Each month, Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions sit down with a key intermediary industry figure to discuss strategy, the opportunity for brokers and the mortgage marketplace.
This month, we are sitting down with Jason Berry (pictured), group sales director for Crystal Specialist Finance, a role he has held for almost five years.
Before that, he was the director of sales at Uinsure for nearly seven years, and prior to that, he was the director of sales and marketing at Safe and Secure Insurance Services.
Prior to that, Berry worked at Platform Home Loans between 1998 and 2012 in various roles, including director of sales and marketing.
How did you get into the mortgage industry?
After leaving school, I played football professionally, but unfortunately picked up a back injury so was forced to quit at 21 years old. I did not really know what I fancied doing until I bumped into a friend who I had not seen for a while. He was working for Prudential Assurance and loving it, so I made enquiries and ended up getting a role just a few weeks later with competitor Pearl Assurance. After gaining the necessary financial planning certificates and advancing into sales management, I was most interested in mortgages, so I moved into account management in 1998, joining lender Money Store, which quickly became Platform Home Loans. Luckily for me, the business had some brilliant people involved.
Crystal Specialist Finance offers bridging, specialist buy-to-let (BTL) and commercial finance. Are there any areas that you are seeing a lot of demand in at the moment, and why is that?
We are seeing an increasing demand for bridging finance with more mainstream profile clients who need funds quickly, while experienced landlords and entrepreneurial developers are actively showing appetite to acquire different asset types that usually require lots of refurbishment. Additionally, landlords are getting affairs in order, so there is an increase in portfolio refinancing so structures are most tax-efficient.
Do you expect the ‘hotspots’ of activity to change in the near term?
The specialist market will grow over the next few years. Due to both global and local events over the last five years, plus an increase in people going self-employed, there will be an unfortunate increase of borrowers with poor credit who will slip through mainstream gaps in criteria so will have specialist requirements.
Where do you see the key opportunities and challenges in the specialist lending market in 2025?
The key opportunities lie in funding solutions for the self-employed and those with light or heavy adverse credit. As mainstream lenders tighten their criteria, there’s a growing gap for tailored solutions that address unique financial needs. The challenge will be staying ahead of evolving regulations while continuing to deliver flexible funding options that truly serve these clients.
What is the specialist lending packager landscape like at the moment, and do you think people may enter or retrench from the space?
Effective packagers provide vital operational efficiencies, saving brokers time and giving them peace of mind through reliable funding solutions. Those offering genuine value and education will thrive, but I foresee some consolidation as the market matures. The packagers who truly add value, not just process volume, will be the ones that succeed.
How has Consumer Duty impacted the packager sector?
For those already focused on treating customers fairly, the transition has been smooth, presenting opportunities to deepen broker relationships. At Crystal, we work closely with our brokers to proactively identify and deliver excellent outcomes, especially as clients approach the end of fixed rate periods or have bridging exit needs. This collaboration is key to both broker partnerships and the ongoing requirements to satisfy Consumer Duty standards.
How do you see packagers’ roles evolving in the near term and long term?
The best packagers will integrate seamlessly into a broker’s toolkit, helping them close more deals while supporting holistic advice solutions. Many packagers will become an essential resource, providing both expertise and low-cost administrative support. The most effective packagers will feel like an extension of every broker’s team.
Why might some brokers hesitate to use packagers, and how can that be changed?
There’s often a reluctance to trust a third party, but the best packagers deliver certainty from day one, often moving faster than direct lender solutions. The key is for brokers to trial different packagers and identify the right fit based on consistent delivery, reliability, and speed.
You co-founded the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter (MIMHC) several years ago. What have been the biggest learnings and achievements, and what are your plans for the future?
The MIMHC was founded four years ago, and it’s something I’m incredibly passionate about. We’ve raised awareness about mental health across the industry, now reaching over 20,000 individuals through 141 signatories. Our resources offer practical pathways for those who need help, and our annual survey continues to highlight long working hours and lack of sleep as major issues. Anxiety and burnout are rising concerns, so we’re focusing on encouraging open conversations and promoting work/life balance, healthy habits and mental wellbeing.
What would you want people to know about Crystal Specialist Finance?
I would love Crystal to be the clear choice for any broker needing a specialist funding solution. Our team is talented, passionate, and committed to delivering the best bridging, commercial and BTL options for clients at all times. Additionally, our excellent lender relationships mean we can offer some unique price guarantees.
Anna is currently the deputy editor for Mortgage Solutions and editor for Specialist Lending Solutions. She has worked as a journalist since 2019, having secured her Gold Standard NCTJ diploma from News Associates in a fast-track six-month course.
She started her career as a report at specialist publication The Insurance Insider covering a wide range of areas before joining Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions in 2021.
In her role, she helps put together and structure the news agenda for the day and writes up press releases, reports, interviews, analyses and exclusives across both titles. She also commissions blogs for Specialist Lending Solutions and hosts online masterclasses and in-person events across the business.
She has been shortlisted for three journalism awards, which include BIBA Journalist and Media Awards Scoop of Year Award in 2020, Headline Money Mortgage Journalist of the Year Award (B2B) in 2022 and 2023.
Prior to being a journalist, Anna worked in ecommerce across Snow + Rock, Cycle Surgery and Runners Need websites, and before that worked at specialist financial PR firm Rostrum.
In her spare time, Anna enjoys reading, seeing live music, and cooking for friends and family. When she gets a chance, she also enjoys hiking, skiing and indoor rock climbing.
