She worked at a major corporate bank for 24 years
Natalie Hines (pictured) was happily employed at a major corporate bank for almost two and a half decades, doing various roles from branch management to mortgage advice, and finally ending up working as a Premier bank manager. Two coinciding events, however, made her decide it was time to move on and become a self-employed mortgage broker helping television cast and crew become homeowners.
“I was working at Natwest for 24 years, while my husband is a cameraman in the TV industry,” Hines related. “I had applied for various mortgages over my time in the bank, and had never had any problems being an employed member of staff – it was all pretty standard stuff.”
However, when she came to apply for a joint mortgage with her husband, Rich, that was when she realised how difficult it can be not only finding a good mortgage broker, but getting the lender to understand his pay structure too. As a self-employed camera operator, Rich had some contracts that were fixed rate short-term contracts and classed as employed, and some as self-employed.
“No lenders would agree to accept the mix of the two incomes,” Hines said. “It was highly frustrating and really disappointing.”
While all this was going on, NatWest offered her voluntary redundancy – the first time she had ever been offered such, and although she was happy in her career at the bank, she grabbed the opportunity with both hands and decided to specialise in helping the cast and crew in TV to obtain mortgages. She decided to set up Premier One Mortgages in August 2021.
“I wanted to help people in my husband’s industry to get on the property ladder,” she said. “I developed a good understanding of the various roles and different pay structures and made it my mission to know which lenders would accept each individual client.”
Hines shared that the business had gone better than she could have hope for, with each and every client referring more and more colleagues to them for their mortgages.
“It has gone from strength to strengthen over the last 18 months,” she said. “From that first referral, I’ve dealt with so many industry TV professionals from cast and crew, and it’s so nice to be able to make a difference and help them.”
And while being heavily focused on helping professionals in the television and entertainment industry, Hines clarified that Premier One could help anyone who is interested in getting on the property ladder or remortgaging to their dream home.
She added that professionals who work in media and entertainment may have complex income types and contract work, but this is also applicable to IT contractors, construction workers, and other types of business owners and employed professionals.
“Whatever their circumstances – whether it is related to income, quirky property, adverse credit, first-time buyer, home mover, or anything else – we’re here for them,” she stated.
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