2023 – Our Year In Review

First of all we hope you have had a Merry Christmas from myself and the Foligno & Co Team🌲🎅🗣️ and very much looking forward to the New Year!

Here's our year in summary:

This year, we are proud to announce the progression from myself as a one-man band to our very own Ltd company and brand (Foligno & Co).

🆕➡️📆Despite only launching in May and it being a very difficult year for home buyers, I personally nearly trebled the number of customers from the previous year—a huge compliment, which I can only attribute to exceptional customer service and hard work. This led to us taking on our first new recruit in July (Michael Bees).

#📈We've spent less time on social media towards the end of the year as we've been investing heavily in our processes to aid a smooth transition for each part of the mortgage or protection timeline.

- That led to the introduction of 'Open Banking,' saving customers time downloading bank statements.

- Experian Built-In to our systems—also saving customers initial time at the start of the process.

- Various in-house forms, guides & templates to simplify the mortgage process.

🏆 In insurance/protection - We made the final for the best personal Insurance Broker in the UK through 'SmartMoneyPeople,' one of the UK's leading financial review systems.

📍Despite the majority of our clients coming from Swansea and surrounding areas, we also had new clients as far west as Aberystwyth, as far outside of Wales as Bristol, Hemel Hempstead, and England in general. We even had a new client in Johnstone, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿😱

❌It's not been without its ups and downs, though... this year we had a lot of 'Not taken up' mortgages, costing us thousands of pounds after buyers pulled out due to rate changes, vendors pulling out while the market hit an uncertain period. Vendors unwilling to move despite already agreeing to sell. It was a very difficult time for many brokers, but thankfully, we prepared for this.

Although we're now glad to tell you, January and the new year are looking a lot more positive with the Bank of England freezing rates, 'SWAP' rates looking positive, and inflation leveling off and starting to get under control.

🐣👶 Finally, my wife Rebecca and I welcomed the birth of baby Daughter Lucia Rosina Foligno this month! From Foligno & Co to Foligno & Mo... The proudest achievement to date! Please give her a warm welcome as hopefully, one day she'll be your adviser 😂

A few stats to summarise: 🔢

📝 78 reviews across Facebook, Google, and SmartMoneyPeople to date.

🏡Largest Home Transaction: £600,000

📊 First-Time Buyer and Re-Mortgage written business tied at 50/50

🏆🎖️ Finalist for one National Award

🎗️New charity partner National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society, a charity close to our hearts, supporting people with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects the spine.

Thank you to our trusted partners:

Smiths Homes Estate Agents
JCP Solicitors
Smartr365
National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society
SimplyBiz
TMA Club
Legal & General Mortgage Club
SortRefer

Thank you once again, we hope from all of the team at Foligno & Co that you have a lovely New Year and festivities!

Andrew Foligno - Director