This month we caught up with local home loan extraordinaire Scott Baker from Liberty. Alongside living and working in the heart of Newtown, Scott provides assistance for those looking to finance homes, cars, business and investments.
We caught up with Scott over a coffee at our local cafe Butter and Co. to find out a little more about him and how he helps people work towards their goals. He also gives us a few insider secrets about where to visit here in Pakington street, especially if you have little ones like he does!
Sara: You are a Pakington Street local Scott, tell us about why you love this area of Geelong?
Scott: This part of town has such a relaxed feel with everything just a short walk away. With two young boys who are 3 and 1, my wife and I just love the family community feel. Although, living so close to Pako can be dangerous by the easy temptation for a breakfast or coffee from one of the amazing cafes down the street all too often!
Sara: Like us, you love to talk to people, what are some of your favourite community activities here in Newtown ?
Scott: We love that you can walk everywhere! Especially with young kids there are so many playgrounds and we even love a stroll down to the Barwon River. Such a great space right on the doorstep of Newtown. Events like the Chillwell Fair are always good fun to get out with the family and meet some others from the area too.
Sara: We have recently chatted to you about securing some finance and I love the fact that you came to us, super convenient and timesaving. Can you tell me what other points of difference you have from the typical Mortgage Broker?
Scott: I believe my biggest point of difference is about the long term relationship I have with my clients. My main goal is to understand both short & long term objectives and work alongside and support them to achieve their goals and dreams. I tell my clients – if you take out a 30 year home loan with me you’re also signing up to a 30 year relationship with me!
I love getting to know people and spend a big part of my time getting to know my clients personally and I feel this gives me a great advantage to help give the most suitable finance solution for their current needs whilst also getting their finance structured up the right way to help them over the long term too. Trust is such an important aspect of a relationship, especially when you’re making the biggest financial decision of your life and I want to ensure my clients are confident in me as their trusted adviser.
Another big point of difference I have is being a specialist for small business owners. A lot people who are self employed struggle to get finance, especially if their business is new. I’ve helped so many small business owners who have previously been rejected by their bank obtain finance. Some of them with as little as 6 months financial history I’ve helped get into their own home!
Sara: I am hearing from your answer in the above question that you love to work alongside people and help them achieve their goals. What did you do before you were working full time in the finance world and how does this link with what you’re doing now?
My career prior to finance was in Retail where I spent over 10 years at Cotton On Group heading up Store Experience, Digital & Ecommerce teams during my time. Spending my time leading big teams during this time really grew my passion for people and putting in the time to build great relationships and how this can have such a mutual benefit between you.
Sara: You know you are going to have to give away a few insider secrets here in regard to home loans…. What are the top 3 tips things for property buyers who are looking to finance a new home?
Scott: There’s so many to be aware of! Let me see if I can bring it down to 3…..
1. Get your finance sorted FIRST. Before you start house shopping you should chat to a Mortgage Broker to understand your borrowing capacity as well as getting the right finance structure set up for your personal situation. This will put you in a strong & confident position ready to buy when you find the right place.
2. Be aware of all the costs – stamp duty, conveyancing costs, land transfer fees, if you’re applicable for LMI (Lender’s Mortgage Insurance)…. There’s lots to be aware of and so there’s no surprises along the way and you want to ensure you can create a stress free experience.
3. Ask questions! Never be afraid to ask your broker what you might think is a silly question. There can be lots to understand especially for someone buying their first home and it’s so important you feel confident & informed going into such a big purchasing decision.
Ok just one more….
4. If you already have a loan, you should be getting it reviewed every 12 months as your home loan is not a set & forget loan. I had a client recently who hadn’t reviewed their loans in over 5 years, and after a quick review I was able to get them onto a much better rate with another lender which saved them $150,000 over the life of their loan!
Sara: And finally if you, your wife Kate and kids Noah and Liam, were to spend the perfect Saturday morning in and around Pakington Street, what would that look like, what would you eat and where might you visit?
A perfect Saturday morning would involve a stroll down to Pako and brekky at Southside Cafe. We love it there as there’s plenty of room for the kids and a pram and not to mention a great menu! There will also have to be a stop at one of the playgrounds. The kids won’t let us go for a walk without a playground stop! They love it!
If you’d like to chat to Scott you can reach him via his email sbaker@libertynetwork.com.au or via phone on 0447 882 611.
A big thank you to Scott for taking the time to chat with us and be an active part of the Pakington Street business community.
1/316 Pakington Street, Newtown.
Jackson Wilson 0418 991 988 Sara Taylor 0425 828 372
www.kardiniaproperty.com.au