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Aydn O'Neill is a mortgage broker for AAA+ Financial Solutions in the regional city of Townsville in Queensland
How long have you been a broker?
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12 years.
How did you get into the industry?
My first job out of school was with a building society. I worked with the same entity for just on 10 years and had gone through the rationalisation process twice.
This had become a drain on me and I needed a change or my time in the finance industry was going to come to an end. The natural progression within the industry for me was to become a broker with the ambition of becoming my own boss.
What are the advantages of broking in a regional area compared to the capital cities?
I think the major advantage would be geographical. I appreciate the fact that I can get to and from work quickly and easily. We do hear a lot of stories about it taking hours for brokers to get to work each day in the capital cities. My clients can get to me quickly and easily also, and vice versa.
I think it’s also fair to say that we generally have a better understanding of our regional centre based on its size. This would be harder in a capital city.
What are the disadvantages of working in a regional area?
Obviously, larger populations in the capital cities are an advantage over areas with a smaller population to work from. Also, the median loan size of real estate in regional areas is also a clear disadvantage when compared to the capitals.
What are the misconceptions that city brokers have of regional brokers?
The business landscape may be a little more forgiving in large cities where people blend in more. Smaller towns and regional centres may be a bit more ‘clicky’. This maybe a misconception I have of capital city brokers.
What’s the biggest day-to-day challenge you face as a regional broker?
Making sure you are busy and that you do a great job for your clients.
