Women at work: Davina Skene

Posted on 18 June, 2019

Having customers cry tears of happiness isn’t usually something you come across in your average job, but for mortgage broker Davina Skene, it actually happens more often than not.

“Calling a client who has given up hope and letting them know that their loan is approved is one of the highlights of my job,” Davina says.

“I’m proud to say that I’ve had more clients cry tears of happiness than of sadness, and the gratitude I receive is the best feeling in the world.”

As the in-house mortgage broker for financial planning firm Green Associates, Davina has more than 17 years of experience in the finance industry in both Darwin and Canberra.

She says the role has allowed her to build “amazing” relationships with her clients, as the initial lending process generally goes for up to three months or longer.

“I have even gotten to the point where I am looking after the children and other family members of some of my original clients that I started working with 11 years ago, which is a huge honour,” Davina says.

“I’ve always had a passion for customer service and the reward I get from helping someone achieve their financial goals is like nothing else.”

Starting her financial career in Darwin as a bank teller, Davina was promoted to bank manager at the age of 23.

She made the move to Canberra eleven years ago, after deciding that lending was something she wanted to pursue further as a career.

“I had a young son to care for, and really enjoyed the rewarding outcomes that came with that role,” she says.

“I moved from branch lender to mobile banker within the same financial institution and after 15 years with them, I decided it was time to explore the outside world taking on a mortgage broker role.”

In her role at Green Associates, Davina has been presented with a huge variety of clients and transactions, including residential home loans, refinancing, general insurance, commercial and business loans and debt protection.

She says these days there is no such thing as a “simple application.” Due to constant changes occurring in the lending industry and stricter guidelines implemented by the majority of lenders, most clients will see their applications rejected or declined without the help of a broker.

“Everyone has something that might be causing them issues with gaining an approval including different income streams (casual, contractor etc), or lack of genuine savings, all the way through to credit impairments,” Davina says.

“We are here to narrow down the lenders that fit within the requirements of that particular client, whether it be due to their employment conditions or even the sort of property they want to purchase. Brokers have the access to this information that is not as readily available to the client without hours of research.

“I am lucky enough to have such a variety of lenders that I can access, that it is very rare that I can’t find a solution for my client.”

the essentials

What: Green Associates
Where: 3/10 Geils Ct, Deakin
How much: Initial consultations with Davina are free of charge
Web: greenassociates.com.au

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