Branded group to expand white-label offering

LJ Hooker Home Loans, the broking arm of real estate network LJ Hooker, commenced its move into white label products in September when it launched LJ Hooker Home Loans Accelerator, backed by Macquarie.

A month later, the group launched an Advantedge-backed loan under the name LJ Hooker Home Loans Connect.

LJ Hooker Home Loans' national product and marketing manager, Jeff Chapman, told Mortgage Business the group plans to roll out a full range of white-label products by the first quarter of 2016.

“We are moving into a branded white-label space as opposed to just being a brokerage group,” Mr Chapman confirmed.

“Our guys won’t be simply broking loans through 20 or 30 lenders: they will be selling LJ Hooker Home Loans products. We are setting up our own securitised funding, so that’s a very big step for the group.

“In the first quarter of next year, we are releasing branded general insurance, branded mortgage protection insurance, branded credit cards and we’re also looking to white label with a specialist lender as well.”

Mr Chapman said these product launches are in addition to the… already launched, with the aim of allowing brokers to leverage off the well-established LJ Hooker brand.

“By us putting our own brand on our mortgage products, what we’re saying to the real estate guys is ‘when you give us a lead and we write an LJ Hooker Home Loan product, the client has got an LJ Hooker debit card, an LJ Hooker credit card and LJ Hooker home loan statements,” he said.

“When they look to list their property to sell down the track, they’re more entrenched in the brand.

“Our real estate agents really love that – they really love the aspect of being able to extend their brand through the home loan division.”

Earlier this year, LJ Hooker Home Loans launched a buyer’s agency service to further expand its reach across the property transaction journey.

[Related: LJ Hooker launches buyer's agency]