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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Philip Smith
December 20, 2024
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Mike Parsons provided my wife and I outstanding service for our home loan. I have never dealt with someone who is so helpful and goes the extra mile and provides such excellent service the way Mike did. Highly recommend Mike as your broker for all investment/home loans you won’t be disappointed.
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Neil Venkataramiah
December 20, 2024
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Mike Parsons: Working with Mike was amazing. My wife and I were a couple from Sydney that had a 7 year stint overseas. On moving back, our loan had gone from Interest Only to Principal and Interest. The challenge: to get 2 recently re-patriated Aussies on an Interest Only loan. With only 1 year of Oz financials. And with income from an overseas company. We had equity in our property, but the ability to service was the issue. A very tough brief. Step in Mike. He contacted all his lenders, knowing that this was a unique situation. He never let up and followed through with calls and whatsapps at every stage of the process. We simply could not have got our Interest Only loan if it wasn’t for Mike. I highly recommend Mike for any loan or re-finance that you’re looking at. His attention to detail and ability to find creative solutions is second to none. And most importantly - he's a good guy that will guide you through the whole process in what can be a stressful time. Steph and Neil
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December 19, 2024
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Highly recommend Mike - great service, very responsive and helped us through the whole process from product selection, approval all the way to settlement. Mike is supported by a great team at UNO
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Gemma Smith
December 19, 2024
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Mike Parsons was truly amazing when he organized our home loan. He offered service that far exceeded my expectations. He was on top of everything and was very organised. He has a true “do it now” attitude and ensured everything ran smoothly. He went above and beyond to make sure everything was in place. He was always contactable (even when he was on holidays!). Keeping us up to date at every step and his communication was great! Would VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND Mike!
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David Thorn
December 17, 2024
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I had a fantastic experience with UNO Home Loans. I want to personally recognise the work of Mike Parsons from UNO. Mike went above and beyond in helping me navigate and select a lender his attention to detail, knowledge of the Market, Excellent Communication skills matched by a patient and friendly personality made the whole process simple and painless. Thanks Mike and thanks UNO
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Kathryn Cretney
November 14, 2024
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Paul helped us from day one before we even arrived in Australia so we knew exactly what we needed to prepare. He’s got a tonne of knowledge and was really lovely and supportive to deal with. Helpful and easy going. Would highly recommend - now in our first Aussie home and Paul made the process all very easy!
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Sean O'Neill
November 14, 2024
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We received excellent service and a tailored solution to our home loan requirements from Uno. Paul kept us informed at all milestone stages and throughout the process he demonstrated a ‘can do’ attitude that ultimately allowed us to get over the line and meet our deadline. We’re most grateful and very impressed. Highly recommend
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Crush Huston
November 8, 2024
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Paul is an amazing broker. Communicative, responsive and knows his stuff! Highly recommend
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Amanda Pearce
November 7, 2024
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After just four months in Australia, our New Zealand home sold, prompting us to stop renting and invest locally. We found Paul through a Kiwi Facebook group, and his exceptional service exceeded our expectations. From initial contact, Paul provided clear explanations, friendly communication, and prompt responses to our queries, making our mortgage process remarkably smooth. We highly recommend him.
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Dom Saric
November 3, 2024
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Mike Parsons went above and beyond to ensure that our refinancing journey was painless and successful. He was communicative, accessible (even working while on holidays!), and his knowledge of the systems at play meant that he picked up on things that other brokers missed. Would 100% recommend Mike, and will definitely be back next time we need a broker.
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Ashleigh Breaden
October 31, 2024
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Mike Parsons handled our refinance of our home loan with ease and a depth of knowledge that ensured we got the best deal possible for our situation. We didn't have an easy one to solve for with my husband being self employed and we were consolidating finances as well for a car loan. But Mike handled it all for us and once we had provided him with all the documents we literally didn't have to do a thing after that, it was so easy and so quick we are super happy with the experience! Top notch! Highly recommend!!
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October 10, 2024
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Absolute legend, helped me through the first home buyers scheme, explained everything in a way that made sense, was very knowledgeable and a joy to work with.
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