The Intermediary – March 2026 - Flipbook - Page 88
Meet The Broker
FundU Mortgages
Marvin Onumonu speaks with Elijah Da Silva, mortgage broker
at FundU Mortgages
Tell us a little bit about
yourself – what made you
become a broker?
Property and finance are two of
my big interests. I did a degree in
business management with finance,
and my first job out of university
was as an estate agent. I then did
my CeMAP in 2021, in the evenings
and weekends outside of work, and
applied for a job as a trainee broker.
The firm I was previously at was
linked to an estate agency, so that is
where my business came from, and
it was primarily made up of first-time
buyers (FTBs) and home movers. This
is where I learned the business, the
criteria and different affordability
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The Intermediary | March 2026
models. I’ve always been interested
in how people use property as a
way to build security and create
opportunities, and I’ve been equally
drawn to the numbers and structure
behind that. Mortgage broking sits
right at that intersection.
What really appeals to me
is that a big part of the role is
problem solving. Every client’s
situation is different, and each case
presents its own challenges. One
day you might be working with a
straightforward FTB, the next you’re
dealing with someone who has
multiple income streams or a more
complex background.
I enjoy having to think creatively,
use the tools and lenders available,
and find a solution that actually
works in real life for that person.
That variety, and the fact that you’re
helping people move forward at
key moments in their lives, is what
drew me in and keeps me passionate
about the job.
Last summer I opted for a change
and a new challenge, which is where
I found FundU. I joined in September,
so in terms of the firm I’m still
relatively new. But I’ve been working
as a broker for about five years.
The past few years have been a
very intense period for the mortgage
market, with big shifts in interest
rates, changing affordability rules
and evolving ways that people earn
and prove their income.
Working through all that has
given me exposure to a wide range
