New product helps brokers address an under-serviced market

Crystal Blue is designed for self-employed borrowers with clear credit histories, providing a transparent and understanding approach to income calculation and not relying on universal criteria or rules. The product is well suited to contractors and tradespeople in any industry with low to medium expenses.

“We’re focussing our efforts on providing brokers with products designed to assist more customers and especially, this under-serviced part of the market,” Bluestone Mortgages national sales manager Royden D’Vaz said.

“We understand the challenges that brokers and their self-employed clients face when trying to obtain a mortgage that will ultimately help to fund their business. We take the time to assess the needs of the borrower and look at every application on its merits and the individual circumstances of each applicant,” he said.

Mr D’Vaz pointed to the RBA’s recent Small Business Conditions and Finance report, which noted that except for bank credit, housing equity is the most common form of finance used by small businesses.

“Australia’s rising house prices are leading to an increased appetite for existing SME homeowners to expand and grow their businesses as a direct result of the additional equity they now have access to,” he said. “Access to credit though can still be difficult for many, regardless of any housing collateral they may already have. Bluestone has recognised these issues and is focussed on providing solutions for this market.”

SMEs currently make up 97 per cent of all Australian businesses, according to the Australian Centre for Financial Studies.

“We want to give more of Australia’s small businesses access to funding at a reasonable cost, so we are developing a suite of lending solutions specifically targeted to this market and giving them a helping hand when others won’t,” said Mr D’Vaz.

[Related: Company Profile: Bluestone Mortgages]