Meet Dylan Day

How many years experience do you have in the finance industry as a mortgage broker?

I have worked in finance since 2016, at which point I joined an established Loan Market business and was mentored by Marios Rokka for the next four years. Under Marios I developed an in-depth knowledge of countless different lending scenarios and client situations and in 2020 I was awarded a finalist position for the The Adviser ‘Rising Star’ award. 

After 2 solid years of experience as a broker, I decided it was the right time to start my own business on the 1st of July 2020 (unbeknownst to me it would be the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic) fortunately we hit the ground running and have not looked back. I have a small onshore team and are going from strength to strength whilst having a whole lot of fun doing it.

 

Why did you choose mortgage broking?

I became a finance broker primarily to help people and build a business that could help people ongoing with their financial journey. A mortgage is something that most people will require at least once in their life and understanding how to navigate it effectively can be a huge benefit. I wanted to help people with that and be on that journey with them to celebrate their wins but also be there for them and help them navigate the tough times as well.

 

Did you always want to be a mortgage broker?

No to be honest I didn’t know what a mortgage broker was until I read about it in a property book in my early twenties. I have always had an interest in property, investing and numbers though.

 

Why should someone choose to work with you instead of going directly to a bank?

The main reason is that as a mortgage broker I am legally required to work in your best interests and explore a number of options (from different lenders) to find a solution that suits you best. Banks on the other hand are businesses with shareholders, and unfortunately they answer to those shareholders and not the customers. Everything we do is about getting the right outcome for you.  

The other reasons I would say that using a broker is preferable to a bank is choice and also service. We have over 60 lenders on our panel and have access to hundreds of products for all different types of client requirements. If you’ve previously been pushed back on by the bank, we can help find a lender that will say yes.

 

What is your favourite thing about being a mortgage broker?

For me it is helping people realise their dreams and securing their futures. There is nothing quite like making that phone call to a first home buyer to congratulate them on having just purchased their first home!

 

What support do you offer your clients?

We offer an end-to-end service for our clients starting, with an initial consultation with myself and Jennifer. From there we collect the relevant information and get to work on finding a suitable solution to meet their needs. Throughout the different stages of our process we offer our clients the opportunity to have access to our comprehensive network of professionals that we work with. The professionals we associate with include buyers advocates, conveyancers, financial advisers, builders and accountants (see more here). Putting ourselves in a position to be the clients first port of call for any financial requirement they may have. 

 

What types of loans or clients do you work with the most? 

We have a very diverse group of customers and as a result we have experience in a lot of different areas. We have close relationships with financial advisers so we specialise in equity release for investment, debt recycling and debt restructuring. We also have experiences with trust and SMSF lending which is a requirement of our more sophisticated clients. We also have a strong network of first home buyer clients that we work with and this is driven through self-generated referrals and word of mouth recommendations from our happy clients. So whatever you’re looking for - we’re ready to get stuck in. 

 

Do you charge a fee for your services?

You might not realise this, but in almost all scenarios you are not required to pay a fee for our services. Instead, we’re paid a commission by the lender you choose through. Learn more here or get in touch if you have any questions.

 

Have you always lived in Elwood?

I have lived in Elwood the past 3 years and have made some great connections with the local community and traders. As our main street is not a main road it is made up of a collection of small businesses so everyone gets along and develops that personal connection with their favourite shops and cafes. It has a great community feel.

 

TIme for an important question that everyone will want to know the answer to - if you’re going for food in Elwood, where are you going?

For coffee you’ll find me at Johnny’s Coffee Roasters - this is a man that lives for his craft.

If I’m grabbing breakfast it has to be Plain Sailing. And if it’s time for dinner, you’ll find me at Blue Tongue - they have a great steak tartare dish which I absolutely love to eat with chips.

 

What’s your favourite thing about living in Elwood?

I love the lifestyle of being close to the beach and the city, where we live in Elwood is close to the main street but not too close that you get all the noise that comes with it. I am not looking to venture out of Elwood anytime soon!

 

If someone was to visit Elwood for the day, what are the top 3 things you’d recommend they do?

Any good day of exploration starts with coffee so I would definitely suggest your first stop be ‘Johnny’s Coffee Roasters’. After that, a walk along the beach with your dog - or pet someone else's (there are more dogs than humans in Elwood!). I would finish the day at the local favourite Blue Tongue Wine Bar on Ormond Rd, but be warned time evaporates at Blue Tongue and there is no such thing as a ‘quick drink’. The most likely scenario is you will bump into a local friend, have some dinner and drinks and your day will be done!

 

When you’re not working, what do you spend your time doing?

A secret passion of mine is cooking. I am not an overly creative person but I like to do things to a high standard so techniques involved with cooking help me switch as I really get immersed in executing each stage of a recipe or dish as best I can. Some people idolise footballers others idolise the Kardashians, I idolise Hugh Ferning-Whittingstall, Tom Kerridge, Luciano Monosilio and Gordon Ramsay.  

 

If you could have dinner with 3 celebrities, who would you choose?

Liam Gallagher (he’s actually my number 1 idol), Ricky Gervais (laughter is important) and Gordon Ramsey (someone needs to cook I guess)

 

If you're ready to chat to someone about your finance, contact Dylan today.