Canberra broker Brad Quilty’s collection of accolades reads like a shopping list of top broking awards: He took home Elders Home Loans Young Gun of the Year in 2011, MPA Magazine’s Young Gun 2012 and was a finalist for the
MFAA 2012 Achievement Award. His brokerage, Tungsten Home Loans, was a finalist in the AMAs for Best New Brokerage in 2012 – a prize he eventually won at this year’s event.
Looking at what he and his fiancé, Micarla, have been able to achieve over the past four years, you could be forgiven for expecting an extensive finance background was at play. You would be wrong.
“I started mortgage broking in mid-2009…I had no prior banking or finance experience, except for what I had read in magazines about loan structuring. After looking at quite a few options, I started with
Aussie and was there for about 16 months before being asked to join Elders Home Loans. Eighteen months with them and my partner Micarla and I decided we would like to establish our own brand with our own identity – and Tungsten Home Loans was born.”
Quilty says Micarla’s – who used to manage a national conveyancing office – legal expertise is a major business strength and something that offers clients peace of mind.
“We do find that occasionally we come across solicitors and real estate agents trying to put one over our clients and Micarla can step in on our clients’ behalf and sort things out.”
He says educating clients about how the lending process works is another major focus at Tungsten Home Loans.
“We like to educate our clients into the reasons for the loan that is chosen and how to use the features it comes with. We would rather get the right loan for the client first time, rather than having to change it…We also have an underlying goal to get all of our clients into a better financial position by being the catalyst for that to happen. ”
Furthermore, while he admits there are issues, Quilty believes that brokers are in for a relatively smooth ride over the next decade or so as long as the industry can attract enough new entrants. As this year’s AMA New Brokerage award winner, he advises new brokers ensure they do the best they can for every client.
“In the end, that is what our industry is created around. In the months and years ahead, that is what will set you apart from others and gain you a solid reputation. The first 18 months in the industry is some of the hardest times you could ever have, but the rewards are amazing.”
