Top 5 Wellington mortgage brokers

It can be hard to tell the difference between mortgage brokers. After all, we often don’t charge, and we offer a similar service.

So how do you tell who’s the right mortgage broker for you?

That’s why in this article you’ll learn who the top mortgage brokers are in Wellington.

You might wonder, “What is this list based on?” I’ve been a mortgage broker for over 10 years, and I am the Managing Director here at Opes Mortgages. So I understand the industry and have met the best mortgage brokers in Wellington.

While my team at Opes Mortgages help clients in Wellington, we’ve chosen not to put ourselves on this list, otherwise you’d think I’m biased.

So, here is my honest review of the top 5 mortgage brokers in Wellington – in no particular order.

And just so you know, no-one has paid to be on this list, but I did check it was OK with them.

#1 David Quinn from Stephanie Murray

When I talk to people about good mortgage brokers in Wellington, David’s name always comes up.

Before joining Stephanie Murray Mortgages he worked for 2 major banks in New Zealand.

He’s originally from London, but David has lived in Wellington for over 20 years.

He works out of the Wellington office, alongside Stephanie Murray herself.

The company gets an impressive 4.9 stars on Google, and David’s name is frequently mentioned throughout those reviews.

Here’s what one said: “I have worked with real estate and mortgage professionals over the years, but few [are] as professional, insightful and honest as David Quinn. David really does have his clients’ best interests at heart.”

Stephanie Murray Mortgages has 9 offices around the country.

#2 Peter Bozinoff from Bozinoff Mortgages

Peter started Bozinoff Mortgages in 1999. That came after a 16-year career in the banking industry.

During this time he worked in many roles and specialised in lending. Peter says he works with everyone, from buying a first home to setting up a multi-purchase investment strategy.

He has a small team of 6 employees, all based in Wellington. He and the other 4 mortgage brokers on the team are bilingual. Members of their team can speak English, Greek and Mandarin.

They also have an insurance adviser on staff.

The team have an average of 4.8 stars on Google Reviews.

Here's a recent one: “Peter got us out of a pickle & we’re forever grateful for that. The team’s communication throughout the loan period was fantastic. We always received up-to-date info when requested. The loan settlement process was professional & stress-free.”

#3 Lance Shearman from Velocity Financial

Lance Shearman says he enjoys being a part of one of the key and often most stressful stage’s in a person’s life.

As a financial adviser he works with people to achieve financial goals. Often this involves people building their property portfolios.

This way people can provide for themselves and their family’s future.

I’ve always liked that Velocity Financial create content for website and YouTube so you can check out Lance’s content to see if he’s the right fit for you.

And if you can’t get a hold of Lance, rest assured the entire team at Velocity gets 5 stars on Google.

#4 Andre Hutley from Vantage NZ

Andre Hutley, of Vantage NZ, is a mortgage broker and a property investor himself.

He bought Vantage in 2009, five years after joining the company.

Andre has a large portfolio of residential and commercial property. This includes renovating a commercial building into four residential apartments.

I asked my colleague, Andrew Nicol, about Andre. He said: “I know that he goes above and beyond. He’s been in the industry for so long, he gets a yes out of the banks when others might get a no.”

If you’re based in Wellington and want to meet in person with your broker, Andre may be the right fit for you.

Vantage NZ has a team of six based in central Wellington.

#5 Jeff Elias from Futurebound

Husband and wife team Jeff and Jacque Elias founded Futurebound in 2017.

It’s a Wellington-based boutique mortgage company. There’s one other mortgage broker on the team, alongside Jeff.

Jeff has created a 9-step Leaps and Bounds programme, which provides financial coaching. You pay to join this programme and access the more tailored advice it offers.

As well as the paid programme, Jeff creates content about mortgages and money. This is free to access on their website.

How do I choose which mortgage broker to use?

The best way to find a mortgage broker for you is to ring them up and have a chat.

Yes, recommendations are a great way to start, but you might like to interview a few too before you make up your mind who you want to work with.

Here are some ideas of questions you might want to ask to get a feel for who’s the right fit:

• Do you work with all banks, or just a few?
• What’s the best type of mortgage for me?
• What are some of the ways I can get my lending up?
• How should I structure my lending to reach my goals e.g. pay off debt more quickly, or expand a property portfolio?

There are very few “no-brainers” in buying property … but for us, using a mortgage broker is one of them for most people.

Not only is your lending more likely to be approved, but the service is often offered at no cost.

And if you’d like one more recommendation, remember you can always choose to use Opes Mortgages.