Mortgage Choice’s partnership with Athena Home Loans has hit a major benchmark, with the Mortgage Choice Freedom loan book surpassing $3 billion.
The milestone comes less than a year after the launch of Mortgage Choice Freedom Move, an Athena-funded bridging product paired with the Move Modeller tool. Brokers can use the modeller to compare whether clients should buy first, sell first, settle simultaneously, or retain both properties, factoring in cash flow, equity, and changing mortgage rates.
This momentum is reinforced by the latest Mortgage Choice Home Loan Report, which shows buyer determination remains high, with 42% of respondents planning to purchase property in 2026 despite concerns about prices and supply.
Mortgage Choice reports particularly strong demand for Freedom Move in Perth and Sydney, where low listing volumes and rapid price growth are making it harder for households to synchronise sales and purchases.
In Perth, PropTrack economists have pointed to fast‑rising prices, tighter stock, and rising equity, encouraging many owner‑occupiers to buy first rather than risk being locked out of the market.
In Sydney, the product is increasingly being used as a liquidity tool for upgraders who want to move quickly on their next home while avoiding fire‑sale pressure on their existing property.
“Many of our customers are looking to upgrade from smaller units into houses for their growing families,” Mortgage Choice broker Ryan Ewart said. “In the past, when a customer was looking to upgrade, I would strongly encourage them to sell first so we could avoid bridging finance. Now that we have access to Freedom Move, my team and I are confident recommending bridging as a solution because the product pricing is sharp, and the customer experience is straightforward.”
He added that “Freedom Move is one of the only bridging products in the market to offer a no-end-debt option. This is a great option for borrowers, and their broker still gets paid for their work.”
Mortgage Choice CEO Anthony Waldron (pictured left) said reaching the $3 billion Freedom milestone reflects broker‑led product design.
“Reaching the $3 billion milestone for the Mortgage Choice Freedom loan book is a testament to the power of co-designing solutions with our network to solve the real-world frustrations brokers and their customers face every day.”
Athena co-founder and CEO Nathan Walsh (pictured right) said the partnership shows how digital innovation and broker advice can work together, noting, “By leveraging our digital innovation alongside the deep expertise of Mortgage Choice brokers, we’ve taken one of Australia’s biggest housing headaches and turned making the next move into a strategic, streamlined experience.”
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