Allana Stimpson, a new broker based on Queensland’s Gold Coast, said she left the banks for brokerage Go Mortgage to better help clients solve the ‘big puzzle’ faced when taking out a loan.
Having worked as a home finance manager for seven years at major banks Commonwealth Bank and Westpac, Stimpson said she wanted to be able to offer more lending choice to customers.
“The move from bank to broker was mainly driven by what I could provide my customers as options for their lending products,” she said. “Working for an individual bank, you are restricted to only one set of credit policy and one set of lending products available for customers, which is not going to fit everyone.”
“I wanted to be able to broaden my product offerings and credit solutions for customers so the move into a role of a mortgage broker was the next step.”
Stimpson said that, when compared with her home lending roles in the banks, she could now offer more tailored product and policy offerings.
“The fun part of being a mortgage broker is being able to see a customer who has unique requirements for their lending and investigate the banks that will fit to these requirements. It’s like a big puzzle – finding the right lender that will suit that customer’s financial or situational requirements is like finding that final piece of the puzzle.”
Inspired by real estate projects from a young age
It was the property acquisition and interior design projects undertaken by her mother than planted the seeds of Stimpson’s interest in property from a young age.
“Every home I lived in growing up was beautifully presented and as I got older, my mum started to buy older homes and we would live in them while she renovated it from the inside out,” she said.
“I loved being a part of the process to see a property completely transform and made into your own with your own style and flair. This is where my interest was sparked.
“She got me involved in these projects in my teenage years – as studying interior design was one of my desired pathways out of school – but I always tended to be better at the budgeting and mathematical side of the renovations as opposed to the interior design element.
“I found a way in my career to be involved in property development by using my skills within mathematics and finance which is why the role of mortgage broker made sense.”
Stimpson also developed that other very important broker skill – customer service – which led to her getting her first job in banking as a customer service specialist in her early 20s.
“I had been working within customer service since the age of 14 through the retail industry,” she said. “My interest in banking had always been there, so I started gaining more knowledge when I started self-educating on financial products and services before getting my first job in banking.”
Within 12 months, Stimpson had moved into home lending and then on being seconded to two bank branches that did not have a home lender at the time and being asked to make them successful within three months, Stimpson said that “safe to say, I made it work”.
Going for growth at Go Mortgage
Stimpson said she decided to join one of the Gold Coast’s leading brokerages, Go Mortgage, for the chance to work with and learn from owners Xavier and Kylie Quenon, who are regular award winners.
“Before I had even met with Xavier and Kylie, I had done my research on them,” she said. “Xavier is one of the best, if not the best, mortgage broker in the Gold Coast, with both him, Kylie, other members of the team, and the business itself receiving countless awards for their excellent work in mortgage brokering and customer service.”
“Xavier and Kylie’s passion is to provide a positive and excellent customer service experience, which was in line with my values and what drives me. When I met with them, it fell into place quick. Xavier is a gun mortgage broker with a wealth of experience and knowledge so what better person to learn from to be the best mortgage broker I can be?”
Looking towards the future, Stimpson said that she hoped that she would do the Go Mortgage name proud as a mortgage broker.
“I want to help build this business to grow even bigger and cement Go Mortgage as the top mortgage broker agency in the Gold Coast.”
What inspired you to get into broking – and do you still have the same passion? Share your thoughts or stories on this topic in the comments section below.
