Specialist Mortgage takes out coveted finance broker title

Specialist Mortgage has been named winner of the Finance Broker Business Award WA in the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australian (MFAA) Excellence Awards 2023.

The award was presented at a glittering event held at Crown Perth on Thursday night (15 June), where Helen Avis, Director of Finance at Specialist Mortgage, was also recognised as a finalist in the Customer Service Award – Individual category.

As the Western Australian state winner, Specialist Mortgage becomes a finalist in the National Awards to be held on 27 July in Melbourne.

The MFAA Excellence awards are considered a pinnacle of prestige and recognition within the mortgage and finance industry. The awards are audited by Hall Chadwick accounting firm and are judged based on excellence and professionalism across all areas of business.

MFAA CEO Anja Pannek commented that the competition was strong this year as she congratulated winners and finalists at the awards ceremony.

“The phenomenal number of nominations for the MFAA Awards this year made a difficult task for our judges, but showed just how vibrant our industry is,” Ms Pannek said.

There are 24 award categories that cover brokers, businesses, lenders and support staff. The qualifying period is 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.

All entrants have submitted examples and evidence in earning their place on the winners’ rostrum.

Ms Avis is no stranger to the MFAA awards podium, having taken out the prestigious MFAA Residential Finance Broker Award in 2022 on the state and national stage.

Ms Avis said interest rates had an effect on the market but property transaction activity was still strong.

“The market is still super strong among  buyers all over Australia, including investors, expats buying homes for use in the future, and residents buying first or second homes.

“Of course the higher interest rates mean that lending has reduced but also in some cases clients have had an increase in pay, or bonus that can be used to counterbalance that cost increase,” Ms Avis said.

The event’s sponsors included MPA Magazine, as well as ANZ, BOQ, Commonwealth Bank (CBA), Helia, La Trobe Financial, Macquarie Bank, ME Bank, Mortgage Choice, NAB, Prospa, QBE and Teachers Mutual Bank.