Six skills you need to become a mortgage advisor

September 17, 2025 by Mark

Mortgage Advisors

Becoming a mortgage advisor is a stable career, because people will always need guidance when buying a home. However, it is also a skilled profession that demands training and qualifications.

The CeMAP course and subsequent exams are regarded as the industry standard, and there are many skills you will learn on that course.

Communication and Customer Service

Being a mortgage advisor is essentially working in a customer service role. Your job will be to find out as much as you can about your clients, so that you can give them the best possible advice. This means discovering what they want and what they are able to afford.

An ability to communicate clearly is also a vital skill. The mortgage market and its products can be dauntingly complex for a layman, so you will need to break them down in a way that your clients can understand.

Analytical and Mathematical Skills

A mortgage advisor must be able to assess the circumstances of each client and evaluate which product will be best for them. They will also have to learn the mathematics skills needed to calculate things like product affordability. CeMAP training provides the core finance and borrowing knowledge needed to pass the examinations.

IT Skills

Mortgage advisors need IT skills too, because much of their everyday work is now done on a computer. Applications are completed and submitted digitally, while communication with lenders is often conducted via email or chatbot.

Organisation

You will need to learn efficient time management, so you can balance your different responsibilities. Mortgage advisors work with several clients at any one time, and must be able to keep their information separate and meet varying deadlines.

Initiative and Motivation

Another vital soft skill is initiative, because you will have to attract clients and keep track of developments in the housing market. Winning and retaining clients so you can build your business also requires considerable motivation. You need the drive to succeed.

Honesty and Discretion

Clients will depend on you to provide them with honest advice that helps them avoid traps. They will also be sharing personal information with you, so discretion is a very important skill for any mortgage advisor.

These are some of the skills you need to be a good mortgage advisor.