Andrew Loucas, who works at Sydney neo brokerage Loan Base, has only been a broker since August 2019 but is already notching up impressive volumes and won an Adelaide Bank Young Gun of the Year – Independent excellence award at the Australian Mortgage Awards 2020
Q: You became a broker in August 2019. How did that come about?
A: For the 10 years prior to my role as a broker I had been working in the banking industry, predominantly at UBank. I felt like it was time for a change and sought to forge a new path. Becoming a broker was attractive to me as I believed it would give me a greater sense of connection with my clients – we wouldn’t just have a one-off interaction via a call centre; instead I would get to build a client portfolio and help them achieve their own dreams. Loan Base is doing some very interesting things with tech in the broking space, so it seemed like a perfect fit.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your role?
A: No two days are the same. Whether speaking with new prospective clients, looking after my portfolio or speaking with credit assessors, there’s always a new challenge. I’m also extremely passionate about property and love having the opportunity to educate my clients and help grow their property portfolios. I’m very much a people person and at my happiest when I have the opportunity to speak with people and connect with them on shared passions and interests. I believe my empathy and passion illustrates to clients that I’m driven to help them improve their financial situation, and they appreciate and commend me for my persistence.
Q: What is something that surprised you about the industry?
A: At UBank, incoming leads were highly motivated, knew which product they wanted and were just wanting to confirm they qualified for the product. Many of the incoming leads brokers get are colder and require more hand-holding to get to the point of application. This has highlighted just how valuable things like referrals and positive reviews can be.
Q: What is the most challenging part of your job?
A: Lenders’ retention teams are quite challenging as they will often go to great lengths to retain a client. This is why building a strong rapport and connection with my clients is really important. When they have a good relationship with me and can see all my hard work in order to achieve a positive outcome, it makes declining the retention offer a bit easier.
Q: What are your long-term goals as a broker?
A: I hope to one day be recognised as one of the top brokers in the country, to build a loyal network of clients who refer friends and family to me, and to foster and grow strong, enduring relationships with BDMs from key lender partners. Ultimately, I don’t treat this role as a job but as a calling. I find it truly rewarding to help clients achieve their financial goals and to impart as much knowledge as possible in my interactions with them.
