The overwhelming majority of our services are free to you as a client – the banks pay us sufficiently to provide advice as it saves the banks time in acquiring business, ongoing client support, providing advice and underwriting a full loan application (all very costly for a bank) – we provide all of these to the bank and they remunerate us for services they would otherwise have to pay for if Financial Advisers didn’t existing – a true win-win situation for all!

In the rare instance there is a fee, we let you know well in advance and you can decide in your best interests if you wish to progress before any fee is incurred/committed – our goal is to charge clients nil fees and are very pragmatic so please discuss any concerns.

The process is super easy:

1.     Initial 10 minute initial phone call (or coffee meeting)

a.     A get to know you and comprehensively understand your requirements.

2.     After we fully understand your goals, we send a link to enter information and upload documents online, which usually takes 5-10 minutes to complete.

3.     The system lets us know when you have finished uploading documents.

4.     We write the application in full and send to the banks (same day as all documents are uploaded)

5.     We hear back from the bank(s) usually 5-7 business days after we send application; sometimes quicker

One of the most common misconceptions is that your interest rate or cashback is inferior to the interest rate of cashback you would receive if you went directly to the bank.

This makes sense theoretically as the cost of “broker” commissions must come from somewhere, right? Resulting in of course an inferior interest rate/cashback to satisfy this commission.

This is however in all cases incorrect/one dimensional logic: you actually receive superior pricing than if you went to the bank directly for a number of reasons; not exhaustive but here’s a few:

When the bank is aware you are working with a financial adviser, the immediate implication from their view is "competition.”

•           Meaning they are aware the adviser has inside information of the most competitive rates and in turn the client is accordingly aware of the best rates available, which we are transparent about, while will not be too much effort to move that client to another bank which has superior rates to what the bank may initially offer

•           This encourages the bank implicitly to compete without saying a word and results in lower interest rates/better cash back 

We do the work for the bank, and it is a cost savings for them without utilising full time staff that get paid whether they settle applications or not (an expensive/risky exercise), our services to the bank include but are not limited to:   

• Originating applications

• Business development

• Underwriting full loan applications to bank standard including calculations with bank lending systems and provision of documents required for approval

• Mitigating areas of concern the bank may have

• Supporting onboarding processes (AML/CRS)

• Providing full service financial advice

• Managing all client communications

• Post settlement ongoing advice (full post settlement loan maintenance)

• As you can see, this saves the bank immeasurable time and money for services, they would traditionally have to remunerate full time staff to undertake whilst removing the risk of full-time staff

All else fails we directly advise the bank in writing what their competition are offering the client and encourage the bank to compete

• If the bank still doesn’t get the hint, we show them in writing what the competition are offering and an approval

• 99% of the time the bank will come to the party at this point and promote further competition—they don’t want to lose the client or the deal

  • All banks have “pricing” teams they can escalate to and then with management support can be escalated further—we make this noise for you

  • If you get a better rate, we’re happy

  • It’s in our best interest to ensure you receive the very best pricing at the time of settlement or re-fixing existing lending    

A good question: as former bankers, we understand the perceived convenience of just “having a chat” to your bank that you’ve been a loyal client of for years and surely you will receive service of the utmost quality, prompt approval and thanks for being a loyal client of (x, y, z bank). Should be easy, right?

Many of our clients started their Hawkeye journey under this perception but after 60 minutes in an 0800 number queue (or even worse, trying to see someone in person), are advised of problems by an an unknown consultant, hang up the phone in frustration and do not feel listened to.

At this point we listen to your frustration and completely understand—it is an ordinary genesis to a conversation with Hawkeye and by no means reason to give up on your dreams!

Lets talk solutions:

• We are financial advisers, not bankers—i.e. we can legally give you solutions-focused financial advice for your lending proposition

• We’ve had over 15 years of training at the banks/financial advisory and are highly skilled/experienced at lending presentations—firmly in your camp with these skills

• This makes all the difference

• We can turn a decline into multiple approvals with pricing you never thought possible

• We listen to you and rapidly comprehend your financial circumstances with expertise gained through extensive experience

• We’re in it for the long term rather than dismissive because we’re having a busy day and can’t be bothered

• Consider us your new “Relationship Manager” across all the banks

• You no longer need to identify with any one bank in particular

• Our experience and qualifications are transparent from day one

• We have the birds eye for detail that inexperienced consultants consistently overlook

• You can fly the clouds and see the journey ahead with a bird's-eye view

• You will receive the best interest rates and pricing available at the time (see above)

• We are quick and decisive

• We have bank lending calculation systems and can give immediate insight into lending potential

• We talk solutions over problems, frustration into productivity

• We have contemporary IT systems that you can easily navigate

• No 0800 numbers here! You call myself directly and talk to a real person

• All banks in one person—get the best from all banks in one person

The list goes on and sure you get the point—we can’t say how many clients we’ve turned a frustrating experience into financially empowered individuals who increase personal net worth and win in the finance game.

We are fully qualified Financial Advisers, meaning we can deliver advice to your lending circumstances and implement that advice—not just a "broker.”

Not just short-term advice either (i.e. buying a property), but long term financial wellbeing and planning, supporting your goals and how to get there, including the lending side.

We are just a call away—no 0800 numbers, we have a prescriptive financial advisory process unique to you as a client, with you at the centre of everything we do—pursuant to regulatory statutes considerably developed with clients best interests front and centre.

The right advice is what makes a difference; we have not had a lightbulb moment to be Financial Advisers and has been the brainchild of Hawkeye’s founder over many years, culminating in ultimately starting Hawkeye in 2024 as a reflection of customer-centric values over commercial/corporate profitability interests (maximise shareholder wealth).

This has been my dream since starting my career in banking 15 years prior and realizing the positive impact lending money for the right reasons has on clients, or conversely, if poorly executed financial advice goes wrong (see Baycorp work experience).

Calls for a significant duty of care to protect clients from some of the more ill advised lending decisions but also support for lending, which makes sense and litmus test everything in between with careful and experienced due diligence prior to making a final decision.

Every client has unique informational requirements and our goal is to limit to only what is necessary to achieve your goals. In general, this will include:

- Our authority form signed

- Photographic identification

- Last three months of all associated statements, including

• Transaction accounts

• Savings accounts

• Mortgage accounts (as applicable)

• Credit cards accounts

• Other debts (personal loans, store cards, buy now pay later, vehicle loans etc)

  • We can offer support if you have challenges downloading statements, just ask

- Last three payslips (PAYE clientele)

- Last two years worth of payslips which show bonuses if applicable (PAYE clientele)

- Most recently available full financial reports (self employed clientele)

- Last two years IR3’s (either PAYE or self employed clientele, circumstance dependent)

- Last three property management statements (property investor clientele)

- Sale and Purchase Agreement (if a property is immediately found)

This is all very general and could be further requirements as we progress, the main message is we only ask for what is absolutely essentially to satisfy your goals.

- You get an inferior interest rate than if you went direct to your bank- incorrect, you get better for reasons discussed

- Mortgage brokers just go where they get the most commission. – incorrect, we are bound by a fiduciary duty by law to always go the bank or provider that is in your best interests and will present the advice/reasoning as to why in a formal statement of advice

- Mortgage brokers just get lending approved – mortgage brokers are actually financial advisers and the lending approval is only the beginning, ongoing financial advisors are the technical term for ongoing services provided – at Hawkeye we are in it for the long term and find no better reward than seeing our clients win financially long term

- Mortgage brokers are lessor experienced than going to a bank – incorrect, mortgage brokers have usually gained considerable experience prior to becoming qualified as financial advisers