Need to move fast on a home loan? Maybe it's time to consider a digital lender.

Home loans from digital lenders are a popular option for home buyers looking for an alternative to traditional banks.

We all shop online, bank online, chat and socialise online, buy home or car insurance and plane tickets online - why not consider doing your home loan online?

Imagine this: cutting down on paperwork, no more driving around looking for a parking spot to visit your broker at their offices, and best of all - possibly a quicker approval time.

Now I know what you're thinking - is this even safe, will they even last, am I protected as I would be with one of the big four banks?

These are all valid questions. And the short answer is, yes. Here's why.

What are digital lenders?

A digital lender is a lender who has an application process that is completely or predominantly over the internet, saving customers time and providing them with competitive rates.

Although you may not have heard of a digital lender before, it doesn't mean they're untrustworthy. Most of these companies are owned or funded by a larger lender - even the smallest lender is required to adhere to Australian financial regulations.

What you might not realise is that when you take out a home loan, it is the lender who is taking the risk - not you. If for some reason a lender closes, your home loan is likely to be sold to another lender.

Therefore, this should have very little effect on your repayments and the only change will be the company servicing your loan.

Here's a little more information about some of the digital lenders, including which organisations fund or support them, and the digital innovations they offer:

  • 86 400 - One of Australia's first smartbanks (a digital, branchless bank), 86 400 was acquired by UBank in January 2021.
  • UBank - This entirely digital lender is backed by NAB, one of the nation's largest banks.
  • Tic:Toc - This startup claims to be able to process your mortgage application faster. They're backed by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank.

Not all digital lenders will work with a broker but UNO has a range of lenders including digital lenders so you can get the best of both worlds if a digital/online process is your thing

If you are concerned about the safety of a digital lender, you should check that they have a Australian Credit Licence (ACL). Lenders should list their ACL number at the bottom of their webpage. This number can be cross-referenced with ASIC Connect's databases.

What are the benefits of using a digital lender?

Lower rates

Digital lenders have the benefit of lower overheads, as they don't have to run and manage in-store branches, therefore they can then pass greater savings onto the customer - you in the form of lower interest rates. Many of the digital lenders listed offer loads of innovative technology and a wide product range to suit a variety of customers.

Convenience

Digital lenders also have a heavy focus on delivering user-friendly websites and application portals that allow customers to speed through the process, offering faster approvals than traditional lenders. They also offer the ability to complete your mortgage application process from home rather than having to visit a bank branch.

Speed

Lenders who have a heavily digitised application process can process loans a lot faster than more manually driven lenders. In some cases they can offer unconditional approvals in under 24 hours for completed applications.

They achieve this through use of electronic ID checks and automated verification of income, expenses and credit.

Less Hassle

Typically digital lenders shine in the parts of the process that are annoying to do physically such as

  • Verification of Identity; avoid a trip to the post office or bank branch
  • Mortgage Documents; sign all your documents digitally instead of having to find a decent printer and scanner
  • Valuations; a lot will rely on an online valuation instead of having to send a valuer around to your house
  • Digital account openings; no need to go into a branch to open or set up the bank account that comes with your new home loan

Are there any downsides?

For regional properties

Some smaller digital lenders aren't able to provide finance for regional property as they can be regarded as higher risk. However, UNO partners with over 30 lenders including those with access to finance rural property.



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Shan Liao
September 3, 2024
I had an outstanding experience with Tian Liu. He was incredibly professional and attentive, going above and beyond to meet my needs. His expertise and dedication made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Tian's deep knowledge of the market and commitment to finding the best solutions for his clients truly sets him apart. He was always available to answer my questions and provided invaluable guidance throughout. I highly recommend Tian Liu to anyone in need of a reliable and skilled broker!"
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September 3, 2024
Tian Liu provided exceptional service throughout the entire process. His professionalism and keen attention to detail were evident from the start. Tian consistently kept us informed and offered insightful advice that made us feel confident in our decisions. He truly cares about his clients and works tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcome. We couldn't be happier with his assistance and highly recommend Tian to anyone looking for a trustworthy and knowledgeable broker.
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Patrick Winters
August 14, 2024
For the past three years, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with Mike Parsons. He has consistently helped us navigate commercial property loans with skill and efficiency. Mike’s timely and professional responses to our inquiries have been invaluable. We have built a strong, reliable relationship with him and eagerly anticipate continuing our collaboration in the future. We highly recommend his services.
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Lee Robibaro
August 6, 2024
I am so thankful and grateful to have Scott Wilkinson as my broker. He not only looked after me every step from start to finish he gave me confidence and I was able to trust him and his expertise. My children and I are now happy in our new home and very appreciative of Scott's help. I will definitely be only having Scott as my broker from here onward as there is no mucking around and straightforward answers. Thanks again
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Steve Mav
August 6, 2024
Scott and the whole team at uno have been amazing. Super responsive and helped us achieve a result that we couldn’t have possibly achieved on our own.
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Thien Pham
August 5, 2024
Scott, Dalby and Jena were awesome to work with for my recent Home Loan, they are responsive and knowledgeable - which helped ensure a smooth purchase from pre-approvals to settlement. This is the second property I've purchased with UNO as my mortgage broker and would definitely recommend their services. Thanks again to the UNO Team for the awesome support.
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Scott Hutchinson
August 5, 2024
I am writing this summary in support of recommending Mike Parsons as a Mortgage Broker. At the time of writing this, I have known Mike for 4 years and he has executed 4 mortgages deals for me (including 2 refinances) over that time. Mike has provided me incredible service as a mortgage broker as follows : - Works painstakingly on getting the scenarios together to provide you options that optimize your position. - Works inordinate hours on the detail necessary to support the scenarios. - Mike keeps you updated on the status and progress of the applications and also helps you work through answering questions and any complexities that may arise. -In my cases, given the complexities and timings of my situations , these application processes would take many weeks to finalize . Mike never gave anything other than utter commitment and focus to getting the job done. Mike acts as a true business partner throughout this whole broker /mortgage journey. I simply would only go to Mike for any future dealings on getting a loan from a bank (and as will my kids in the future !) . There is no way a bank (I have seen anyway) would provide this kind of time nor service to a customer. You can rest assured that once Mike has done the deal, you have ended up with the most optimized position taking into account all the variables/scenarios in play. Scott Hutchinson
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Jason Seam
August 5, 2024
I've worked with Scott Wilkinson for my last 2 properties and he's been excellent. He sourced multiple options and didn't push a specific bank, tailoring his recommendations to me based on my requirements. I was specifically requesting a "medico loan" and Scott could navigate that extra requirement with expertise. When I was initially working with Scott, I was also trialling 2 other brokers and neither of those 2 had the same breadth of lenders, or could provide the same deals. I've referred multiple buyers to Scott and his team; one of them said to me after working with him, "how'd you find this guy, he's so good compared to all the other broker's I've worked with!" I'm going into my next purchase with Scott as my broker partner again. I recommend him to everyone
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Tina Anderson
July 29, 2024
My experience with Mortgage Broker - Scott Wilkinson, and his team - exceeded my expectations! I couldn’t be happier after settlement - in this current financial climate. He listened to what my requirements were in a loan and then devised a suitable plan for me moving forward. Which was something I didn’t think was possible to achieve. I strongly believe that Scott’s qualifications and previous experience in the Finance Sector - sets him apart from other Mortgage Brokers as he has more insight into the industry and the needs of the customer. Scott was professional, provided solid options, was timely with communication and gave great advice. I will definitely be using Scott’s services in the future and I highly recommend him to anyone as a Mortgage Broker.
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Marlon Baena
July 22, 2024
Karis dedication to assisting with our home loan, even while I was on holidays, truly exemplifies a commitment to excellent service. It's the small things that often make a big difference, and it seems Karis attention to detail and clear communication were key to our smooth home purchase. I highly recommend using UNO and Karis for your home loan needs.
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Olivia Gill
July 18, 2024
We recently used UNO Home Loans to assist us with securing our new mortgage in AU (had moved here from NZ). We had Mike Parsons as our mortgage broker and he was extremely responsive and helpful the whole way through the process. Was a great experience and definitely recommend :)
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Yash Karma
July 18, 2024
Andrew Wyers and team have been amazing. Andrew is very knowledgeable, offers practical advice and he has been pivotal in helping me secure a mortgage at a very competitive interest rate. He was highly responsive to my queries and,being a new immigrant to Perth, he was very patient with my many many questions. An added benefit for me was his knowledge of how superannuation here works. A hec of a great guy to work with, reliable and he goes above and beyond. I would recommend highly recommended him, especially for new immigrants. In fact, I will be using him again very soon!
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