We sat down with Piers Shumack from Mint Home Loans to talk about his move to the Southern Highlands, his passion for lending and why starting a conversation early can really shift the timelines for getting into the Great Australian Dream.
Thanks for chatting with The Fold.
Firstly, what brought you to the Highlands?
We made the leap about six years ago. I was visiting the Highlands a lot to dirt bike and run away from Sydney. At the time I had a one year old and I told my wife, ‘You need to come down here and visit, it’s just beautiful’ and over time we just fell in love with the place. It took us a while to find a place to live because the market was hot.
And it was funny, we didn’t know anyone down here, we just knew that we loved the area.
But we are so happy now to be part of the lovely community. It’s the perfect size, and not too small. If you go out somewhere you are likely to bump into someone you know but that’s a nice thing.
There is so much to explore in the area. Each town and village has its own community and energy and there is nowhere else I would rather be. I’m grateful this place actually exists!
And a great place to raise a family… Yes, we have three kids and they’re all settled into really great schools and day care. My wife Jo runs Mojo Candle Co based here in the Highlands and that too has been a great way to meet a lot of the locals.
There are also lots of young families who have moved into the area and you sort of just reach out and build your social network. I think that Covid really pushed us to bond with the local community as we became a bit more disconnected from Sydney.
Can you tell us a little bit about how Mint Home Loans came to be?
So, my background has always been in small business. I’ve run IT teams as a contractor, helped my wife launch Mojo Candle Co and run other businesses. I’ve always been interested in business and property. Through that I realised how important it is to get the right advice with funding and that’s where Mint was born from.
Where does a mortgage broker fit in the ecosystem of finances?
Whether you are a first home buyer starting out, a savvy investor or approaching retirement, you need to make sure you have a great team around you. At Mint we are experts in both loans and loan advice, which is a big part of the picture but we strongly believe we are only one part of the dream team, we believe in working with your accountant to help you with tax structure and your financial advisers if you have one to fit in to your overall strategy,
Why do you need a mortgage broker on your finance dream team?
The simple reason if you are buying a property, financing a business, vehicles or even need short term funding, getting the best interest rate is important but sometimes it could be investigating your borrowing capacity, navigating a complex situation or just simply needing to know where to start – that is why you need a mortgage/finance broker. There is too much to know not to have an expert on your side.
We can help you with things that you don’t even know exist.
People come to me and tell me, ‘I can’t get a home loan.’ And I say, ‘Why not?’ I tell them that it might mean making some changes and coming up with a plan, but there is always a way. Helping people on their journey to get the finance that will help them reach their goals, is the reason I do it, I’m passionate about helping people achieve their goals and I love what I do. It’s such a fulfilling feeling to see someone go from thinking something’s impossible, to getting that call to say it’s all finalised.
And you think that home ownership is a great cornerstone for long term financial security?
Yes. I always say – and you hear this time and time again – that the earlier you can get into the property market, the better. Obviously, it’s harder now, but the advice remains the same and if you are going to do it, you need a broker on your side.
Everybody’s circumstances are different. It may take you 20 years to get there and so be it.
But if you’re young and you’re willing to save and go for it, I think everyone should be heading for home ownership.
You really do love what you do!
Yes, I guess you could say I’m a little obsessed! I love crunching the numbers and finding the solution, no matter how impossible it may seem. You want an expert who is there to back you up and honestly wants to see you succeed, not just someone who is dragging the transaction along. That’s not what I do. I want my clients to become financially healthy.
A mortgage broker should definitely be part of your financial dream team and you should reach out sooner rather than later!
What would be your top tips for people first getting into the housing market?
There is a lot of information out there on the Internet, but it can be very overwhelming. It can even contradict itself. So, I would say come and have a chat early, even if you think you are a few years away or if you feel like you may not even be able to do it, because there is probably stuff you don’t know exists.
You don’t know what you don’t know.
For example, your credit history is important. If you have a credit card – make payments on time. There is also a family guarantor loans so that is another thing to explore if they are willing to back you.
The main thing is to come and have a chat earlier and you may be in earlier than you think.
And for people who have already established themselves? What advice would you have?
For example, with small business, things can get a little bit more complicated between your personal and business finances and you really want someone who can help take the stress out of the process. You need a second set of eyes to help structure the loans in the right way and so getting your accountant and broker on the same page is really important.
Having had my own previous experience in small business, I have that insider’s perspective and knowledge so I can offer a real deep understanding.
Then of course, there are the investment properties and self-managed super funds.
It’s mostly about getting the structure right.
Sounds like Mint is a great addition to the thriving business landscape down here.
Yes, the honest truth is I just love being down here and I think there’s so many good people out here. I like anyone I can connect with and help them do what they want to do. It’s really
fun and rewarding.
I didn’t really understand, before I moved down here how much I loved being a part of a community. Everybody seems happy to be a champion for everybody else.
Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us Piers and for sharing your knowledge and passion.
For more information and to have a chat about your home loan, small business, commercial or self-managed loan needs, pop over to minthomeloans.au and book a time with Piers.
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