The duo have created Homeloan.co.nz to tap in to a growing number of online and telephone mortgage applications made by younger customers.
Brunel told TMM Online the new website will provide customers with price comparisons on home loans and will facilitate online mortgage applications. Customers will be able to leave their details for an adviser to contact them, or apply directly to a bank online.
Brunel said the idea was driven by an increasingly tech-savvy customer base in New Zealand: “It is our belief that people of 28-35 years of age looking into buying their first homes will be accessing the net to do that more than they have done in the past. We are seeing it happen more offshore, particularly in Australia. We want to position ourselves a source of information and one with easy accessibility.”
Brunel and Christie have teamed up with 34 year-old entrepreneur Shaun McGowan to launch the new company. McGowan is best known for creating Australian car finance company Carloans.com.au, before selling it to ASX200 company Eclipx. The new website will be part of the Mortgage People group.
Homeloan.co.nz will not charge a fee to customers. Lenders will pay the site a 0.8% referral fee for any business received. According to its website, the new adviser will work with ASB, ANZ, TSB, and SBS. Non-bank lenders including RESIMAC Home Loans and Liberty Financial are also set to have a relationship with the new brokerage, according to the website.
Brunel said he hoped to have “all suppliers online” once the company was properly up and running. He added the new company would accept specialist borrowers, customers who are “challenged financially”, and those “intimidated by the banking process”.
