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Achieving 20% growth in a year is no mean feat, especially in the current economic climate, but that’s what all 12 of AB’s Fast Brokerages have achieved. Even more impressive, eight of those cohort members have been in business for three years or less and have earned the supplementary honour of being crowned Fast Starters.
Industry expert Stephen Michaels, managing director of Catalyst Advisers, showcases why these brokerages deserve praise for delivering such eye-catching results.
“It’s easy to bury your head in the sand and think, ‘The market’s down. Capacity is down 30%. People can’t borrow as much, and no one’s buying,’” he says. “We can either sit back and think, ‘I’m just going to wait,’ or start sharpening our tools.”
Michaels recommends contenders for the title of Fast Brokerage should:
maintain excellent relations with multiple banks to capture ideal interest rates, processes, risk appetites and credit policies
master the ins and outs of complex credit policies
keep up with changing times, challenge themselves and remain relevant
Peter White, managing director of the FBAA, underlines how tough it’s been for the 2023 Fast Brokerages to push through.
He says, “The constant rise of interest rates over the last 12 months or so means you think you’ve got the deal one minute, then potentially the next you don't. That can be a fairly challenging environment for anyone to actually work in, so you need to be tenacious, keep going and don’t get despondent.”
“Just one bank might not cut it,” states Rocky Lim, the owner of Fast Brokerage RL Financial Group. “We offer solutions from 30, 40 or 50 different lenders if it needs to be right and you are not locked into one solution. Versatility is important to all Australians, whether they are upgrading, investing or refinancing.”
In addition to partnering with scores of banks, RL Financial Group outshines the competition by:
placing clients’ best interests at heart
building rapport and long-term relationships with clients
establishing clear client expectations upfront
The company saw a reduction of about 10% in the average loan size from the fiscal year ending 2022/23; however, it achieved an approximately 25% gain in total settlement value.
Fellow Fast Brokerage 10X Home Lending is an education-based lending service committed to helping clients strategically navigate the process and assisting them on every step of their property-buying journey.
“I am driven by how many people I am able to help and serve,” says Michael Wu, mortgage broker at 10X Home Lending.
The company stands out by:
focusing on people’s needs and understanding both short- and long-term goals
continually improving its lending knowledge to optimise recommendations
making itself available after hours and on weekends
Over the past 18 months, 10X Home Lending has:
helped 132 clients find solutions to achieving their financial goals
settled more than $50 million in loans
achieved a 35% increase year by year
garnered over 100 5-Star Google reviews
Meanwhile, Fast Brokerage Cinch Loans targets professionals in legal, medical, consulting and IT.
“I’m an entrepreneurial, trusted adviser with a strong financial services background who gets his energy from helping people own their homes faster,” says founder and CEO Suvidh Arora.
Cinch Loans shines by:
leveraging technology and innovation
delivering unique solutions
offering a personal touch
“We personally know each and every one of our clients and connect with them at a personal level,” says Arora. “Nothing can beat the human touch.”
Over the past 18 months, Cinch Loans has:
been nominated for over 75 different industry awards
won multiple Elite Broker awards and CEO’s Choice awards
garnered financial brokerage of the year at the MFAA state awards
been named in MPA’s Top Brokerages and Top Broker lists
Fast-growing brokerages embrace and leverage technology to their benefit, something that Cinch Loans has pioneered by:
digitising most of their in-house and customer-facing processes
implementing a digital brokerage delivering real-time solutions
ensuring their in-house CRM platform consolidates all their tech
using machine learning, analytics and AI to enrich data and client outcomes and provide clients with unique solutions
“By doing this, we have been able to scale significantly,” says Arora. “Staff numbers are up 250% over the past 18 months. Business volumes have increased by over 140%, and we are on a growth spurt that is being fueled by scalable use of technology – all while providing a personal touch to our clients, where each and every member of our team is a ‘relationship manager.’
“Of late, we have started using our tech expertise and client base to diversify into other streams, including but not limited to commercial finance, asset finance and development finance. We are already seeing some huge volumes come through.”
The brokerage has seen tangible benefits in the overall customer experience and efficiency due to their use of technology.
“In the future, I see more businesses using data and AI to not only gain a competitive advantage but also continue to provide unique and efficient solutions to their clients,” says Arora.
With an abundance of products on the market, the consumer can’t keep up. This is where 10X Home Lending comes into its own.
Wu says, “I noticed that this is my real secret weapon, and I have won a lot of business from it.”
He has led the brokerage in its ability to deliver for those who appear to have no viable options.
“I’ve got some great clients who were initially declined by their own banks or even declined by Lendi brokers,” he says. “After consulting with me, I successfully helped them find the right lending solutions to achieve their property and financial goals.”
And he adds, “If I really can’t find the right solutions now, I always provide them with an actionable plan with a specific timeframe, so that they can be ready for the right solutions in the next three, six or 12 months.”
Proving that, Wu explains how his ingenuity is vital for clients in the current economic climate.
“I also noticed that people’s budgeting and lifestyle are a big focus, as many borrowers roll off their fixed rates. I have done a lot of pricing request activities from banks to make sure that my clients are on a competitive rate. This is a great time to stay in touch with my clients, build strong relationships and get through this difficult time together.”
White details how a typical Fast Brokerage needs to be proactive in promotion.
He says, “They usually have a very strong profile. It’s not always about branding, but quite often it is, and they have a strong business and personal brand that can very much be part of it. They’re out in the marketplace, in front of consumers and are very busy engaging with the market.”
That’s a theme that chimes with Lim. He is on the front foot to drive RL Financial Group forward and has set a target to increase settlement volume by 66%.
“We successfully expanded our own client database, attracting new customers through referrals, marketing and networking. In terms of customer satisfaction, that’s a high indicator of a good job by receiving positive feedback from the clients,” he says. “We’re expanding the team, having hired a full-time onshore staff and potentially adding another broker in the next year or two – that’s in the pipeline.”
Liberty takes great pride in sponsoring Australian Broker’s Fast Brokerages 2023 special report.
The broker channel is pivotal in helping Australians get and stay financially stable. It is the lifeblood of the mortgage and finance industries and has always been at the core of our decision-making at Liberty.
We understand the needs of brokers and recognise the work involved in building a successful business. That’s why our products cater to a diverse range of customers, to help brokers build strong, sustainable businesses.
On behalf of Liberty, I congratulate the free-thinking fast brokerages recognised in this report, who achieved standout growth over the 2022/23 financial year. Their stories are particularly inspiring, considering the challenges faced over the past 12 months. Their ability to adapt and thrive reflects a promising future for the industry.
Liberty proudly provides brokers and customers with greater choice, offering free-thinking solutions at competitive prices. Our innovative approach has seen more than 700,000 customers get financial help across our range of home, car, personal and business loans, as well as LRBA lending. The Liberty Group has also protected over 247,000 customers with insurance products.
As always, we are committed to continuing our unwavering support of the broker channel.
John Mohnacheff
Group Manager – Sales
Liberty
Australian Broker invited submissions for its third annual Fast Brokerages awards on 17 May 2023 as the publication sought to recognise Australia’s fastest-growing mortgage brokerages.
The research team asked brokerages to list their revenue totals and settlement volumes for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years, in addition to other growth milestones they wanted to highlight. They then evaluated the nominations received to determine which brokerages experienced standout growth.
The 2023 Fast Brokerages awards are given to brokerages that achieved more than 20% growth in combined revenue and settlement volume.
A total of 12 brokerages made the final list of Fast Brokerages this year. Australian Broker also highlights eight brokerages as Fast Starters that have been in business for three years or less and are making their mark on the mortgage landscape. These brokerages confirmed their resilience and cemented their strong positions in the Australian mortgage industry.
This special report is proudly sponsored by Liberty.