iscover
iscover 
The partnership between Mortgage Choice and Athena Home Loans has reached a major milestone, with the Mortgage Choice Freedom suite of white label products recording $2 billion in settlements in under two years.
Launched in June 2023, the Mortgage Choice Freedom product suite was designed to challenge traditional lending practices with three key promises:
- Existing customers will never pay a higher rate than new customers on a like-for-like variable loan.
- No fees for applications, discharges, or account keeping.
- Interest rates automatically drop to the next loan-to-value ratio (LVR) tier as the loan balance is reduced.
The product’s approach to eliminating the so-called ‘loyalty tax’ proved its value when customers – both new and existing – were among the first to benefit from the Reserve Bank of Australia’s February rate cut, applied immediately and in full.
The Freedom offering has continued to evolve with the launch of Tailored, a suite of specialised lending solutions aimed at bringing fairness and flexibility to even more customers.
REA Group, which owns Mortgage Choice, reinforced the partnership’s strength by acquiring a 19.9 per cent stake in Athena Home Loans in September 2024.
Mortgage Choice CEO Anthony Waldron said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the success of the Mortgage Choice Freedom product suite. The market was hungry for innovation in the home loan industry and a product that directly addressed the ‘loyalty tax’ that was affecting so many borrowers.
“Our brokers continue to play a vital role in shaping the Mortgage Choice Freedom products and service proposition, which plays a big part in why they continue to resonate with borrowers.”
Athena Home Loans co-founder and CEO Nathan Walsh echoed the sentiment: “We are so proud of our successful partnership with Mortgage Choice. Bringing fair home loans to Aussies has been Athena’s mission since day one.
“Reaching this significant milestone with Mortgage Choice Freedom means we are achieving just that. Our partnership with the Mortgage Choice team and brokers allows us to drive real change in the industry and put the power back in borrowers’ hands.”
Mortgage Choice brokers also praised the suite’s performance and service standards.
Broker David Thurmond said: “My team and I know that when it’s crunch time and a client needs to get their finance quickly, that Mortgage Choice Freedom products will deliver. The SLAs are some of the best in market, and we know we can rely on our Freedom BDM to move mountains to get a deal across the line.
“Over the last two years the Athena team has demonstrated that they actually listen to brokers and adjust their policies or processes based on feedback.”
Broker Ryan Ewart highlighted the suite’s competitive edge.
“The Mortgage Choice Freedom products stand out when it comes to servicing because of Freedom’s 2 per cent assessment rate, which makes a big difference to borrowing capacity,” Ewart said.
“We’ve seen investors come back in a big way over the last year. One of the great things about Mortgage Choice Freedom is that the investment rates are among the best in market, which means I can give my customers a great option.”
With strong broker backing, consistent innovation, and a focus on customer fairness, the Mortgage Choice Freedom product suite continues to set a new benchmark in the Australian home loan landscape.
[RELATED: Aussies link home ownership to financial security]
