Testimonials
Duncan Harrison
Marble Hill Consultants
“We found Optima via a Google search when we were looking for Mezzanine Finance to sit behind our senior debt lender, on a mixed use (14 residential units plus commercial space) new build scheme. We ended up with a far more competitively geared and priced stretched senior debt product from a single lender and since then we have used the Optima team to source finance for our development projects. Gary is well connected in the development finance market, which we would expect of an experienced broker, but we get much more than an introduction to the lender. Gary uses his experience to see and address potential problems early in the process which is invaluable in enabling us to proceed with the project with some confidence that we will get it across the line. He works closely with all interested parties (lender, valuer, QS, lawyers etc.) to facilitate completion. We would highly recommend Optima to property developers.”
Duncan Vercoe
Talbot Homes
“We first came across the Optima web site in 2014 when we were looking for finance for our first UK based property development finance project. We contacted Optima because their web site gave the impression they knew what they were talking about; and so it is! We have since competed five projects with Optima at the helm and they have sourced a range of finance solutions including bridging, senior debt, mezzanine, equity and developer exit products. Clearly they have an excellent knowledge of what is available in the market and they put in that extra effort required to foresee problems and facilitate completion. We would highly recommend Gary and his team to other property developers.”
Frank Bauer
Urban Fern
“We first approached Optima in the Spring of 2015 to procure finance for a new build project and have been so impressed with the service that we have returned for assistance with second and more challenging development. The project is a detached property we own in a Surrey town where we have obtained planning consent to significantly extend to double the footprint to create a 5,000 sq.ft. contemporary house with a value once completed of in excess of £2M. The challenge is though that single units of this size and design are not flavour of the month with a number of obvious lenders (including those that we worked with on the previous projects) – they prefer to spread their risk across smaller multiple units. Gary had some early interest from a couple of expensive lenders but he has persevered and we received credit sanction from a lender offering market leading pricing so we have not had to give the a large chunk of the profits away. We are happy to recommend the services of Optima to other developers seeking finance.”
Sean Rafferty
Rafferty Properties
“We are Hertfordshire based property developers and investors and have known Gary since his banking days when he looked after our affairs. When Gary set up a Brokerage in 2003 we appointed him to act as our broker and as raised competitively leveraged and priced finance on numerous projects. He has also introduced us to lenders who offer superb levels of service; something that was lacking with our traditional high street bank lenders who chop and change their lending policy, and their managers all too often. Indeed when the downturn came in late 2007- early 2008 we availed of Gary’s considerable skills to negotiate a restructuring of our facilities with banks who were too eager to foreclose; thus enabling us to ride out the storm. We have gone from strength to strength since and Gary continues to broker our finance. We are happy to provide either written or verbal references.”