Products in the spotlight

AAs we head to the turn of the financial year, many brokers will be thinking about putting to bed those last-minute deals in June and ramping up for the year ahead. But finding the right lender for the right client can be a difficult choice. So, in this issue of The Adviser, we’ve asked brokers which non-bank products they’re most enjoying at the moment.

Our cover story (page 22) shines a spotlight on the results of our Non-Bank Product of Choice Survey to unpack which lenders are taking centre stage. As we see in the feature, while banks are adopting a more conservative stance in a rising-rate environment, non-bank lenders emerge as pioneers in providing tailored solutions for borrowers. Check out the Q&As with the top-ranked non-banks to discover the insights from our survey and gain a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of non-bank lending (page 24 onwards).

Over on page 16, we’ve partnered up with ANZ to explore the surprising demand from first home buyers. With interest rates reaching their highest levels in over a decade and house prices outpacing income growth, the resilience of first home buyers is remarkable given the widely reported affordability challenge. Make sure you read our sector report to understand the factors driving the perseverance of this cohort in achieving their home ownership dreams and head over to page 4 to hear what brokers are seeing from first home buyers at the moment.

Speaking of brokers, we have two broker profiles in this edition that showcase some of the talent in the channel. Our Elite Broker profile (page 12) spotlights Lisa Bridgett, broker principal at Stellar Finance Group and how she provides stellar service to her clients. And you can also learn how and why former aggregator BDM James Cerolini became an asset finance broker for not one, but two, brands in our New Broker profile on page 8.

This edition, we are also excited to introduce our brand new column “Your Health in Mind” (page 39). Each month, psychotherapist Bronwyn Penhaligon from Penhaligon Applied Psychology will address brokers’ top mental health concerns and offer valuable insights into navigating stress and anxiety. If you have any questions for Penhaligon, please feel free to email them in to [email protected] (and rest assured, all submissions will remain anonymous).

I hope you enjoy this edition of The Adviser and do reach out if there’s anything you’d like to see included in future editions: [email protected]