Chris Bates is the founder of Alcove, the strategic mortgage advisory he launched in 2014. Alcove is far from your average mortgage brokerage: it pairs the experience of ex-financial advisors with the skill and execution of a robust brokerage. Across 12+ years and more than $3 billion in lending, Chris has guided thousands of households through the decisions that genuinely shape their financial future: asset quality, debt structure, buffers and timing. He presents five weekly podcasts and has recorded over 1,000 episodes, including The Elephant in the Room with Veronica Morgan. Alcove sits at the centre of the home-buying process, walking clients through the biggest financial decision of their lives — and staying alongside them for the ones that follow.