For this month’s In Focus campaign across IFA Magazine’s Mortgage & Property Investment Magazine, we turn our attention to how mortgage brokers can better engage the next generation of clients.
To kick things off this week, we bring together industry voices from across the profession to explore the evolving relationship between brokers and younger borrowers, answering the question: How can mortgage brokers/advisers better engage younger clients and support them earlier in their journey?
With younger borrowers facing shifting affordability challenges and evolving expectations around advice, digital experience, and communication, contributors explore from their own perspectives how the industry can adapt its approach to improve engagement earlier in the property journey.
Zara Bray, distribution director for Quilter’s mortgage network, said:
“For advisers, engaging younger clients is less about reinvention and more about engaging earlier and with intent. By the time many first-time buyers speak to an adviser, their assumptions about affordability and eligibility are already fixed, and often overly pessimistic.
The industry has made meaningful progress in developing products that better reflect how younger people actually buy homes, whether that is longer mortgage terms, family-assisted lending, higher income multiples or structures that work alongside ISAs and other savings vehicles. Advisers who stay close to product innovation are well placed to challenge the idea that homeownership is unattainable and to surface options clients may not realise exist.
Crucially, this audience benefits from advice long before a mortgage application is on the table. Supporting clients through protection planning, budgeting and deposit-building is not just good outcomes-focused advice; it creates a clearer pathway onto the property ladder and reduces execution risk later on. Helping a client understand what ‘mortgage-ready’ looks like can be as valuable as sourcing a product.
How advisers communicate also matters. Younger clients are far less tolerant of jargon-heavy explanations or process-led conversations. Clear language, practical examples and a focus on outcomes rather than mechanics are far more effective. Increasingly, that also means using digital channels and educational content to engage earlier, rather than relying on traditional referral points.
There is also a significant opportunity around intergenerational advice. Many advisers already work with parents who want to support their children but are understandably cautious about open-ended financial commitments. Properly structured solutions, whether through family springboard products, gifted deposits or more creative approaches such as buying with friends, can deliver support while managing risk for all parties.
Younger clients are not disengaged from advice. They are disengaged from advice that feels inaccessible or outdated. Advisers who position themselves as long-term partners in the journey, rather than just facilitators of a single transaction, are far more likely to build enduring client relationships and future-proof their businesses.”
Rachel Geddes, Strategic Lender Relationship Director, Mortgage Advice Bureau, comments:
“Engaging first-time buyers earlier in their homeownership journey requires a shift in how brokers communicate, educate, and maintain relationships. For advisers, the priority shouldn’t be getting them a mortgage immediately, but building awareness and understanding.
Many younger clients assume homeownership is a distant goal, so the role of the broker is to reframe that perception – showing that buying a home could be achievable within the next two to five years, if not sooner, rather than in their 30s or 40s.
Reaching this audience means meeting them where they consume information, whether that’s through social media, targeted marketing, or forums. Clear, accessible education around how mortgages work, affordability, and deposit options is key to building confidence early on.
However, initial engagement is only part of the equation. The real opportunity lies in ongoing communication. Too often, brokers have that initial conversation and then disengage until the client feels “ready” – but many buyers don’t know when that will be. Regular check-ins, updates on market changes, and guidance as circumstances evolve can make a significant difference.
By combining early education with a structured nurture journey, brokers can stay relevant, build trust, and help younger buyers take that first step sooner.”
Rizwan Ali, Director Sales & Marketing, StrideUp:
“What we’re seeing is a gradual transition in how younger buyers, especially among the Muslim community, approach homeownership compared to previous generations. Young British Muslims today tend to feel more confident in expressing their identity. They are increasingly open about wanting financial products that align with their faith and values. For advisers, this highlights an opportunity to better understand these evolving expectations and respond in a way that is thoughtful, inclusive, and aligned with clients’ needs.
This generation is highly engaged online, using digital channels to research, share experiences, and build communities where conversations about Islamic finance are more open than ever before. Their expectations go beyond product availability; they are looking for transparency, agreement with their values, and confidence that their needs are understood and respected.
From a broker’s perspective, this means engaging with clients earlier in their journey and taking a more proactive and inclusive approach. Supporting clients to understand their options well before they are ready to buy, and ensuring that conversations address both values and affordability, is becoming increasingly important.
There is a clear opportunity emerging as demand for faith-aligned finance grows, especially among younger buyers who are not willing to compromise on their values. Advisers who recognise this shift and respond with more inclusive, flexible solutions will be well placed to build lasting relationships with the next generation of homeowners.”
Where clients feel their priorities are not understood, they are increasingly willing to look elsewhere, either to different brokers or to approach the providers directly. Advisers who engage early and understand faith-aligned finance will be better placed to win long-term trust.”
Andrew Ferguson, Commercial Director for Mortgages, BTL & Bridging at United Trust Bank:
“Younger borrowers are engaging far earlier in their homeownership journey, but they’re not necessarily confident navigating affordability, deposit strategies or lender criteria. That’s where brokers can make a real impact, by stepping beyond a purely transactional role and positioning themselves as trusted guides from the outset.
It starts with showing up in the right places. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube are no longer just marketing tools—they’re where understanding begins. Clear, jargon-free content can demystify complex areas such as credit profiles and income multiples, but it needs to be consistent, relevant and genuinely useful, not purely sales-driven.
Just as importantly, the conversation needs to evolve. It’s less about “can you buy now?” and more about “how do we get you there?”. That means supporting clients with budgeting, improving credit profiles, building deposits and setting realistic expectations. The brokers doing this well are using digital tools to stay connected and engaged, helping clients track progress over time rather than treating it as a one-off interaction.
Having worked in this industry for several decades, one thing remains constant: clients value trust, clarity and straight-talking advice. That’s especially true for younger borrowers. Get that right early on, and you’re not just helping someone into their first home, you’re building a relationship that can last a lifetime.”
Enzo Mora, CEO and founder of The Mortgage Brain, comments:
“We’ve found communicating ‘mortgage readiness’ with younger buyers where our specialist brokers explain the deposit they will need, their credit profile, and if needed, how to improve it, then working out what they can borrow based on their income, better prepares this group for homeownership.
Many don’t realise they are eligible for a mortgage, and simple, straightforward messaging is key. If they’re not ready, checking in with them at a later date to see how they are doing and updating them on the latest low deposit options and interest rates builds trust and allows us to give the best support possible.
We work with many younger buyers considering a brand new home at developments offered by our regional housebuilding partners, inviting them to attend a free 45-minute step-by-step live webinar to start the process. These short informative sessions are highly popular, giving buyers bite-sized information including clear mortgage advice, how to reserve a property, how long it will take to get a mortgage offer and the chance to ask questions at the end with a Q&A led by our experts.
We then keep in touch by email and WhatsApp messaging, answering any further questions they may have before or during the buying process.”
Sarah Thompson, Group Financial Services Director, Mortgage Scout, part of LRG:
“The most important thing brokers can do is stop treating younger clients as a single group. A first-time buyer in their mid-twenties and one in their mid-thirties may be at completely different life stages, with different financial situations, different communication preferences, and very different ideas about what good service looks like. The advisers who recognise that early are the ones building the strongest client relationships.
Engaging younger buyers earlier in their journey is about being useful before they are ready to commit. That might mean helping someone understand what they need to save, what their borrowing power could look like in 12 months, or simply explaining how the process works in plain English. That kind of early support costs very little but builds an enormous amount of trust.
Younger buyers are also more likely to move on if the experience does not feel right, so getting that first interaction right really matters. The brokers who do this well are not doing anything complicated. They are listening, adapting, and making sure every client feels like a priority rather than a transaction. Do that consistently, and the repeat and referred business follows naturally.”
Jon Cooper, director of mortgages at Aldermore, comments:
“Brokers have a real opportunity to step in earlier, not just at the application stage but from the very start of the interaction, helping people understand what’s realistic and what their journey could look like. Aspiring first-time buyers are eager for practical, tangible support much earlier in the process. For many, the challenge isn’t just affordability, it’s knowing where to begin.
Our research shows this uncertainty sets in early. Almost two-thirds of younger prospective buyers (aged 18-34) say the process feels confusing, and more than three-quarters find it stressful, yet only a quarter are speaking to a broker at that stage. By completion, this rises to about seven in 10, suggesting advisers are often brought in after much of that uncertainty has already taken hold.
That matters because affordability pressures are significant. Younger buyers say they need around £22,600 more in annual income to afford a home, so brokers have an important role to play in cutting through the noise; having clear, realistic conversations about saving for a deposit, borrowing power, and what’s achievable. Those who engage earlier and communicate clearly will stand out by giving clients a more confident, realistic route onto the property ladder.”
Adrian Moloney, Group Lending Distribution Director, OSB Group, shares insight:
“The shift towards digital and tech enablement is no longer a ‘nice to have’ across the property ecosystem; it’s becoming fundamental to how brokers, landlords and consumers operate and interact. For brokers, smarter platforms and data-led tools are streamlining processes and enabling more informed, faster decision-making, which is critical in a market where timing and certainty matter.
For landlords, technology is playing an increasingly important role in managing complexity. Our latest research shows that many are already seeking professional advice and investing more time in understanding tenant needs, while 75% say they want more education to navigate change. Digital solutions can bridge that gap by simplifying compliance, improving portfolio oversight and enhancing the tenant experience.
For borrowers, expectations have shifted significantly. They want seamless, transparent interactions that mirror other digital-first sectors. The opportunity for lenders and intermediaries is to connect these experiences end-to-end, using technology not just to digitise existing processes, but to fundamentally improve accessibility, communication and outcomes across the lending journey.”
John Webb, Head of Consumer Affairs at Experian:
“Credit reports are foundational to getting a mortgage at a good rate, and there’s lots more we can do to promote credit score health from a younger age and articulate how this links to home-ownership.
This includes showing up in spaces where young people first start becoming more financially responsible, whether that is in colleges, universities or even workplaces.
There’s lots of simple and practical steps that young people can take to build a healthy credit history early. For example, signing up to the electoral register and opening a student or credit builder card once they turn 18. Just as important is understanding the common mistakes to avoid like missing payments or getting into high levels of debt.
Ultimately, a healthy credit history for at least 12 months is key to getting a mortgage, but a longer history is better so the sooner mortgage brokers engage younger clients, the better.
