Spotlight: Damian Bastin

I’ve worked in property my entire working life. I became an estate agent at 20, so I was exposed to the industry from an early age and quickly developed a good understanding of how everything fits together.

It didn’t take long for me to realise that my character and temperament were well suited to the mortgage side. I’ve always preferred the advisory element, taking the time to understand someone’s situation, working through the detail, and helping them make informed decisions.

That shift felt very natural, and once I moved into mortgages, I knew it was where I wanted to build my career long-term. It’s a role where you can make a real difference, and that’s what’s kept me motivated ever since.

It always comes back to our core ethos of mortgages made simple. We focus heavily on clarity, communication, and making sure clients genuinely understand what’s happening at every stage. There’s no jargon, no pressure, and no one-size-fits-all approach.

Internally, we’ve built a culture that reflects that. We invest a lot of time in developing our advisers, bringing people into the industry early, mentoring them properly, and helping them grow into confident, knowledgeable professionals. That creates a team that really cares about doing things the right way.

For clients, that means they’re not just getting advice, they’re getting a team around them who are approachable, responsive, and genuinely invested in the outcome.

Joining Mortgage Intelligence was a really important step for us as a business. From day one, the support structure has been excellent, whether that’s compliance, lender access, or just having experienced people to speak to when needed. It gives you confidence to focus on what you do best, knowing the foundations are solid behind you.

The network itself is a big part of the value as well. Being able to connect with other advisers, share ideas, and learn from each other is something that’s often underestimated. It can be quite an isolating industry at times, so having that community makes a real difference.

It’s helped us grow in a controlled, sustainable way while maintaining high standards across the board.

The biggest thing is not to try and second-guess the market too much. There’s always noise, headlines about rates going up or down, property prices changing and it can make people feel like they need to “time it perfectly”. In reality, the right time is when it works for you personally.

From a practical point of view:

• Get advice early, even if you’re just thinking about it
• Understand your numbers: budget, affordability, and monthly comfort levels
• Keep your options open: there are often more solutions available than people expect
• And most importantly, speak to someone who can guide you through it. Having a clear plan removes a huge amount of stress.

Make the most of what’s available to you from the start.

There’s a huge amount of knowledge, support, and resource within Mortgage Intelligence, but you only really benefit from it if you engage with it. Ask questions, attend events, speak to other advisers, don’t try to figure everything out on your own. One thing I’ve learned is that the people around you in this network are incredibly generous with their time and experience. Use that.

If you approach it in the right way, it can significantly speed up your development, build your confidence, and help you create a really solid foundation for your business.