About mortgagehq

A letter from the co-founder

Andrew here,

When Blandon and I started in business together, we shared the same frustrations but found we were each approaching things differently. I was helping mortgage advisers with their marketing and strategy but finding that clients were not properly looked after along the way. Blandon was helping clients with insurance but found his true passion in property investing and ownership when he worked with families successfully building and creating equity through smart mortgage use. 

Each of us had branched out on our own and through chance encounter met at the right time to start working together. Since late 2015 we have been helping people save money on their mortgages and make smarter property investment decisions using case studies and learning from our clients and exhaustive research (which we love doing).

I have had a poor experience with the bank and other brokers when I was looking at my own mortgage options many years ago… to me, it seemed so simple to just help clients figure out what they do not already know and streamline the process for them. I became frustrated with the lack of quality information available for kiwis in regards to mortgages and property. 

Initially, we focused on building powerful online mortgage calculators and property investment tools to put power in the hands of everyday Kiwis. We quickly discovered that in addition to being able to help themselves people needed better experts to guide them through the mortgage advice process. We wanted to build a team of advisers that put clients first and refused to play the industry game of commission-only salespeople because those conditions can cloud your judgement. A structure of clients first and team second was forged. Our team is paid salaries. No one is pressured to force clients into higher commission products or lenders. Blandon’s passion and knowledge are industry-leading and admirable which means we’re often inundated with enquiries. 

When hiring advisers for our team, it is stressed to them the importance of a client-helping culture and long term relationships. Our clients tell us that they appreciate us keeping in touch with them. Typically we make contact every 6-12 months to ensure customers are still receiving excellent service from their banks; their mortgages are still working for their current situation, to discuss investment strategy and to have a conversation. 

It is with great pride that mortgagehq now has over 500 reviews on Google from people `who are so stoked with what we could achieve for them, and how we dealt with them as humans rather than as a task. I cannot promise perfection but I assure you that we know what we are doing and we will always put your needs above our own. If we don’t know… we will help you find someone who does. 

All team members use personal mobiles for communicating with clients – you can text, call, leave a VM and know they will get the message and be in touch. Please feel free to contact me on my personal mobile 021 424 027 or email me directly andrew@mhq.co.nz.

Check out our 50+ YouTube videos.

Andrew Malcolm
Managing Director, mortgagehq

After four successful years, iRefi had outgrown its brand.

What started as a fledgeling mortgage brokerage focused on helping kiwis refinance mortgages had matured into a highly driven company hunting pragmatic results for clients and stakeholders, then guiding them down the pathway to property goals.

It was time for a new brand. mortgagehq was launched – a brand that better represents who we are and who we are striving to become over the next five years.

Our Values - Real talk, real results

Performance Ethic

Daily efforts aligned with our intended legacy.

People Driven

Seek to understand before we act.

Communication

Anticipate, adapt, and address.

Continuous Growth

Scheduled time weekly to reflect.

Thought Leadership

Ask beyond "How has this been done before?"

Don't have an adviser yet?

We encourage you to book a 10-minute introductory call. This is a no-pressure, no-obligation call that lets you chat with us so when you do require assistance you’re not alone.

Should I work directly with the bank, or with a mortgage adviser?

When mortgagehq is looking to bring on new team members we stress to them that this is an advisory office. Our role is to help clients plan their property investment lifecycle. This also means helping you avoid mistakes. Each of our advisers is encouraged to be an ‘Anteambulo’ (which means to clear the pathway), to make your lives easier with connections to agents, accountants, lawyers and by streamlining the mortgage and insurance processes as much as possible.

Mortgagehq advisers are encouraged to challenge your thinking (and assumptions) to make sure you profit from decisions. When talking with prospective clients for the first time, many will ask ‘why should I use a mortgage broker?’. People want to know why a broker is better than going direct to the bank. This is not quite the right question. The right question is ‘who will I get the best mortgage rates AND mortgage advice from?’. Property investors with an eye for the long term should use a mortgage adviser.

There are over 1,000 insurance and mortgage brokers in NZ, most of them are incredibly smart, dedicated and decent people. In my opinion it’s a no-brainer (most of the time) to have one in your corner helping you get discounts and advice. However, the long term should always be taken into account because property investment is a strategy that can last decades. The above is my opinion only.

Our commitment is to put your best interests first, regardless of what payment we end up getting from the lenders. The only way we can keep doing this is by helping large volumes of clients.