs to a footballer, and I need to discuss the architect’s plans with the bank. At lunch we have a company update, with lots of coffee and smoked salmon bagels, and a very entertaining Q&A with a guest speaker. The afternoon involves team bonding activities, including a speedboat down the Thames, and dinner at a Gordon Ramsey pub.
Thursday
In the morning, I head down to Tower Bridge to meet a client. He and his girlfriend are moving over from France to start new jobs, and I am sorting out a mortgage for them. I have set up a meeting with a private bank; it is always useful for the client to be able to meet a representative in person so the two parties can establish a friendly relationship. My client now knows exactly who he is dealing with, and his mortgage is progressing very quickly. As an added bonus, we have beautiful views of the river from the meeting room.
Friday
It is nice to end the week on a high. I call all my clients in the morning to give them an update. A couple of business development managers pop into our offices throughout the day and it is always interesting to chat to them. I then have a celebratory lunch at Hawksmoor with a client whose million pound mortgage has just completed, along with a representative from the bank who is financing them; this is a lovely way to round off a deal. In the afternoon, we have a company meeting to run through the past few days’ figures. We are heading out for some Old-Fashioneds cocktails in the summer sunshine this evening to relax after a good week.
