Brickflow

I am one of the Founders of Fintech start-up ‘Brickflow’ which launched in November 2020. 

Our mission is to bring the Development Finance industry online.

We are the UK's 1st Comparison Site for Development Finance. We deliver loans from lenders you can trust in seconds, which can save borrowers huge amounts of time & money.

https://brickflow.com/

Founder & CEO

Property Finance Group

PFG is a specialist property finance brokerage business. We arrange bridging loans, commercial mortgages and development finance, for 'property entrepreneurs'.

Director

Enness Private Clients

Working to arrange property and asset finance for higher net worth individuals. Strong in Private Banking and European mortgage markets, and also Commercial and Bridging propositions.

Senior Associate

Alexander Hall

Associate Director

As the Founder and CEO of Brickflow, I lead a fintech start-up that is on a mission to bring the commercial real estate finance industry online. With over 15 years of experience in property finance, I have a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this sector, and a passion for delivering innovative solutions for brokers and developers.

Brickflow is the UK's digital marketplace for specialist property finance, offering a fast and easy way to access loans from the breadth of the market. We leverage technology to streamline the application process, reduce the time and cost of sourcing finance, and increase transparency and choice for our users. We have partnered with 100+ lenders, and have received positive feedback from brokers and developers who have used our platform to compare and secure loans.

The biggest mistake most property investors make is thinking they're in the property development game. They are actually in the property finance game.

A firm belief of mine and something I shared with the Real Estate students at Bayes Business School last week.
 
Over the years, I’ve spoken to a lot of property investors, and the most successful ones frequently have an analyst or finance background.

Why is this? Because they look at the finance before they do anything else.

Rather than chasing the 'cheapest rate' or staying with the same lender they’ve used for years, they work out all the costs, break-even points and ROCE, and then they find a lender that can offer the terms that work for them.

It’s not just about costs but the bigger picture of how a deal is structured, and making an informed decision for each project based on up-to-date data from across the breadth of the market.

I love going to Bayes Business School, and it's always inspiring to talk to the next generation of property professionals. 

Thank you again for the invite, Bill Rodney, and to all the fantastic students who had some great insights to share, too.

Ian Humphreys

Founder & CEO @ Brickflow | The Digital Marketplace for CRE Finance

SPEAKER CHANGE - Michael Allison from Roma Finance will be joining us, replacing Lisa Toner. 

Tired of deals getting stuck at the finance stage? 

🎙️Join us for a free webinar on Wednesday 17th April, when we'll welcome two leading lenders from the Brickflow platform - Lisa Toner from Roma Finance and Terry Woodley from Shawbrook Bank - to delve into their decision-making processes and how to get more deals over the line.

This is your chance to gain the inside scoop on:
💡What REALLY happens at credit committee - a unique look behind the scenes.
💡The components of a WINNING presentation - what lenders look for to seal the deal.
💡The power of STORYTELLING - how to craft a compelling narrative that shows the deal's potential.
💡The RED FLAGS they can't ignore - eliminate the deal killers that derail your presentation.

Plus, put your questions to the lenders in our live Q&A.

A great opportunity to gain a winning edge in deal approvals. 

Places are limited, so visit https://lnkd.in/gW3XuRBk to secure your space today. 

As an Arsenal fan, celebrating the treble isn't an experience to which I'm accustomed! (😭)

So, I'm extra excited to share the news that Momenta Finance has joined the Brickflow platform to complete 'the treble' by offering bridging, commercial and development finance to Brickflow users.

Great to have you and the team on board Luke Jooste and Shannon Breeze.
We look forward to many successful wins going forward!

#bridgingloans #commercialmortgages #developmentfinance

Where will Quarter 2 take you?

I'm always excited to start a new quarter, and with Q1 proving a record period for Brickflow (more details to follow!), I'm particularly excited about the months ahead.

2024 CRE Industry Events. 

Our list of the top events for commercial property professionals to attend in 2024 proved popular back in January, so here's another chance to receive the list for Q2 onwards.  

Don't miss it if you're a 
➡️ #PropertyInvestor
➡️ #Broker
➡️ #Lender

The big one for us in Q2 will be the NACFB Expo on 26th June - I'll hopefully see many of you there.

If you would like a copy of the list to see what's coming up in Q2, 3 & 4 
☑️ Comment "Events" below
☑️ Make sure we're connected so I can DM you a link
Any events we’ve missed? Add them in the comments. 

Commercial Property Funding is a £77 BILLION UK industry, yet it's still functioning like it’s 1995. 

(Think Blur Vs Oasis, John Major as PM and Blackburn Rovers at the top of the premiership...for those old enough to remember!) 

Much of the challenge lies in the execution - particularly when it comes to the funding process.
 
 Lenders, brokers, developers and investors are all crying out for:
👉More transparency
👉More information
👉More community
🌟A simpler process
 
All of these can be achieved through utilising the right technology, but it's up to everyone involved in the funding process to truly embrace the tech available and swap old habits for a new default behaviour.
 
At Brickflow, we’re seeing more and more brokers and lenders adopt our technology, with over 180 brokerages and 100+ lenders now on board.

Lenders are providing Decisions in Principle (#DIPs) within minutes, not months.
Brokers can complete searches in minutes not weeks.
Borrowers can model deals before they do their due diligence.
Investors can see #ROCE against every deal without dozens of spreadsheets.
 
All of this is a big step in the right direction.
The future of #CRE lies in leveraging digital platforms to streamline funding processes, ensuring swift, transparent access to capital for borrowers.

If you’re a broker or a lender and would like to get on board, pls do send me a DM. 

🌱As the Housing Crisis Continues, Has Hope Sprung in Commercial Property?🌱

Our latest Industry Insights report analyses a complex landscape of challenge and opportunity within the commercial and residential property markets.  

🏘 The recent Spring Budget left the vast majority of the property industry somewhat disappointed. While some measures, such as the reduction in #CapitalGainsTax and the extension of #StampDuty Land Tax relief, are steps in the right direction, they fall short of addressing the fundamental issues at the heart of the UK's housing crisis.

🏘 The UK's housing market remains in turmoil, with the disparity between house prices and wage growth widening, pushing homeownership out of reach for many. The alarming rise in mortgage arrears and the consequential strain on rental and social housing sectors highlight the urgent need for a comprehensive strategy to address the housing shortage and its implications.

🏢 The #CommercialProperty market is not without its trials, evidenced by increasing arrears and the pressure on values and tenancy agreements in the wake of the pandemic. Yet, the current climate presents unique investment opportunities, particularly with the anticipated influx of motivated sellers and more favourable lending conditions. 

With challenges abound, the landscape is rife with opportunities for those ready to navigate the evolving dynamics of commercial and residential real estate.

As we move forward, fostering a competitive lending environment and leveraging strategic investments will be vital in unlocking the potential of the property sector and contributing to the resolution of the housing crisis.

Read the full newsletter below. 
👇👇👇


View newsletter: The Brickflow Newsletter

The UK’s housing shortage continues to drive problems throughout the market, from affordability to homelessness, spurring private ventures into action

Open article: Industry Insights - As the housing crisis continues, has hope sprung in commercial property?
 by Ian Humphreys • 9 min read

Industry Insights - As the housing crisis continues, has hope sprung in commercial property?

Should developers measure #ROCE rather than #ROE?
In short, yes. 
ROCE, or Return on Capital Employed, shows how effectively a company uses its capital— debt and equity—to generate profits. 

Unlike metrics such as Return on Equity (ROE), which only considers equity, or Return on Assets (#ROA), which only focuses on assets, ROCE is calculated by considering both debt and equity, providing a balanced and comprehensive view into profitability and capital efficiency.

At a time when every penny counts, ROCE is a powerful tool for assessing a site's efficiency and profitability, ensuring that every penny invested is working hard.

A higher ROCE value usually implies better investment quality, as it suggests that a company can generate a higher return on each unit of capital employed.

As more #developers (and #lenders) move towards using ROCE to measure the viability of their sites and make informed investment decisions, Brickflow now shows ROCE in the search results against every #DevelopmentFinance and #RefurbishmentBridging search.

How's the property market doing? 

It's complicated!

Residential 
🏠The UK’s housing is more expensive, more cramped and more aged than any other developed economy. 
🏠The housing shortage means there's a chronic lack of affordable homes, a huge spike in mortgage arrears (9% increase in Q4 from Q3 2023) and rental prices are through the roof.
 🏠Also hitting a record high is the amount of unpaid rent owed to housing associations, spiking at nearly £800m last year, and homelessness continues to increase.

Commercial
The #CommercialProperty market is in a state of flux with rising arrears, potential for falling property values, and increased vacancies, but there's also some silver linings! 
🏢 Chinese investors selling assets is creating buying opportunities at potentially lower prices. 
🏢 A new survey by INREV indicates that the UK is back in favour as Europe's preferred destination for #PropertyInvestment. 
🏢 More refinancing will likely lead to more sellers on the market, meaning opportunity for the #CRE market.

Find out more in our latest Industry Insights https://lnkd.in/eGzGRVBQ 

Open article: As the housing crisis continues, has hope sprung in commercial property? by brickflow.com • 7 min read

As the housing crisis continues, has hope sprung in commercial property?

Congratulations to all the Q1 winners for our quarterly Advisor competition 👏 🙌 

Customer Success Manager at Brickflow | The Digital Marketplace for Specialist Property Finance

We're very excited to announce the first winners of our Quarterly Broker Incentive Programme! 🎉 
 
🥇 in Searches: Simone Gilks Adv CeMAP, CeCM, CeRER, CeMAP, CeARL, CeRGI of Varsity Finance 
 
🥇 in Decisions in Principle: Louis Wilson CeMAP of Teal Finance
 
🥇 in Applications: Dene Bentley of 2M Financial Services
 
Huge congratulations to all 3 of our winners! 🍾
 
Q2 is already off to a flying start so if you have any questions on how to best use Brickflow so that you're included in the next winners announcement, let us know! 

Or, if you want to learn more about Brickflow, please contact anna@brickflow.com or tessa@brickflow.com and we’d be happy to help! 😊 

Tessa Kimber Frazer Campbell Ian Humphreys Glenn Franklin-Jones 

#bridging #developmentfinance #commercialmortgages #brickflow #dontbeadinosaur

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