The Intermediary –- May 2026 - Flipbook - Page 44
RESIDENTIAL
Opinion
A steady ship in
turbulent waters
M
aybe I’m just
noticing it more
these days, but
all I seem to see
when property
or mortgages
are the topic is negativity. Those
looking to buy their first home,
move home, remortgage or invest
in property appear to be thrown a
tremendous amount of negativity
and scaremongering.
A first-time buyer might be excited
to start thinking about buying their
first property, so start searching on
social media for certain hashtags or
keywords, and instead of being met
with exciting stories or anecdotes
about buying their first home,
maybe tips about what to do first,
who to consult, where to get advice;
they’re met with someone staring
into the camera showing graphs
that suggest rates might be reaching
7% and that buying a home is now
completely unaffordable.
You might have a family who have
worked incredibly hard and always
dreamed of being able to invest in
a property where they can provide
lovely, high-quality housing to
someone and be able to eventually pass
that property down to their children
one day. Instead, they see online
people with picket boards calling for
the downfall of private landlords and
how they should be forced to sell their
property at a reduced price to tenants.
What doesn’t help is that with a
simple web search for mortgage rates,
you’re met with doom and gloom.
‘Rate rises’. ‘Mortgage mayhem’.
‘Mortgage turmoil’. Those who were
perhaps planning their first summer
holiday in a while for their children
who, for the past few years, have had
to go without, again put their plans
on hold aer seeing the extremely bad
outlook shared by the media.
I find it interesting, because there’s
such pessimism in the media. Which
I get. It’s a good story for them, I’m
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The Intermediary | May 2026
sure it brings in a mass of readership.
People sharing articles to one another.
‘Oh, you’re thinking of buying? I
wouldn’t just yet… have you seen the
news?’. And, yes, obviously there is
truth in a lot of this. Rates aren’t as
stable as they were. I get it. But buyers,
rate switchers, property investors need
some degree of assurance and calm in
this furor.
What consumers don’t get to see
is the regular correspondence ‘for
intermediaries only’ where rate
reductions are announced. Or where
lender fees are reduced. Or where
valuation fees are scrapped. Or where
cashback incentives are offered. Or
‘green’ Energy Performance Certificate
(EPC) rewards are able to be accessed.
Now, this isn’t a blame game
here. I just wish we lived in a
world where, when the consumer
wants information, they go to the
professionals. The advisers. The ones
who are able to actually look at the
client’s individual circumstances and
see what’s relevant to them. Rather
than someone deciding to give up
on looking because of what they’ve
seen online by somebody who is,
potentially, searching for the worst
possible scenario that they can find
so they can spout it out and cause,
well, panic.
That’s what gets the most views and
shares. And probably then directs
people to click their affiliate link that
then lines their own pocket.
What can be done?
Lenders have a responsibility to help
here. They are giants and have the
ability to reach out to an exceptionally
wide audience. It should never be
an ‘us versus them’ with brokers
and lenders.
We need to work in synergy and
realise that sometimes one of us will
win and the other will lose, and vice
versa. I appreciate lenders make more
money when a client goes direct, but
maybe they could use their ad-spend
JONATHAN FOWLER
is founder and managing
director at Fowler Smith
Mortgages & Protection
to tell the wider population to
consult a qualified professional
with any questions about interest
rates, affordability and so on. Rather
than relying on non-specific media
headlines or ‘influencers’ sharing
more and more negativity and telling
everyone to leave the country to a
tax haven.
I hope a dialogue can start,
somewhere, to fill consumers with
more confidence. Lenders are adapting
so much recently, finding ways to help
more and more clients to get good
deals. Do I think they should forecast
with more contingency plans in place
so they don’t have to be so knee-jerk
reactive when some geopolitical unrest
occurs? Absolutely. But, I think it
needs to be even more widespread
that every single person’s scenario is
unique, so not everything directly
relates to everyone.
What can advisers do?
Do we have to explain the risks, the
potential downsides and contingents
when budgeting? Absolutely. We
do, always have and always will.
But, I think us as advisers need to
use relevant platforms even more to
inform consumers that we are here
to advise. We’re here to calm the
concerns and navigate a way to make
things work for every individual.
So, yes, I’m going to shamelessly
go back to what I’ve titled this article.
The waters appear exceptionally
turbulent, but us as advisers are the
ones who can steadily steer the ship to
safety. Let’s give ourselves the credit
that we deserve and let’s remind
people to consult us for genuine,
individual advice. ●
