Non-bank lender First Federal has rolled out three changes at once for its broker network: a new Broker Portal offering real-time application tracking, direct lodgement through NextGen ApplyOnline, and digital property valuation ordering through Cotality's Property Hub.
The Broker Portal, available to all First Federal brokers, provides live application tracking from submission through to settlement, milestone notifications, and direct access to business development managers and credit support teams through a single platform. Built to be mobile-friendly, it also functions as a central hub for broker resources, updates, and tools, aimed at helping brokers stay across their pipeline and manage applications more efficiently.
From Monday 28 September, brokers will be able to lodge home loan applications with First Federal through ApplyOnline, one of the industry's most widely used lodgement platforms, while the new Property Hub integration simplifies valuation ordering.
Together, the three changes are designed to create a more connected workflow spanning lodgement, valuation ordering, and ongoing loan management.
First Federal chief executive James Angus (pictured) said the lender wasn't chasing scale, adding: "We're focused on being one of the easiest lenders for brokers to deal with."
Angus said brokers had been clear that quick answers, clear communication, and visibility throughout the process mattered most, and that the new portal was designed to give brokers better insight into where applications stood while simplifying access to the people and information they need.
He said the combined changes, spanning the Broker Portal, ApplyOnline, and Property Hub, were about stripping out unnecessary steps in the lending process. Brokers can access the new portal through the First Federal website.
The move follows a recent update to First Federal's home loan policy settings, which widened access for harder-to-place borrowers.
Against that backdrop, First Federal is positioning itself on service rather than scale. The launch comes as non-bank lenders continue to expand their share of the mortgage market — new non-bank home loan volumes rose 65.2% year-on-year to $10.49 billion in the June quarter, according to ABS Lending Indicators.
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