From draughtsman to mortgage specialist – Asmir Imeri transforms the Swiss mortgage market

Asmir Imeri, founder and CEO of S.O.I. AG, relies on a combination of a digital brokerage platform, exclusive financing solutions and a dedicated learning world to train independent financial and insurance advisors to become genuine mortgage specialists.

In an interview with thebrokernews, he talks about the challenges in the mortgage market, his path from construction drawing to the financial sector and why brokers need to rethink their role now more than ever.

Mr. Imeri, you started with an apprenticeship as a draughtsman and then moved into mortgage brokerage via the finance and insurance sector. What was the decisive moment for you to change this chapter?

When I started working for an asset management company in 2012, I realized that the demand for home ownership and mortgage advice would increase significantly over the next ten years. I wanted to be part of this development and build something of my own that would intelligently meet this demand.

In April 2021, you founded S.O.I. AG with the vision of connecting the world of financial and insurance advisors with the world of mortgages. What gap did you identify in the market back then?

I have seen that many financial and insurance advisors would also like to offer their clients mortgage advice, but they lack the expertise, experience and access to mortgage lenders. Today, we are closing this gap by offering them know-how, technology and a network.

Your “Chameleon-H” platform automates many steps of the mortgage brokerage process: from checking affordability to submitting a dossier. What specific changes does this technology bring for brokers?

Agents can process recurring work steps efficiently and use their time more productively. The platform helps them to serve more customers and increase the quality of advice at the same time.

You talk about seeing brokers not just as lead generators, but as genuine financing partners. What does that mean in concrete terms and how does it change the business model for brokers?

I don’t want advisors who simply pass on their clients as “leads”. There is usually a long-standing relationship of trust between advisor and client and this should be maintained. The advisor continues to look after their client directly, with our support in the background. Customers really appreciate this because they know that their advisor is really acting in their interests.

A central element of your strategy is the training of mortgage specialists via your learning world. Why is this training more important today than ever before?

Because expertise enables quality. I am convinced that the market will consolidate strongly without sound knowledge, and that is a good thing. Anyone who brokers mortgages should understand what they are doing. Otherwise it’s like typing in a mathematical formula without knowing that “dot before dash” applies.

In the “Family Office Mortgages” area, you serve sophisticated construction and real estate projects with more complex financing structures. How does this special financing differ from traditional mortgages and what role does S.O.I. play in this?

In the case of construction and real estate projects, the term is significantly longer, the volumes are higher and more parties are involved. In addition, financing is often provided in several tranches over different phases. We see ourselves as a conductor who ensures that every note is played at the right time.

The Swiss mortgage market is facing several challenges: rising customer expectations, higher regulatory requirements, digitalization. From your perspective, which two or three trends will shape the market the most in the next 2-3 years?

I am convinced that customers will increasingly approach brokers directly to finance their mortgage. At the same time, the proportion of those who want to handle their financing independently using digital tools will rise.
In addition, the shortage of skilled workers and high wage costs mean that repetitive processes are being automated systematically, and the technical possibilities for this have long been available.

You work with a broad network of banks, insurance companies and pension funds. How do you ensure that these partner networks deliver real added value for both brokers and end customers?

Loyalty and trust, coupled with a shared understanding of quality and strong implementation skills – that is our recipe for success. This significantly reduces idle time and increases the success of the deal.

We are also very careful in our dealings with our financing partners: we don’t ask for five offers at the same time, but usually one or a maximum of two. The added value of a third or fourth offer is practically zero. Unfortunately, there are brokers who do exactly that – supposedly in the interests of the customer. In reality, however, they put the needs of the mortgage lender in the background and weaken trust in the entire process. Our approach is different: focus, fairness and efficiency – this is how we create sustainable added value for everyone involved.

Many brokers are complaining about falling margins and increasing competitive pressure. How are you responding to these market conditions with your offering?

We give every broker the opportunity to generate higher income in the mortgage market with their existing customers. The price for this is further training in line with my motto: “No brokerage without further training.”

When you look back on the founding phase of S.O.I.: What were the biggest stumbling blocks and what experiences proved particularly valuable?

One challenge was to overcome the “professional blindness” of the traditional mortgage world and to consistently rethink the loan application process from an IT perspective. It was particularly valuable to realize that when day-to-day business and technology mesh perfectly, innovation knows no boundaries.

Sustainability and efficiency are becoming increasingly important in the financial and real estate sector. Does S.O.I. have corresponding approaches, e.g. sustainable financing or energy-efficient real estate projects?

Yes, definitely. The issue of sustainability is coming from all sides today: Customers, developers and financing partners. Our task is to reconcile the expectations of mortgage borrowers with the offers of mortgage lenders.

What is your roadmap for the next five years? What milestones are you aiming for with S.O.I. in terms of growth, technology and market positioning?

After reaching break-even and the proof of concept, we are now in the growth phase and are preparing for scaling. Our goal is to build the largest freelance mortgage team in Switzerland and further consolidate our position as a center of excellence for mortgage financing.
We can use the data and experience we have gathered to build on AI-based systems in the future. I can already say today that we are working on something that will play a decisive role in shaping the future of the mortgage market.

Finally, what advice would you give to a financial or insurance advisor who wants to enter the mortgage market today and what should they pay particular attention to?

Set your sights on long-term customer loyalty, continue to educate yourself and start with your existing customers.

And never forget: Every year, around CHF 100 billion in mortgages are refinanced or refinanced in Switzerland – the market is huge for all those who work competently and consistently.

The questions were asked by Binci Heeb.

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