Jonathan Sealey, CEO of Hope Capital says the business is ready to redouble its efforts to fulfil the ambition of growth that has seen the company more than double in size in the past year. Sealey’s comments come as it was announced that the business has undergone a rebranding and moved office as well.
It is said to be all part of the next phase of what the company calls its “ambitious growth strategy” just seven years since it was founded and boasting a well-funded and significant growth by managing to secure a “firm footing” in the bridging market through flexible and sensible underwriting and “always keeping our promises”.
It means that Hope Capital is on target to double its lending volumes this year compared to 2017. To maintain that it describes as the “excellent service it is renowned for”, Hope has already increased its staff numbers by a third this year and is continuing to recruit both BDMs and underwriters.
Hope Capital, which says It is a true principal lender not reliant on funds from any other company and therefore can turn loans around in days as it is not reliant on any external credit committees, has also revamped its proposition, lowering interest rates, raising LTVs on certain products. And it is in the process of launching a raft of innovative new loans, the most recent of which is its “Fixed Fee Loan”, which launched last week.
The Fixed Fee Loan made Hope Capital the very first lender to allow bridging borrowers to pay a set fee for their loan rather than the usual interest payments, enabling them to borrow more.
And to accommodate the growth in staff numbers and allow for further planned expansion, Hope Capital has taken on new offices, four times the size of its previous office. It intends to carry on its recruitment drive to enable it to cope with the significant uplift in demand for its loans but still maintain the speed, flexibility and efficiency that it has become well known for. The increase in staff continues to ensure that every broker can always speak to an underwriter or key decision maker on every loan that they place with Hope, says the company. And Sealey explains:
“Hope Capital has more than doubled in size in the past year and has even more ambitious plans for the next few years. The company is seven years old now and here to stay. We are well funded and have grown significantly but sensibly. We’ve establishing a firm footing in the bridging market through flexible and sensible underwriting and always keeping our promises. The rebrand and our office move marks the beginning of the next stage of our journey of growth as we aim to continue doubling in size over the years to come.”