This week, Mortgage Solutions is speaking with Georgia Smith, telephone business development manager (TBDM) at Buckinghamshire Building Society.
Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Buckinghamshire Building Society?
I work with mortgage advisers across the country, providing dedicated support over the phone to help them place cases that need a flexible, tailored approach. One of the things I love about Buckinghamshire Building Society is that we take the time to understand each case properly. We manually underwrite every application, which means we can often find solutions for borrowers who might struggle with more rigid lenders. Our approach is all about working closely with brokers to find a way forward – even in those trickier cases.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Definitely communication. No two cases are ever the same, so it’s crucial to really listen to brokers, understand what their clients need, and then explain how we can help. Because we manually assess each case, we can take a flexible approach – whether that’s working with borrowers who have non-standard income, first-time landlords, or those looking to invest through a limited company. Having open conversations with brokers and our underwriters makes all the difference.
What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
Public speaking! I’ve done it a few times, but I’d love to feel more confident with it. Buckinghamshire Building Society is really committed to supporting brokers through education and industry events, so being able to stand up and engage a room full of people would be a great skill to develop.
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What is the hardest part of your job?
Switching off! When you’re working on complex cases, it’s easy to keep thinking about them after hours – especially when you know a broker is waiting on an answer. With our new limited company buy-to-let (BTL) range, we’re working even more closely with landlords who are trying to unpick all the regulatory and tax changes. Making sure we stay on top of industry shifts and find the right solutions for them is a huge part of what we do.
What do you love most about your job?
Honestly, it’s the problem-solving. We don’t see many straightforward ‘vanilla’ cases, which is why our tailored approach is so valuable. Whether it’s helping a first-time buyer using our Deposit Lite option, supporting a landlord restructuring their investments, or finding a mortgage for someone with a more complex income, it’s really satisfying to find a solution that makes a difference. Our flexible lending options – like JBSP (joint borrower sole proprietor) Deposit Lite and our approach to gifted deposits – mean that we can help people who might have otherwise struggled to get on the property ladder.
What is the best piece of career-related advice you’ve ever been given? Who gave it to you?
“You can only do one thing at a time” – Laura Sneddon. It sounds simple, but when you’re juggling multiple broker queries, cases, and deadlines, it’s so important to focus on one task at a time and do it properly.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
I read every industry publication I can get my hands on. Staying informed helps me provide better support to brokers and ensures Buckinghamshire Building Society stays ahead of the curve. A great example of this is our new limited company BTL range. We introduced it in response to the growing number of landlords incorporating to manage tax efficiencies. It’s all about understanding market trends and making sure we offer the right solutions at the right time.
What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
One case really stuck with me – it involved a property with a holiday let on the same title, plus agricultural restrictions that required the applicants to work in the farming industry. On top of that, they also kept horses, so we had to factor in those costs when assessing affordability. It was one of those cases where our manual underwriting made all the difference. Instead of an automated ‘computer says no’ response, we were able to really dig into the details and work out a solution.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
I actually fell into the mortgage world after working as a customer assistant in a branch network, but it turned out to be the best unplanned career move ever. No two days are the same, and I love that I get to make a real impact by helping brokers find solutions for their clients. At Buckinghamshire Building Society, we focus on niche lending areas – whether that’s impaired credit mortgages, non-standard income cases, or specialist landlord financing – so there’s always an interesting challenge to tackle.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
I’d probably be an estate agent – purely because I love looking at houses and seeing how people have decorated them. But from a practical perspective, it would also give me great insights into different property types and how they align with lending criteria, particularly in specialist areas.
