Australian Broker's Spotlight Series is back, where we chat with standout professionals in Australia's mortgage and finance industries to hear their thoughts on the market.
In a second installment, we're reunited with Ravi Velampally, tech entrepreneur and founder of the Home Buying Network. The tech platform, which launched in August 2025, focuses on improving how home buyers connect with mortgage brokers and other property professionals.
Brisbane-based Velampally unpacks his insights on Australia's property, mortgage and lending sectors, and the technology reshaping the broader market.
"The biggest gains come when technology supports trust and clarity, rather than adding more steps," he told Australian Broker.
The following interview has been edited for grammar and clarity.
RV: The biggest pain points sit around fragmentation and complexity. Buyers often struggle to understand who to trust and what information is needed at each stage, while brokers are managing heavy administrative loads, changing lender requirements and increasing compliance. The lack of clear, end-to-end visibility creates delays, repeated requests for information and frustration on both sides.
RV: Technology is helping by improving transparency and reducing manual friction. Better digital workflows, clearer information sharing and improved visibility across the process are making it easier for brokers to manage complexity and for borrowers to understand what’s happening at each stage. The biggest gains come when technology supports trust and clarity, rather than adding more steps.
RV: I don’t think there’s a single secret. But a big part of what’s helped is spending time listening closely to both brokers and buyers before trying to build solutions. Rather than rushing to scale, I’ve focused on understanding where friction genuinely exists and what can realistically be improved. If there’s a takeaway for others, it’s that success often comes from patience, empathy for end users and solving real problems incrementally rather than chasing quick wins.
RV: With clients, the key is clarity and expectation-setting early on; helping them understand the process, timelines and trade-offs reduces stress and builds trust. For brokers, it’s about respect for their time and expertise, and minimizing unnecessary back-and-forth wherever possible. Open communication, transparency and aligning early on, in terms of what is best for the buyer, tends to lead to better outcomes on both sides.
RV: In 2026, buyers are increasingly focused on certainty and risk reduction. Many are favouring properties, both established homes and newer builds that are move-in ready, to avoid high renovation costs and delays. Affordability pressures have also normalized strategies like the 'Bank of Mum and Dad,' shared-equity schemes and rentvesting, with buyers often compromising on land size, or opting for units and townhouses in well-connected suburbs. Energy efficiency has also become a financial consideration as buyers look to manage long-term living costs. Overall, decisions are being driven less by speculation and more by predictability.
RV: As we start 2026, I expect friction to remain elevated rather than ease materially. Affordability pressures, tighter lending settings and ongoing supply constraints continue to shape behaviour on both sides of the market. Navigating uncertain times comes down to focusing on fundamentals: maintaining buffers, making informed decisions and concentrating on what can be controlled rather than trying to predict short-term market movements.
RV: There’s a growing emphasis on verification, compliance and risk management across the industry, driven by both regulatory pressure and more cautious buyer behaviour. At the same time, technology adoption is becoming more pragmatic, brokers and buyers are favouring tools that genuinely simplify workflows, rather than add complexity. We’re also seeing stronger demand for education and guidance, as people look for confidence and clarity in an environment that still feels uncertain.
