Broker Spotlight: Ron Lloyd, Aussie Home Loans

I joined Aussie in April 2004 as a mobile broker. In 2009, I transitioned across as co-franchisee of the Aussie Gosford store.

We set up the Aussie Toukley store in 2011 and a few years later the partnership agreed to split the two businesses with my wife and I solely owning the Toukley store.

What are the advantages of broking in a regional area compared to the capital cities?

Customers in regional areas appear to be more relaxed and laid-back, which allows them more time to engage with our team. Subsequently, we find we have a very high level of loyalty.

What are the disadvantages of broking in a regional area?

We are a lot closer to Sydney than most people think. In recent times, we have found that many of our new customers are those traditional western Sydney residents relocating for the better lifestyle, for what is essentially the same commute time if they work in Sydney CBD.

This has impacted on our average loan size. While it is still lower than those in Sydney, we have seen significant growth in the past few years.

What are the common misconceptions that city brokers have of regional brokers?

Potentially they may think of us as hillbillies, but with modern technology we are finding lots of highly paid professionals living here and commuting every day. We are very quickly becoming an extension of the growing Sydney metropolitan area.

What’s the biggest day-to-day challenge you face as a regional broker?

I think the challenges are the same as our city-based brokers. Fortunately, we have a high level of rigor around our loan processes and sales practices to ensure we deliver the highest level of customer experience.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a broker?

I would be a professional golfer on the world pro circuit…