Making Yourself Investable - Josh O'Leary | Roma Finance

"Just saying I'm going to sell it is not a good enough exit plan anymore." Josh O'Leary of Roma Finance on what lenders look for in a borrower, why relationships matter more than rates, and where the opportunities are in a tough market. Josh joined his dad's development finance brokerage during lockdown with a one-page guide and a LinkedIn account. Five years later, after structuring senior debt and third-party equity on ground-up schemes across the home counties, he moved to the lending side at Roma Finance, which now covers bridging, refurbishment, development, buy-to-let and commercial mortgages. He talks through his first deal as a broker, a nine-unit scheme in Thornton Heath that came after he'd modelled around 30 other deals for the same client over a year. He describes the two kinds of developer he worked with, one over-leveraged and one too cautious to commit, and why the people who last are the ones who buy well. We also cover how Roma decides who to lend to, the green and red flags when a borrower first gets in touch, how many schemes are now ending in a refinance rather than a sale, why Roma values smaller HMOs as ordinary houses, and why you should pick a property strategy that suits your personality and appetite for risk. If you're preparing to raise bridging or development finance, or wondering whether now is the time to buy, this episode gives you a lender's view from the inside. [00:00] Introduction: Meet Josh from Roma Finance [00:30] From Hospitality to Development Finance Broker [06:24] Working in a Family Business [09:54] Why Relationships Beat Rates [13:38] His First Deal: Nine Units in Thornton Heath [16:06] Thirty Appraisals Before One Deal [17:03] What Successful Developers Have in Common [21:14] Is Now a Good Time to Buy Land? [23:58] Government Policy and Pent-Up Demand [27:04] Inside Roma Finance [33:18] Who Roma Lends To [35:38] Green Flags and Red Flags in a Borrower [38:16] What Lenders Are Seeing Right Now [40:32] When the Exit Becomes a Refinance [41:20] Buy-to-Let, HMOs, Auctions and Commercial [44:35] The Pressures on SME Developers [48:30] How Roma Values HMOs [51:30] Choose the Strategy That Fits Your Personality [53:34] How to Get in Touch With Josh MORE FROM THE PROPERTY DEVELOPERS PODCAST 📸 Instagram:   / propertydevelopersnetwork   💼 LinkedIn:   / property-developers-network1   MORE FROM TOM HOSKIN 🎥 YouTube:    / @tomhoskinproperty   💼 LinkedIn:   / tomhoskin   📸 Instagram:   / tomhoskinproperty   JOIN THE NETWORK 🌐 Property Developers Network: https://buildyourfuture.io/application/ 🎟️ FREE Developer Skool Community: https://buildyourfuture.io/applicatio... #DevelopmentFinance #BridgingFinance #PropertyDevelopment #UKProperty #PropertyFinance #PropertyDevelopersNetwork #TomHoskin #PropertyDevelopmentUK