The 7 year itch: By Ian Harrison, Operations Director at Affirmative Finance

“Think back to 2004 and what do you remember? Jose Mourinho winning the European Cup with Porto and then walking off the pitch to avoid the celebrations, as he knew he was on his way to Chelsea, or a jubilant Greece beating Portugal one nil in the European Championships against all the odds.

Can you think of anything else?...

My memory is very clear; seven years ago Affirmative Finance was born! And my time in the Bridging market began. It is hard to believe now how the Market has changed over the past 7 years. The mighty peaks of 2005/6 have disappeared, with the lows of 2009 now fading into the distance.

The melancholy over the last 2 years has slowly lifted, with more Lenders returning and new ones emerging in the Marketplace. Overall there is a feeling of positivity.

In this time Affirmative has gone from strength to strength, we are no longer the “New Kidz on the Block” we are more like the “Rolling Stones!” We have established ourselves as market leaders; we are an established Brand name.

Over the last seven years I have seen Bridging utilised for nearly every legal reason possible, the scope of our market is never ending. I find it amusing that certain phrases I have fashioned in Training Sessions with brokers are now used in all sections of the Financial press. In fact at recent award ceremonies our sector has changed form “Bridging Companies” to “Short Term Loan Providers.”

Affirmative has never sold Bridging, we have always arranged “Fast Short Term Finance.”

I realised 7 years ago that the concept of bridging finance was that of a product used as a last resort, I would like to think I had a positive effect in changing that mentality, I designed Auction Purchase, Portfolio Building and Refurbishment Products to name a few. In fact I had a list of 16 concepts that I could utilise depending on the “type” of broker I was meeting. Our competitors at the time simply sold “Bridging Loans!”

Who knows what the next 7 years will bring us? The beauty of working at Affirmative is that it is never “Groundhog Day”, everyday is different, and every case and every broker is individual. My only hope is that King Kenny will lift the Premiership next year, who knows what would have happened if he had been given the job in the summer, and that Affirmative will continue to do what we do best.

If you would like more information on Affirmative, or require an Appointment from one of our team BDM’s, please give me a ring on 0778 637 0523 and I will be willing to help.

Longevity or Sadism must be in my blood, as I have now been with my partner Lisa for the last 21 years!"