Australia’s Fastest-Growing Mortgage Brokerages |
Fast Brokerages 2023

Industry expert Stephen Michaels, managing director of Catalyst Advisers, showcases why these brokerages deserve praise for delivering such eye-catching results.

“It’s easy to bury your head in the sand and think, ‘The market’s down. Capacity is down 30%. People can’t borrow as much, and no one’s buying,’” he says. “We can either sit back and think, ‘I’m just going to wait,’ or start sharpening our tools.”

Michaels recommends contenders for the title of Fast Brokerage should:

• maintain excellent relations with multiple banks to capture ideal interest rates, processes, risk appetites and credit policies
   

• master the ins and outs of complex credit policies
   

• keep up with changing times, challenge themselves and remain relevant

“Australians need trusted mortgage brokers more than ever”
Rocky LimRL Financial Group

Peter White, managing director of the FBAA, underlines how tough it’s been for the 2023 Fast Brokerages to push through.

He says, “The constant rise of interest rates over the last 12 months or so means you think you’ve got the deal one minute, then potentially the next you don't. That can be a fairly challenging environment for anyone to actually work in, so you need to be tenacious, keep going and don’t get despondent.”

Fast-growing mortgage companies

“Just one bank might not cut it,” states Rocky Lim, the owner of Fast Brokerage RL Financial Group. “We offer solutions from 30, 40 or 50 different lenders if it needs to be right and you are not locked into one solution. Versatility is important to all Australians, whether they are upgrading, investing or refinancing.”

In addition to partnering with scores of banks, RL Financial Group outshines the competition by:

• placing clients’ best interests at heart
   

• building rapport and long-term relationships with clients
   

• establishing clear client expectations upfront

The company saw a reduction of about 10% in the average loan size from the fiscal year ending 2022/23; however, it achieved an approximately 25% gain in total settlement value.

Fellow Fast Brokerage 10X Home Lending is an education-based lending service committed to helping clients strategically navigate the process and assisting them on every step of their property-buying journey.

“I am driven by how many people I am able to help and serve,” says Michael Wu, mortgage broker at 10X Home Lending.

The company stands out by:

• focusing on people’s needs and understanding both short- and long-term goals
   

• continually improving its lending knowledge to optimise recommendations
   

• making itself available after hours and on weekends

Over the past 18 months, 10X Home Lending has:

• helped 132 clients find solutions to achieving their financial goals
   

• settled more than $50 million in loans
   

• achieved a 35% increase year by year
   

• garnered over 100 5-Star Google reviews

Meanwhile, Fast Brokerage Cinch Loans targets professionals in legal, medical, consulting and IT.

“I’m an entrepreneurial, trusted adviser with a strong financial services background who gets his energy from helping people own their homes faster,” says founder and CEO Suvidh Arora.

Cinch Loans shines by:

• leveraging technology and innovation
   

• delivering unique solutions
   

• offering a personal touch

“My passion is to help clients magnify their property success by offering them tailored lending solutions”
Michael Wu10X Home Lending

“We personally know each and every one of our clients and connect with them at a personal level,” says Arora. “Nothing can beat the human touch.”

Over the past 18 months, Cinch Loans has:

• been nominated for over 75 different industry awards
   

• won multiple Elite Broker awards and CEO’s Choice awards
   

• garnered financial brokerage of the year at the MFAA state awards
   

• been named in MPA’s Top Brokerages and Top Broker lists

The right side of the digital divide

Fast-growing brokerages embrace and leverage technology to their benefit, something that Cinch Loans has pioneered by:

• digitising most of their in-house and customer-facing processes
   

• implementing a digital brokerage delivering real-time solutions
   

• ensuring their in-house CRM platform consolidates all their tech
   

• using machine learning, analytics and AI to enrich data and client outcomes and provide clients with unique solutions

“By doing this, we have been able to scale significantly,” says Arora. “Staff numbers are up 250% over the past 18 months. Business volumes have increased by over 140%, and we are on a growth spurt that is being fueled by scalable use of technology – all while providing a personal touch to our clients, where each and every member of our team is a ‘relationship manager.’

“Of late, we have started using our tech expertise and client base to diversify into other streams, including but not limited to commercial finance, asset finance and development finance. We are already seeing some huge volumes come through.”

The brokerage has seen tangible benefits in the overall customer experience and efficiency due to their use of technology.

“In the future, I see more businesses using data and AI to not only gain a competitive advantage but also continue to provide unique and efficient solutions to their clients,” says Arora.

Going above and beyond

With an abundance of products on the market, the consumer can’t keep up. This is where 10X Home Lending comes into its own.

Wu says, “I noticed that this is my real secret weapon, and I have won a lot of business from it.”

He has led the brokerage in its ability to deliver for those who appear to have no viable options.

“I’ve got some great clients who were initially declined by their own banks or even declined by Lendi brokers,” he says. “After consulting with me, I successfully helped them find the right lending solutions to achieve their property and financial goals.”

And he adds, “If I really can’t find the right solutions now, I always provide them with an actionable plan with a specific timeframe, so that they can be ready for the right solutions in the next three, six or 12 months.”

Proving that, Wu explains how his ingenuity is vital for clients in the current economic climate.

“I also noticed that people’s budgeting and lifestyle are a big focus, as many borrowers roll off their fixed rates. I have done a lot of pricing request activities from banks to make sure that my clients are on a competitive rate. This is a great time to stay in touch with my clients, build strong relationships and get through this difficult time together.”

“We personally know each and every one of our clients and connect with them at a personal level. Nothing can beat the human touch”
Suvidh AroraCinch Loans

Eyes on the prize

White details how a typical Fast Brokerage needs to be proactive in promotion.

He says, “They usually have a very strong profile. It’s not always about branding, but quite often it is, and they have a strong business and personal brand that can very much be part of it. They’re out in the marketplace, in front of consumers and are very busy engaging with the market.”

That’s a theme that chimes with Lim. He is on the front foot to drive RL Financial Group forward and has set a target to increase settlement volume by 66%.

“We successfully expanded our own client database, attracting new customers through referrals, marketing and networking. In terms of customer satisfaction, that’s a high indicator of a good job by receiving positive feedback from the clients,” he says. “We’re expanding the team, having hired a full-time onshore staff and potentially adding another broker in the next year or two – that’s in the pipeline.”

From the Sponsor

Liberty takes great pride in sponsoring Australian Broker’s Fast Brokerages 2023 special report.

The broker channel is pivotal in helping Australians get and stay financially stable. It is the lifeblood of the mortgage and finance industries and has always been at the core of our decision-making at Liberty.

We understand the needs of brokers and recognise the work involved in building a successful business. That’s why our products cater to a diverse range of customers, to help brokers build strong, sustainable businesses.

On behalf of Liberty, I congratulate the free-thinking fast brokerages recognised in this report, who achieved standout growth over the 2022/23 financial year. Their stories are particularly inspiring, considering the challenges faced over the past 12 months. Their ability to adapt and thrive reflects a promising future for the industry.

Liberty proudly provides brokers and customers with greater choice, offering free-thinking solutions at competitive prices. Our innovative approach has seen more than 700,000 customers get financial help across our range of home, car, personal and business loans, as well as LRBA lending. The Liberty Group has also protected over 247,000 customers with insurance products.

As always, we are committed to continuing our unwavering support of the broker channel.

John Mohnacheff
Group Manager – Sales
Liberty

Australia’s Fastest-Growing Mortgage Brokerages | Fast Brokerages 2023

Fast Brokerages

• 10X Home Lending
• Birdie Wealth
• Cinch Loans
• Loan Market Canberra
• Marquee Group
• Marquette Financial
• Protego Finance
• Reservoir Finance
• RL Financial Group
• Savvy Finance Group
• Sheel Capital
• Two Birds One Loan

Fast Starters

• 10X Home Lending
• Cinch Loans
• Marquee Group
• Marquette Financial
• Protego Finance
• Reservoir Finance
• RL Financial Group
• Sheel Capital