The Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) has opened its six-monthly Member Sentiment Survey, running from 1-31 August.
The survey calls on mortgage brokers nationwide to share insights on borrower trends, market shifts, and how they are supporting clients in the current economic climate.
“Economic conditions continue to shift and so do the needs of borrowers and how mortgage brokers are supporting their clients,” said MFAA CEO Anja Pannek (pictured).
Mortgage brokers remain critical to the market, settling 76.8% of all new residential home loans in the March 2025 quarter amid rising living costs, high house prices and ongoing rate uncertainty.
The survey provides critical insights to support MFAA members and strengthens the association’s advocacy with government, regulators, and industry stakeholders.
“The Member Sentiment Survey is a crucial tool that identifies real-time insights and ‘lead indicators’ around how borrowers are faring in the current economic environment across a range of factors, including interest rates, housing supply and cost of living,” Pannek said.
“The hard data we gain from these surveys is key in advocacy for our members and in how we shape the future of our industry.”
Findings from previous surveys have directly informed MFAA policy work, including its call for a dynamic serviceability buffer in submissions to the 2024 Financial Regulatory Framework and Home Ownership inquiry.
The association is also preparing to amplify broker voices at the federal Economic Reform Roundtable in Canberra from Aug. 19-21, where it has urged bold measures including raising the GST to 15%, abolishing stamp duty and payroll taxes, and making the instant asset write-off scheme permanent.
Insights from the February 2025 survey showed signs of easing mortgage stress, with more homeowners able to refinance and switch to suitable loan products. While some serviceability challenges remained, brokers reported rising borrower confidence.
“Since the February survey, the Reserve Bank has delivered two rate cuts – once during the survey period in February and again in May and then a surprise hold decision in July,” Pannek said.
“We are keen to see how this has impacted borrower sentiment, given continuing constraints in the housing market.”
Responses to the August survey will guide MFAA advocacy on key priorities, including:
The Member Sentiment Survey takes just five minutes to complete. Responses are anonymous, and members who provide their details can enter a draw to win a $150 Visa gift card.
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