Login
iscover
Non-major lenders are dominating broker recommendations as price and flexibility take centre stage in a higher-rate market.
New research from Agile Market Intelligence showed Newcastle Permanent was the top lender for price, with 91 per cent of brokers who had recommended the lender responding that competitive pricing underpinned the decision.
Meanwhile, Liberty Financial led on client-specific needs, with 92 per cent of brokers citing its flexible policies as the key reason for recommendation.
“In a competitive market, sharp pricing still cuts through. Lenders offering compelling rates are likely to see immediate uplifts in broker flows, but at a cost to their margins,” said Michael Johnson, director at Agile Market Intelligence.
Macquarie Bank also stood out, with 64 per cent of brokers choosing it for fast turnaround times, ahead of the next-best, Advantedge, at 41 per cent.
The findings come from Agile’s Broker Pulse: Residential Lending, which surveyed mortgage brokers nationwide between April and June 2025.
Non-bank lenders dominated the rankings for complex borrower scenarios. Liberty Financial topped the list, followed closely by Pepper Money (90 per cent) and La Trobe Financial (88 per cent). Commonwealth Bank was the only major to crack the top 10 in this category, with 75 per cent of brokers citing it as their go-to for complex client needs.
“Specialist lenders have built reputations around adaptability. For clients outside the vanilla box, they’re often the first port of call,” said Johnson.
The data lands as Agile also reports that one in four Australian households plan to invest in property in the next 12 months, led by buyers aged 18 to 34.
By contrast, traditional financial products like managed funds, ETFs and equities attracted just 17 per cent of interest. Only 10 per cent of Australians aged 55 and over are planning to invest in property, the report shows.
You are not authorised to post comments.
Comments will undergo moderation before they get published.