What is your most rewarding client experience?
There's nothing that brings more job satisfaction to our brokers than helping someone who's been rejected by their bank and several other brokers. When you call them and let them know that they are approved, and that they're going to be a home owner, they often start crying or are in disbelief.
Brokers shouldn't underestimate the effect that they can have on their client's lives. When finance is used responsibly it is the great enabler. It helps people to live their dreams be it to buy a home, start a business or build wealth.
What do you think will be the biggest innovation in the mortgage industry in 2016?
The digital mortgage is coming! Behind the scenes the banks are figuring out how to get rid of all the process pain points that have been holding us back. This year we'll see digital signatures, advanced methods of identifying customers and potentially the verification of income and liabilities from customer's internet banking rather than relying on documents.
A digital process doesn't mean the end of the mortgage broker. It's just a better process. Customers love brokers, they want a personal service and so a digital process is just going to add to that.
If you were the head of the MFAA or FBAA, what would be your first priority?
We're MFAA members and so I can't really comment on the activities of the FBAA. However I am very impressed with what the MFAA has been doing. They've engaged the community with Global Money Week, engaged the media when they've attacked our industry, consulted with the government about broker commissions and they're gearing up for the Broker 2020 series which I'm sure will be a big hit.
What I'd like to see in the future is the standardisation of many of the news, calculators forms and processes that brokers deal with. As a branch lender you just have to know one bank. Us brokers have to know 20 or 30. We all want to have an efficient industry with few reworks and that just won't happen unless someone brings the lenders together and agrees on standards.
What is the most memorable piece of advice you have received in your life?
If you want to do something well then just find someone who is amazing at that thing, take them for lunch, ask them what they do, swallow your pride and just do what they say. It's that simple.
Home Loan Experts is built on the advice of people much smarter than me. It's the curse of smart people that they don't listen to the advice of others because they're used to other people having confidence without substance. The key is to find the right people to listen to.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
To enable people to see the point of view of others and to think selflessly. You could solve wars, hunger and climate change. Flying or being invisible would be fun but it's not going to do anything of real value.
