Are you Australia’s best regional broker?

Regional brokers are often overlooked by their metro counterparts due to the higher value of properties accounting for larger overall loan volumes. However, there are many regional brokers whose productivity and customer service far outstrip that of some of their metro counterparts.

Mortgage Choice broker Janet Jenner, who operates in the areas of Byron Bay, Lennox Head, Lismore, Alstonville, Ballina and the Northern Rivers of NSW, said it would be great to see a regional broker awarded for their efforts.

“There are a lot of regional brokers out there that have plenty of hurdles and it would be good to see someone up there collecting an award.”

The award recognises the residential regional broker that best represents the industry across key factors, including but not limited to, loan volumes and loan book growth.

Robert Trewin, a mortgage broker based in Bairnsdale, Victoria, was unware of the new category, but said he was glad to see regional brokers receiving the recognition they deserved.

“It's great because there was a regional broker award up at the ABAs and they introduced that category and somebody nominated me for it and I ended up winning it, which was not only surprising but very humbling,” Mr Trewin said.

“There's always a big differential between city and country.

“In the country you know the majority of the people that live in your area and they know you, and they know your reputation and who you are and what you represent so winning an award like the Regional Broker of the Year, which I won just not that long ago, was a bit of a big deal, so the local paper did an article.

“I had the local radio ringing me and they thought it was fantastic that not only regional Australia was being recognised but somebody from Bairnsdale could actually win it, so from that point of view it just gets you into the media.  

Mr Trewin shared his Australian Broking Award win on Facebook, where it went viral. “There were about 10,000 views,” he said. “It's just nice to be recognised as one of the best in your field and that you're doing the right thing by your clients.”

To qualify for this award, entrants must have:

• At least two full financial years of experience (financial year 2014 and 2015)
• Annual individual residential loan settlements in excess of $20 million (financial year 2014 and 2015)
• A year-on-year increase in individual annual settlement volumes greater than 5 per cent (financial year 2014 and 2015)
• A year-on-year increase in individual loan book value greater than 5 per cent (financial year 2014 and 2015)

If this sounds like you or someone you know, enter here!