INDUSTRY LEADERS SAY RELATIONSHIP-DRIVEN APPROACH REMAINS AT HEART OF COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE MARKET – DESPITE SHIFT TOWARDS AI
13 November 2025
The commercial mortgage market still relies more heavily than ever on relationships, according to two industry leaders in the field.
In the latest episode of Accord Mortgages’ Growth Series podcast, released today, Mike Davies, head of lending at YBS Commercial Mortgages, sits down with Matthew Martin, director at Align Property Finance, to explore the evolving commercial mortgage landscape and discuss key trends.
The Accord Growth Series is a library of free educational content for brokers, including hundreds of guides, blogs, webinars and podcasts. Topics range from marketing to consumer duty to business planning and economic updates.
In this latest podcast, Matthew explains the approach of his own firm - a boutique brokerage built on a foundation of banking expertise. With a compact team of three, the firm leverages deep market knowledge and prioritises long-term client relationships over transactional volume.
Matthew highlights the move away from transactional lending: – “At Align, we act as our clients’ trusted advisors who understand the bigger picture” he says. Matthew then goes onto explain that the complexity of commercial mortgage deals requires early risk identification and mitigation, ensuring they are structured with foresight and care, building trust and delivering sustainable outcomes.
This approach often involves non-revenue-generating support, such as liaising with lenders on complaints or helping clients to source solicitors. “It’s all about being there for the client, way beyond the deal,” he adds.
Mike and Matthew go on to discuss the importance of resilience and adaptation in the industry, pointing to the HMO (Houses of Multiple Occupancy) market as a perfect example. Landlords are increasingly converting properties into HMOs to maximise their yields. The sector, once regarded as having poor property standards, is now seeing a trend towards professionally managed, high-quality assets.
Technology and AI are also a key topic for the discussion – with the emphasis on how they should be used to enhance - not replace - human relationships. Matthew acknowledges the growing role of AI in the industry, particularly for streamlining tasks. However, he also cautions against over-reliance on it: “AI can support efficiencies, but what it cannot do is replace the human touch - relationships remain at the heart of commercial lending, especially because of the complex nature of many of the deals we see. The bottom line is that technology and AI can help us to do our jobs better, getting a better result for the client – but there are limitations, and some jobs that will always need to be undertaken by a person.”
Looking ahead, the pair express cautious optimism for the future of the commercial market, despite recent economic uncertainty and regulatory shifts. Matthew said: “The market has shown resilience through Brexit, Covid, and rising interest rates. Getting back to a place of stability is key, and adaptability will define success in the future for borrowers and investors alike.”
Mike Davies, who hosted the podcast, said:
“It’s always fascinating to hear these views on the market, especially on topics that affect us all, such as the impact of AI. It’s reassuring to see that there is a recognition that relationships and human connection are still so important in the sector.
“This is another great addition to the Growth Series library, and I’m sure many advisers will benefit from the insight and knowledge it provides.”
The podcast is out today. To listen, please visit: https://blog.accordmortgages.com/podcast-133-mastering-the-commercial-mortgages-market, or sign up to the Accord Growth Series, here.
