This week, Mortgage Solutions is speaking with James Travers, business development manager (BDM) at Darlington Building Society.
Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Darlington Building Society?
I cover the South, London, and Wales, offering a digital-first service. This means I can connect with brokers quickly and efficiently via online channels. Thanks to the flexibility of digital platforms, I support brokers across multiple regions, which helps me maintain strong relationships even with those who are geographically distant. With Darlington Building Society’s commitment to manual underwriting and a personal approach – no automated credit scoring at decision in principle (DIP) – it’s important to be available and accessible to brokers wherever they are.
What personal talent or skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Being engaging with the people I interact with. Building strong relationships and making conversations enjoyable is key in this role. I try to make every interaction memorable, whether it’s a virtual call or a presentation. A bit of humour and light-heartedness can go a long way in creating trust and rapport. This is especially crucial when dealing with more complex cases, such as lending into retirement or shared ownership, where brokers appreciate having someone approachable who can offer tailored solutions.
What personal talent or skill would you most like to improve on?
There’s always room for growth. Since my current role is primarily digital, I want to expand into more in-person interactions in 2025. Meeting brokers face to face brings a different level of connection, and I’m keen to get out on the road more to strengthen those relationships further. Whether it’s discussing skilled worker mortgages, holiday lets, or expat buy-to-let (BTL) products, there’s no substitute for building that trust in person.
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What’s the hardest part of your job?
Breaking preconceptions – one of the key challenges I face is getting in front of brokers who may have preconceived ideas about what a smaller lender or building society can offer. Some assume we only lend locally, or that our criteria won’t suit their needs.
However, once I have that conversation, brokers are often pleasantly surprised by our rich criteria, flexible approach, and direct access to underwriters. They walk away with a few key criteria points in mind, realising that while we may not be their go-to lender for every case, we’re an essential option for those complex, non-standard deals. My message to brokers is simple: if I get in touch, it’s well worth having a chat – you could discover the perfect solution for those trickier cases when you need it most.
What do you love most about your job?
Easily, it’s the people. The broker world is filled with incredible characters, each with their own story. I love learning about their journeys, understanding their challenges, and helping them achieve the best outcomes for their clients. It’s a genuinely rewarding part of what I do. With such a broad range of products – like our expat BTL offering across 14 currencies or our ability to lend up to age 99 on capital repayment mortgages – there’s always a way to offer something valuable.
What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever been given, and who gave it to you?
When I first started presenting as a BDM, I was nervous about missing out key points. My boss, Chris Blewitt, told me: “Don’t worry about missing things – people don’t know what you’re going to tell them.” That advice took a huge weight off my shoulders. It allowed me to focus on being engaging and ensuring that the key points I did cover were delivered effectively. Great advice, and it’s stuck with me ever since.
How do you stay up to date with market developments?
A combination of sources – internal communications, trade press, LinkedIn, media, webinars, you name it. Staying informed requires a bit of everything, as the market is constantly evolving. Being proactive in gathering insights helps me stay ahead and offer relevant support to brokers. It’s also critical to understand how regulatory and product changes, like those affecting self-build or zero-hours contracts, can impact brokers and their clients.
What’s the most quirky or unique property deal you’ve worked on?
Where do I start? We deal with a lot of self-build cases, which often come with unique quirks. One case that stands out involved a house built on stilts, which reminded me of the house from Lethal Weapon 2. We were able to support the client in building their dream home, despite the unusual structure. We also see many timber-framed homes, steel barn conversions, and other unusual builds – there’s never a dull day. Our flexible self-build solutions through BuildLoan make it possible to handle even the most niche cases.
Tell us about your trickiest case – how did you resolve the problem?
We thrive on tricky cases. One that stands out involved a landlord who gifted a deposit to borrowers lending into retirement. There were three applicants involved, which complicated things further. By using the forecasted pension pots of the oldest applicant, we were able to stretch the term to age 99, ensuring affordability and a positive outcome for the clients. It was a great example of how our tailored approach, including lending into retirement and accepting gifted deposits, can solve even the most complex scenarios.
What motivated you to choose this career?
It may sound like a sob story, but it really isn’t. In a previous life, I was a plumber. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with cancer in my leg, and, after several operations, it became clear that a manual job wasn’t an option anymore. I transitioned into finance and became interested in mortgages after buying my first home.
I completed my CeMAP and began advising at Darlington Building Society. From there, I worked in the intermediaries team and found that I loved interacting with brokers. Fast-forward to now, and I’m a BDM – it’s easily the best job I’ve ever had. Oh, and by the way, I’m now completely cancer-free!
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
Good question. I’d love to be an estate agent showing people around their potential first homes. I remember being on the other side of that process and feeling so excited about the possibilities. Helping people find their dream home would be incredibly rewarding. Knowing Darlington’s wide range of lending solutions would certainly help in that role.
