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While New Zealand is home to a host of top-notch advisers, NZ Adviser’s best mortgage advising firms of 2024 are celebrated for shining above the competition.
“The past 18 months have been particularly challenging for many advising firms as total transaction numbers in the market have dramatically reduced,” says Luke Jackson, Resimac’s general manager of New Zealand. “Advisers with greater capabilities have been able to leverage their skills effectively in this market.”
This year’s 26 top-ranked mortgage advising firms have carved out a competitive edge by navigating market complexities adeptly to achieve positive client results.
Industry expert Jackson notes that standout firms are those that possess:
expertise across diverse customer needs and demographics
strong customer service culture
strategic thinking and business acumen
effective business administration management
While several crucial factors contributed to NZA’s ranking, including total settlements for 2023, conversion rate, and total loan book size, the top advising firms have excelled in a challenging regulatory environment by increasing the value they bring to clients.
Additionally, Jackson highlights these essential drivers of success:
lenders’ accreditation and market access
business strategy and operations
market influence and mentorship
Bridging cultures and building trust
Rank #2
The firm primarily serves the Chinese community in several languages, including Cantonese and Mandarin. It is a welcoming light, also helping clients from Asian countries, such as China, Korea, Japan and Malaysia, navigate New Zealand’s loan market with cultural sensitivity.
“Over 90% of our clients are Asian, and we help them with language barriers and translation, and we understand their needs,” director York Zhang says.
With nearly two decades in the mortgage advising sector, the Auckland-based firm’s long-tenured brokers have built loyal client relationships based on trust, results and satisfaction.
Plaxo Mortgages’ industry-leading reputation is driven by:
broker expertise built on banking backgrounds
diversification into construction, commercial and business loans
upskilling and continuous learning to keep up-to-date on changes and trends
leveraging emerging technologies like AI to assist with marketing and market research
“Our clients may come to us at the beginning to buy their own home, and then they’re looking for an investment property, or they want to open a business in New Zealand,” says Zhang. “Trust is built with clients from the start, and they have a long-term partnership with us. We’re now serving two generations of some original clients.”
Underpinning their family-first culture, brokers ensure clients receive priority in achieving their financial goals.
Client satisfaction is the benchmark for success at the top mortgage advising firm, a testament to its mid-nine-figure settlements in 2023 and 95% conversion rate, the highest in NZA’s survey.
Zhang says, “When we see the smile on our client’s face and they come back to us and say, ‘Thank you,’ that is the most rewarding part of the journey.”
Blazing trails in development financing
Rank #4
In just under a decade, the Auckland-based mortgage advising firm has earned a stellar reputation for expertly guiding clients through the unique challenges of development financing.
The team’s comprehensive grasp of the intricacies of financing development projects enables them to work side by side with clients and suppliers, ensuring the venture is adequately funded and completed on time. This approach has led to continued prosperity and ongoing recognition.
“The role we play in the middle becomes critical in balancing the needs on the client and supply sides,” founder and managing director Frank Cui says. “But what sets us apart is understanding what the client needs to help them achieve their goals.”
A commitment to continuous learning and skill upgrading maintains the firm’s position at the leading edge of the commercial and property markets, along with:
extensive on-the-ground experience
in-depth discovery and preparation during consultation
prioritising a goal-based approach
diverse finance skill sets
Cui says, “We’ve got a pretty good team that complements each other’s strengths and works together in the client’s best interests. Our open and transparent culture encourages everyone to challenge themselves with personal goals.”
Client service satisfaction is a crucial indicator of success that showcases the team’s flexibility and diligence in delivering innovative finance solutions and results, underscored by its mid-nine-figure settlements in 2023 and 93% conversion rate.
Specific client scenarios may involve bringing aboard professionals from other sectors, such as law and taxation or regulations, a service the team coordinates.
“Giving the best client advice is critical to adding value and ensuring the goals they want to achieve are on track,” says Cui. “Clients rely on you to make critical decisions, so you must be approachable and reachable whenever they need something.”
Cui’s team regularly surveys clients to gauge their satisfaction with the quality of advice, service and results obtained.
He says, “We believe that if you do a good job, are knowledgeable and are recognised as industry leading, you will never have issues because people want to work with the best in the market.”
Pioneering success through vision
Rank #7
A penchant for long-term planning has served as the foundation for the impressive success of the multi-award-winning mortgage advising firm since opening its doors in Auckland in 2022.
“I emphasise where we want the company to be in five, 10 or 20 years,” says managing director Mikey Smith. “I’m also a big fan of keeping it simple, doing the basics right and doing the right thing for the client.”
For the past two years, NZA has recognised Guardian Smith as one of the top mortgage advising firms, spotlighting its current achievement of attaining low-nine-figure settlements and a 70% conversion rate.
Smith also earned the prestigious title of one of NZA’s Top Advisers in 2023, a testament to his sterling performance in the value of residential home loans settled in his first year of breaking into the industry.
A similar focus on building an impeccable reputation, which staff can be proud of, has been a contributor to the company’s consistent growth, as well as:
meticulously measuring and tracking various metrics
fostering an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive
“We like to slow down with clients, ensuring it’s not a sales process but an educational one,” Smith says. “Behind the scenes, we’re maintaining speed and ensuring everything is getting done in a timely manner.”
Client reviews highlight the firm’s philosophical approach, with many expressing that they felt ‘like they were the only client’ due to the highly personalised service.
Regarding how success is measured, Smith operates like an engineer.
He says, “I measure everything and break it down to bare bones and build from there, pinpointing weaknesses and strengths across everything. The information helps us better target and find a niche others aren’t accessing. The idea is to build lead flow, and it’s hard to be unsuccessful if you have unlimited leads.”
Empowering clients with expert advice
Rank #13
Varun Singla has excelled as a financial adviser over the past 12 years, earning industry accolades for quality property investment advice. As director of the newly established Trugood Finance in Auckland, his personal experience as an investor and franchise owner has fueled the mid-eight-figure settlements secured in 2023, along with an 80% conversion rate.
Singla has built a thriving mortgage advising business through networking and word-of-mouth referrals. His responsiveness is a cornerstone of his service strategy. Once a one-person operation, Singla has recently onboarded a financial adviser and two administrative staff members.
“As my business has grown, I remain available for my customers when they need me, not when I need them,” he says. “In expanding my team, I’m looking for like-minded people willing to learn, listen to clients and take feedback on board.”
A client-centric approach is at the heart of his remarkable success, alongside:
in-depth knowledge and understanding of the home, commercial and business loan sectors
positive relationships with a wide variety of lenders
straightforward financial advice
He says, “For me, success is the satisfaction of getting a client’s loan approved after I give them good advice and see the happiness in their eyes. A thorough understanding of the customer’s needs is also crucial to matching them with the right lender and achieving their goals.”
Adapting to an uncertain interest rate environment is a common challenge among this year’s top mortgage advising companies, but their strategies to overcome it differentiate them.
Plaxo Mortgages: “We prioritise building our advisers’ confidence through education and product knowledge, attending webinars and partner events, and enabling them to devise innovative solutions to help clients through difficult times.”
EverBright Finance: “You need to show resilience for the clients hardest hit and find the best solutions on a case-by-case basis, as well as constantly stay up to date on market conditions.”
Guardian Smith Mortgage and Financial Services: “Clients want to discuss the uncertain economic conditions and concerns about layoffs and a recession. We must educate people on protecting themselves best and navigating the current economic times.”
Trugood Finance: “There have been major changes from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand concerning guidelines for potential home buyers with less than a 20% deposit. That has also caused ripples in the property market. The key thing for me was keeping up to date with the changes, including lenders’ policies and products, to ensure I could give the most relevant advice to clients.”
To establish this year’s line-up of the most prominent industry players, NZ Adviser invited brokerages in New Zealand to submit their accomplishments for the 2023 calendar year.
To be eligible, brokerages needed to have one or more loan writers in a single office headquartered in New Zealand. Aggregator information was also provided by applicants, and their aggregators were then required to verify the details submitted.
The application also asked for details such as the number of active brokers working at each company as well as the total loan book value and conversion rate.
The nominees were evaluated across four areas: total loan book size, average settlements per loan writer, total settlements in the specified 12-month period and conversion rate.