Meet Richard West from Top Ten Home Loans

RICHARD WEST possibly the fastest broker in the world!

He’s travelled at twice the speed of sound and visited more countries than you could poke a plane ticket at, so you could describe Richard West as a bit of a Superman! Or at least in the mortgage broking business! In today’s highly competitive mortgage market it makes more sense than ever to use a mortgage broker. Why limit yourself to the offerings of just one institution when you can have access to all available offers, for free! When Richard boarded a Greyhound bus in the US at the tender age of 18, he didn’t know what adventures lay ahead. He just knew he wanted to travel.

And when he returned to the UK from that bus tour of the USA, Canada and Mexico, his passion for travel was even stronger, pushing him to seek career with opportunities to work overseas. “Within weeks I landed a job at Citibank in London working in corporate operations. Twenty-five years later I still worked for them. But during this period I had permanent postings to Italy, Saudi Arabia and Greece. “Much of my career was spent in Audit, Compliance and Risk Assessment roles. The nature of my work allowed business travel to Switzerland, France, Germany, Denmark, Nigeria, South Africa, Malaysia, UAE, Bahrain and the USA.” Pretty impressive, you might say, but his passion for travel was still not sated - instead it was fuelled! “At every opportunity I also took vacations in countries I hadn’t visited. I think the list to date covers over 55 countries and the bucket list is still growing.” Richard began mortgage broking in 2004 and decided to launch Top Ten Home Loans early in 2014. As if that wasn’t enough, he also managed to complete a degree, a diploma and held two overseas positions - China and PNG - in that time. “Mortgage broking is about knowledge, experience and systems but equally important is communication. One or two of these components are often offered as customer highlights but I believe all four are absolutely essential,” Richard said. “Understanding a customer’s goals and specific needs is the foundation to find a client the right solution with the right products, features and services that support their objectives.

“Most finance brokers provide diverse services that not only support owner-occupiers and investors but also support those clients that need commercial and asset finance solutions. “In today’s world of shopping for the best deal it makes sense to use a broker. A bank offers customers solutions within the boundaries and limitations of that organisation. But the better deal may come from the bank down the road, a non-bank lender or even an international bank with an Australian presence. As a broker, my job is search out the best deal available.” Top Ten Home Loans charge no service fee, because they are paid by the banks. And that rule applies even if the client doesn’t proceed with the loan.

“If you’re ready and able to take action now, that’s great. If not, that’s good, too. Because we hope that the information we provide will allow you to develop a plan for the future.

“Of course, we hope you remember Top Ten Home Loans when you are ready and also refer us to your friends, family, colleagues and business associates.”

Richard believes Top Ten Home Loans provides an excellent, personalised service supported by hard work and commitment to get clients the best solution. It’s not for nothing that his mantra is: ‘Your Success is Our Success’. He also believes that extensive travel not only broadens the mind, but gives you much more than just a few holiday snaps.

But then he would say that, because his travels brought him something very special indeed - his wife!

“I lived in Saudi Arabia at the time and took a scuba diving course in the Red Sea. I was assigned a buddy who ultimately became a soul mate. So in answer to the question ‘Where did you meet your wife?’ I raise a few eyebrows when I say 20m under the Red Sea!” A key component of travelling, of course, is that you experience new places and cultures.

“But the second is that I meet new people. As a finance broker I’m fortunate to meet many people from many walks of life. It’s what makes me tick. And this is where communication with a personal touch is so important.” And sometimes that personal touch can be extreme, as Richard explained. “I’m keen to deliver service wherever it’s needed. On one occasion I needed loan documents to be signed by an elderly couple that were staying on a small boat. The husband met me on a river bank with a small tender and ferried me through wet, blustery conditions to their anchored boat. “Although a little wet, both me and the documents made it back to shore. But delivering service was taken to an extreme in Saudi Arabia. “I worked there during the first Gulf War. Until the coalition’s invasion, Saudi was subjected to regular SCUD missile attacks. The American Patriot missiles took most of them out in the sky. But the sound and shock waves were something else. The bank I worked for was adamant it would be business as usual. And it was!” But while delivering that same excellent service on the Sunshine Coast may be a little drier, and certainly quieter, Richard’s work ethic remains the same. “People want reliable service delivered with professionalism and understanding. We communicate difficult concepts in a language that people can readily understand. Add commitment and hard work to the mix and this is why people choose us.” And who are your clients, Richard? “Anyone that wants a competitive home loan to buy a property to live in or invest. Of course, this also includes clients that want to refinance to a better deal, need funds to renovate or want to extract equity (cash out) from their property. So clients can range from first home buyers to seasoned investors to retirees. Beyond this we also provide services to businesses needing commercial loans or asset finance.”

And when the deal is done, the words Richard most likes to hear are: ‘Top Ten Home Loans did what they said they would!’

“I like them to say that we delivered and they would be happy to refer us to family, friends, colleagues and business acquaintances.”

Before we go, we should probably explain that Superman moniker! “On one trip to New York I was fortunate enough to receive a surprise upgrade to make this journey on Concorde. To travel at over twice the speed of sound and to arrive at my destination 90 minutes before I took off was, well, amazing!” e www.toptenhomeloans.com.au