#1 Mortgage Choice

Coming in at first place this year was REA Group’s major brokerage, Mortgage Choice. We find out how the company has been harnessing innovation, marketing, and system enhancements to empower brokers and improve customer engagement

Q. What do you attribute to the brokerage’s successes this year?

Our continued success throughout 2024 would not have been possible without the dedication of our Mortgage Choice network that helped their customers navigate the persistent high-interest rate environment and rising cost of living.

Our head office team was another key part of our success. It partnered with the network on everything from business planning and growth to systems training and marketing.

Being a part of REA Group has also helped drive the success of Mortgage Choice. We enhanced the way our brokers connect with realestate.com.au’s audience, which reached a new record for unique audience, reaching 12.2 million in November 2024 – a 12 per cent YoY growth*.

Our biggest achievement in 2024 was the delivery of broker system enhancements
- Anthony Waldron, CEO, Mortgage Choice

Leveraging the firepower of REA, we also continued our investment in the Mortgage Choice brand, keeping it top of mind with Australians. Through a combination of dedicated Mortgage Choice campaigns and integration onto realestate.com.au’s platforms, our brand appeared across various channels including free-to-air and catch-up TV, metro and regional radio, social media, and out-of-home advertising.

Q. What was the group’s biggest achievement in 2024?

For me, our biggest achievement in 2024 was the delivery of broker system enhancements that improved productivity and allowed brokers to better support their customers. These include the evolution of our Fact Find form that allows customers to seamlessly share their information with a broker and a new tool that enables brokers to assess their customers’ funding position in real time.

We also improved the integration of Proptrack Property Reports in our CRM. These reports deliver real-time insights, including a property’s estimated value and rental income and recent comparable sales and listings in the area.

Q. What was the biggest change/initiative you made last year to help brokers support their customers this year?

Over the last couple of years, we have delivered a suite of initiatives designed to help our brokers build even deeper relationships with their customers.

This included the launch of our new Client Care Program, which creates automated tasks and notifications assigned to active loans so brokers can engage with their customers at the right time. We also revamped our Lifecycle Marketing program to boost lead volumes and increase conversion. The new program features improved segmentation and content personalisation through targeted email series aligned to campaigns and templates to support brokers with customer outreach.

Q. What will be the group’s main points of focus for the next 6 months?

It’s a privilege to be recognised in this ranking, but I truly believe we’re just getting started.

As 2025 gears up, we’re prioritising helping our brokers grow their businesses wherever they are on their career journey. We’ll continue to deliver targeted training and development to new and established brokers, including building on our Broker Success and Peloton Programs. The results and feedback from these programs in 2024 have been incredibly promising.

Through ongoing investment in our tech and brand, we’ll be giving our brokers even more support to attract new customers and build deeper relationships with existing customers. We’ll continue to leverage the strength of REA Group to make it easier for Australians to find and finance property and connect with our brokers by further integrating the Mortgage Choice brand on realestate.com.au.

*Source: Ipsos iris Online Audience Measurement Service, Nov-24, P14+, PC/laptop/smartphone/tablets, text only, Brand Group, realestate.com.au, Audience (000s).

Q. What do you attribute to the brokerage’s successes this year?

#2 Aussie

Coming in second place is another major brokerage brand Aussie (part of the Lendi Group). The franchise brokerage has been going through a transformative few years, rolling out new tools and support for its broker network. We find out what Lendi Group has been doing to grow its broking brands

Q. What do you attribute to the brokerage’s successes this year?

This year has been a remarkable one for Lendi Group and our network of brokers. Our [combined] network of over 1,300 passionate brokers around the country has been a big driver of our success. Our brokers are the force behind our vision of becoming the undisputed destination for Australians to buy and own property and they’ve been active partners in our relentless pursuit of innovation.

Over the past year, Lendi Group has experienced a surge in innovation, marked by continuous improvements to our proprietary platform, the large-scale adoption of our industry-leading supported broker model, and the introduction of a new mobile app. Our brokers have fully embraced these advancements, utilising these tools to grow their businesses and enhance experiences for their customers.

Q. What was Lendi Group’s biggest achievement in 2024?

Last year, the Lendi Group’s loan book surpassed $100 billion. This fantastic milestone was the culmination of the tireless dedication of our brokers and team members.

Our business success can be linked to the widespread adoption of our supported broker model, which has generated substantial productivity gains across the organisation. Launched to the Aussie network in July 2023, this model was implemented on a large scale throughout 2024, with nearly three-quarters of the Aussie network, including 136 retail stores opting thus far, with more scheduled for onboarding, reflecting the strong confidence our brokers have in the model.

Our supported model is helping us deliver consistent growth across three key areas – more customers, more settlements, and more efficiency. Our top-performing home loan specialists are achieving lodgement volumes more than four times higher than industry averages, while Aussie retail stores subscribed to the model are delivering 1.75 times more company-generated loan settlements compared to legacy support models.

Q. What was the biggest change/initiative you made last year to help brokers support their customers this year?

The biggest initiative over the past year has been a significant increase in our investment in the iconic Aussie brand. We’ve been laser-focused on engaging customers earlier on their journey and creating new revenue streams for brokers. This has led to the development of several products and partnerships that are revolutionising the experience for brokers and customers, like the Aussie mobile app and Aussie Conveyancing.

In April 2024, we launched the Aussie mobile app, allowing customers to track their credit score, equity, the value of their home and properties they are considering, as well as their loan finances. By putting our brokers in the palms of their customers, we’ve made broker and customer connection easier than ever before.

In late 2024, we launched Aussie Conveyancing. Powered by Settle Easy, this innovative service simplifies the final stages of the home buying process, offering customers a smooth, transparent experience from contract to settlement.

Q. What will be the group’s main points of focus for the next 6 months?

Over the next six months, we’re focused on spearheading products and initiatives that can help our brokers capture more of the market and allow us to be in our customers’ corner at all stages of the property purchasing process.

Moving forward, we aspire to provide best-in-class experiences across the readiness to buy, property transaction, and post-settlement journeys, with the view to becoming the undisputed destination for Australians to buy and own property. We look forward to sharing more on this soon!

With a strong customer base, advanced technology, and a national presence, we’re well-equipped to lead in this space.

#3 Loan Market

Rounding out the top three is national brokerage Loan Market. We chat to the brokerage’s CEO David McQueen about how the branded brokerage is achieving success

Q. What do you attribute to Loan Market’s success?

Loan Market’s success comes down to empowering brokers to thrive as business owners. As a family-owned business for over 30 years, we’ve built a model that gives brokers the freedom to grow their businesses their way, backed by industry-leading tools and support.

From a strong consumer brand that generates three times more online leads than independent brokers to MyCRM, our award-winning platform that simplifies workflows, providing full-suite marketing and business coaching support, we focus on making brokers more productive and profitable.

Our brokers settle 66 per cent more loans annually than the industry average and they’re loved by clients, achieving the highest net promoter scores in the industry. At the heart of our success is a commitment to integrity, consistency, and creating an environment where brokers can grow, innovate, and succeed.

Q. What was Loan Market’s biggest achievement in 2024?

I believe the group’s biggest achievement in 2024 was fostering the most productive and highest-rated brokers in the industry, as recognised by their clients. This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to empowering brokers with the tools, support, and guidance they need to excel.

Our tailored marketing support ensures brokers stand out and connect with the right clients. MyCRM, our cutting- edge platform, streamlines workflows and enhances client engagement. Through holistic business coaching, we guide brokers to build sustainable, growth-focused businesses. Above all, our unwavering focus on broker profitability drives every initiative, helping them achieve lasting success.

Together, these pillars create an environment where brokers can excel, delivering exceptional outcomes for their clients while building the most profitable businesses in the industry.

Q. What was the biggest change/initiative you made last year to help brokers support their customers this year?

In 2024, we introduced key initiatives to help brokers build stronger, more sustainable businesses while delivering exceptional client outcomes.

We introduced the Elevate program, a coaching program designed to help business owners achieve their goals with tailored strategies and expert support. It combines personalised coaching, comprehensive business training, and a focus on measurable results to boost productivity, client relationships, and profitability. By fostering collaboration between brokers and innovation, this program enables brokers to take their business to the next level

We also helped create better consumer experiences and save brokers time with the introduction of SmartData, incorporated into MyCRM that automates ID verification, bank statement collection, and credit checks, saving brokers valuable time and effort while ensuring the accuracy and reliability of client information.

We also expanded training in commercial and asset finance, helping brokers diversify income streams and better meet client needs.

Tailored coaching from our broker success managers ensured brokers could effectively integrate these tools and strategies into their businesses. Combined with comprehensive marketing support, these changes equipped brokers to grow sustainably while staying focused on delivering exceptional client experiences.

Q. What will be the Loan Market’s main points of focus for the next 6 months?

Our focus is on growth, sustainability, and empowering brokers to achieve more.

We’ll help brokers strengthen referral networks, embed technology like MyCRM to drive efficiency, and elevate client experiences to build repeat business and attract referrals. Expanding product knowledge in areas like commercial and asset finance will also remain a priority, opening new opportunities for brokers.

Customer satisfaction is central to our mission – happy clients mean stronger businesses.

We’re also investing in community and connection. In March, we’ll bring our entire network together at Growth Summit on the Gold Coast, setting the tone for the year and, in August, we’ll host Scale Up, our flagship conference bespoke to Loan Market. This event celebrates broker achievements and provides insights to continue scaling their businesses while inspiring and connecting our Loan Market community.