Former ANZ manager joins Wellington brokerage

Mortgage Express has announced the appointment of Donna Marks as a mortgage adviser, based in Wellington.

Marks has made the move from ANZ after over 30 years in the banking industry and 3 years with a trustee company, and has spent the last years with the bank as a mobile mortgage manager. Her focus will be on helping first-home buyers and investors in the Wellington and Wairarapa region, advising on residential property lending.

“Moving from ANZ into my own business is just an extension of my career as a mobile mortgage manager,” Marks told NZ Adviser.

“High property prices and securing that initial deposit are the biggest challenges for first-home buyers at the moment, and there are very limited opportunities for many of them. People are looking for other options and they’re often very busy, so the advantage of them coming to someone like myself is that I can do that legwork for them.

“Everyone wants to know that they’ve got the best options available to them, and I can help identify those.”

Marks joined early this month and expects to complete the accreditation process to work with first-tier lenders this week. She says non-bank lenders are also likely to form an increasing part of her mortgage offering, given the tightening lending criteria being applied by the first-tier lenders.

“It’s been very interesting for me to come across the second-tier lenders during this process,” Marks said. “I wasn’t greatly exposed to that market during my time with ANZ, but I’ve been surprised at what they do offer. There is an opportunity for those second-tier lenders to take on more risk than the main banks are prepared to do, and there are some good borrowers who are struggling to get into the market.

“I think the second-tier lenders have that advantage that they’re not as regulated as the main banks, so if they can see the value in taking that risk, then they have the freedom to do that.”

Commenting on Marks’ arrival, Mortgage Express general manager David Gopperth said: “Donna’s extensive knowledge and background in banking is an asset and her commitment to helping her clients achieve their own financial goals is commendable.”