Jim Love (pictured above) swapped the high-stakes world of institutional equity markets for the heartwarming hustle of mortgage broking – and he’s never looked back. Trading spreadsheets for smiles, he’s now on a mission to turn property dreams into reality, one home loan at a time.
Jim Love, of Mortgage Choice, embarked on his mortgage broking career in September 2024, following nearly two decades in institutional equity markets. The decision was fueled by a desire to spend more time with his young children and escape the relentless interstate commute.
“For two years, I had been commuting interstate weekly and realised I didn’t want to miss out on my young children’s lives for the sake of a career and money,” Love said.
Initially considering wealth advice, Love was encouraged to explore mortgage broking – a field he quickly came to love.
“I moved from a career focused on maximising financial outcomes to one where my efforts directly improve people’s lives. It has been a deeply fulfilling transition,” he said.
Love thrives on the satisfaction of helping clients achieve their property goals, proving that behind-the-scenes roles can profoundly impact lives.
When asked about the most positive development in the mortgage broking industry, Love highlighted the best interests duty (BID) as transformative.
“This distinction highlights the value brokers bring,” he said. “Consumers recognise this advantage, with 74% of all new mortgages and more than 90% of first-home buyers going through a broker.”
The BID ensures mortgage brokers act solely in the best interests of their clients, setting them apart from lenders. According to Love, this trust-based framework solidifies the industry's credibility.
Love said the industry’s biggest challenge lies in maintaining its reputation in a trust-driven role.
“To protect the industry’s integrity, regulatory bodies must act decisively against bad behaviour while fostering continuous education and professional standards for brokers,” he said.
Citing Warren Buffett, he added: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
One of Love’s most notable experiences involved stepping in to assist a client after another broker became unresponsive. The situation required intense effort, navigating complex policies, and persuading a lender to make exceptions.
“Ten days and a lot of late nights later, I finally submitted the application,” he said.
Despite numerous challenges, persistence prevailed, with Love ultimately securing a favorable outcome for the client.
This experience reinforced a key lesson for him: “If you stop at the first – or second, or even third – roadblock, you won’t achieve the best outcomes for your clients.”
Love was candid about the demands of the mortgage broking profession.
“If you’re leaving another job to work for yourself and thinking it will be easy, I would respectfully caution you to think again,” Love said. “To be successful, like any small business, it requires more than 9-to-5 or 8-to-6 hours – it’s a seven-day-a-week commitment in the beginning.”
But for those who enjoy learning, thrive on hard work, and value helping others, Love said, “This is an incredibly rewarding career choice.”
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