Non-bank, adviser discuss benefits as nominations roll in
Six months on from the 2023 New Zealand Mortgage Awards, two of this year’s award winners are reflecting on the benefits of being named among the best in the business.
The annual awards provide an opportunity to recognise advisers who are going the extra mile to help people to become homeowners and provide an opportunity to lift each other up, they say.
Nominations for the 2024 awards are now open and are rolling in fast. The awards will be celebrated with a cocktail-style ceremony at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on 11 April, 2024, starting at 6.30pm.
This year’s inaugural in-person ceremony attracted close to 200 people, and the 2024 awards are expected to be just as popular.
Benefits of nominating peers and colleagues
Avanti Finance was awarded Best Non-Bank of the Year in 2022 and 2023 and is the sponsor of the Adviser of the Year – Specialist Lending award for 2024.
Avanti Finance general manager property Ian Boyce (pictured above left) said that the awards provided the non-bank lender with a “fantastic opportunity” to recognise the advisers helping New Zealanders to get into a home of their own, when they may have otherwise struggled.
“We’re delighted to be supporting the Adviser of the Year - Specialist Lending award again this year,” Boyce said.
The Mortgage Girls mobile mortgage adviser Elyce Peters (pictured above right) scooped up a double win at the 2023 New Zealand Mortgage Awards, winning the Adviser of the Year – Regional award, while The Mortgage Girls was awarded Prospa Brokerage of the Year – 6+ staff.
The Mortgage Girls was also awarded as one of the Best Mortgage Brokerage Firms in New Zealand. See the full winners here.
Nominating peers and colleagues provided an opportunity to recognise those raising the bar for the industry, in the view that the higher the professionalism of individuals, the greater the industry’s performance overall, Peters said.
Looking at New Zealand adviser market share figures (between 40% and 50%) compared to Australia (67.2% over the June 2023 quarter), there is still room for advisers to grow.
“There’s enough business out there for everyone … the more we can lift each other up, the better it is for the industry,” Peters said.
Winners reflect on award benefits
The team at Avanti Finance were proud to have won Best Non-Bank of the Year for the last two years, which Boyce said was “a real testament” to their hard work in helping customers to achieve their goals.
Attending the awards evening provided an opportunity to connect with industry peers and celebrate industry talent, he said.
“The NZ Mortgage Awards are a great event – the format creates a fun evening that everyone enjoys,” Boyce said. “I love connecting with industry peers on the night and celebrating the talent in our industry.”
Upon hearing that she had won the award, Peters said that she was “really shocked” and was left speechless. As The Mortgage Girls is a fairly small and boutique business, to receive the Prospa Brokerage of the Year award – 6+ staff, was significant, she said.
“It was an amazing feeling to receive such recognition at a national level, for not only myself but my firm,” Peters said.
Peters, who juggles raising four children with running a business, said that she felt honoured to have people walk up to her at the awards evening and tell her that they were inspired by her ability to receive that level of recognition, while also being a mum.
Telling women that they “don’t have to choose” between motherhood and having a career was especially rewarding, she said.
Peters acknowledged that “mum guilt” was real and said it was important that they have a solid support team. This may be colleagues, family, friends and even female clients, who Peters said understood that as a mother, she had competing demands.
“You’re a real person helping them get through this real situation of buying their own home or investment property or owning a property portfolio.”
Peters said from a business perspective, having recognition of the award on emails and awards on desks provided acknowledgement of where the business stood on a national level, as well as a feel-good factor, and ongoing advertising.
“It adds another layer of trust for consumers that we know what we’re talking about,” Peters said.
Nominate for the 2024 awards now
Nominations for the 2024 NZ Mortgage Awards close on November 17 and can be filled out via the NZMAs website.
There are 16 awards categories, including First Mortgage Trust New Adviser of the Year, Pepper Money Adviser of the Year – Residential (new category), Adviser of the Year – Regional and BDM of the Year (Banks, Non-Banks, Aggregators).
Other awards include Avanti Finance Adviser of the Year – Specialist Lending, Prospa Broker of the Year - 6+ Staff, Brokerage of the Year – 1-5 staff and Resimac Home Loans Best Customer Service of an Individual Office.
New award categories this year include Innovator of the Year, Loan Administrator of the Year, Lender of the Year (Major/Non-Major Bank), Non-Bank Lender of the Year, Aggregator of the Year and Regional Brokerage of the Year.
Organised by Key Media and supported by NZ Adviser, award sponsors include Avanti Finance, Finsure New Zealand, First Mortgage Trust, Pepper Money, Prospa and Resimac. Basecorp Finance is the associate sponsor.
To nominate, please visit the NZMAs website before November 17.
What did you think of the 2023 NZ Mortgage Awards and how do they benefit the industry? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
