What a mortgage broker does
How it works, from your first message to the keys
A mortgage broker sits between you and the lenders. At Money Brain, that means we gather your papers, work out what lenders on our panel would lend you, take you through the loans side by side, then run the application through approval and settlement, and keep checking the loan after settlement.
The whole path on one screen
Seven stages, and who is doing the work at each one.
- You
- Money Brain
- The lender
- Your solicitor or conveyancer
Get in touch
You send a message or book a call. We reply and set up a first call with Darren.
- You
- Money Brain
Papers
You upload one list of documents. We order your credit report.
- You
- Money Brain
The working
We work out what lenders would lend you and compare the loans in dollars.
- Money Brain
Your call
We take you through the options on a video call. You decide.
- You
- Money Brain
Application
You sign. We lodge, follow up with the lender and clear its conditions with you.
- You
- Money Brain
- The lender
Settlement
The lender and your solicitor settle the loan. We keep everyone on the same date.
- Money Brain
- The lender
- Your solicitor or conveyancer
After
We record your loan's details and come back to review it.
- Money Brain
01 · Getting in touch
What happens when you get in touch
You can send a message through the contact page, text or call, or book a time. When you send a message, we reply within the hour in business hours, and by 9am the next business day after hours.
A first call with Darren
The first call is with Darren Parker, Credit Representative 501592. It starts from where you want to end up, whether that's a first home, the next one or a better loan, and works back to where you are now.
A welcome email, then a quick call
After the call we email you our credit guide, which says who we are and the licence we work under, with a privacy consent, and a link to upload your documents. Then we call to check it all arrived and answer anything you're unsure about.
02 · Papers
What we need from you
We ask for your documents in one list at the start, through an upload link that reminds you every two days. Most people need these four:
- Photo ID A driver's licence or passport.
- Your two latest payslips Two in a row, covering the year to date, and no older than 60 days. Your end-of-financial-year payslip helps too.
- Bank statements For your savings and everyday accounts, including the one your pay goes into. Or you can share them through open banking instead of downloading them; that access runs for six months.
- Your credit report We order it for you, and send each person their own report.
Only if it applies to you
- A statement for each loan you already have A mortgage, car loan or personal loan.
- A council rates notice for each property you own
- A lease or rental ledger for each property you rent out
- The contract of sale, if you're buying
- A discharge authority, if you're moving your loan from another lender
- Two years of financials, tax returns and BAS, if you're self-employed Or if you trade through a company or trust. Your notices of assessment may be needed too.
- A super statement, if you're 45 or older
- A Medicare card or a second ID Only if your photo ID doesn't cover the identity check on its own.
Not sure which of these apply to you? Tell me your situation and I'll send you your list.
Get my list03 · Choosing a lender
How we choose a lender
We can only lodge with lenders on our panel, so the comparison happens across that panel. Within it, we work out what lenders would lend you on their own rules, and compare the loans that fit on rate, fees and features, in dollars.
The working
We run your income, spending and debts through lenders' own borrowing rules, and a valuation of the property is ordered where one is needed. Different lenders read the same pay, the same debts and the same property differently, which is why the working comes first.
Your call
When the working is done, we take you through the options on a video call, and you decide which way to go.
We don't lodge until you've signed
The application, and our credit proposal setting out the loan, come to you to sign electronically first. We also write down, for the lender, what you're after and why this loan fits.
04 · Application to approval
From application to approval
How long a lender takes depends a lot on its own queue, which varies. We note each lender's expected turnaround and follow up against it. We email you when your application is lodged, when it's pre-approved and when it's formally approved.
We lodge, and tell you
Once you've signed, we lodge the application and email you to say it's in.
The lender assesses it
If the lender asks for more information, we tell you what it needs, work through it with you and send it back.
Pre-approval
If you're still looking for a property, the lender can pre-approve the loan for a set period, and we keep track of when it runs out.
Conditional approval
The lender approves the loan subject to conditions. We list each one, ask you for what's needed, and send it in until every condition is cleared.
Formal approval
The loan is approved in full. We tell you, and your agent and solicitor if you'd like us to.
05 · Settlement
From approval to settlement
This is the half most people don't see coming. After approval, the lender sends out the loan documents. We send you instructions for signing them, and can go through them with you before you sign.
Your solicitor or conveyancer
Once the documents are signed and back, your solicitor or conveyancer works with the lender to book settlement. We stay in touch with them on what's needed, confirm the date with everyone, and text you the day before.
If you're moving your loan
Your current lender needs a discharge authority. Most lenders want it signed in pen by every borrower on the loan. We send it to the new lender and to the one you're leaving, and record the date it went.
06 · After settlement
What happens after settlement
Settlement isn't the end of the work. We record your loan's details: the lender, the rate, the balance, the repayment type, and when any fixed rate or interest-only period ends, each with the date it was true.
A rate review at about six months
About six months after settlement we look at your loan again, then keep it in our yearly review. A rate or a fixed term that suited you at settlement can stop suiting you later.
The next move
When you want to buy again, use your equity or change your loan, we start from the details we already hold.
07 · Questions
Questions people ask about using a broker
What does a mortgage broker do?
A mortgage broker finds a home loan that suits you among the lenders it can lodge with, and does the work to get it approved and settled. At Money Brain that means gathering your documents, working out what lenders on our panel would lend you, comparing the loans in dollars, lodging the application, following it up with the lender, and seeing it through to settlement and a review afterwards.
How long does it take to get a home loan through a broker?
The lender's assessment queue is a big part of it, and it varies from lender to lender. Money Brain notes each lender's expected turnaround and follows up against it. A purchase also runs to the dates in your contract of sale, and settlement is booked between the lender and your solicitor or conveyancer.
What documents do I need for a home loan?
Money Brain asks most people for photo ID, two payslips in a row covering the year to date and no older than 60 days, and statements for their savings and everyday accounts. Money Brain orders the credit report. Other documents depend on your situation, such as loan statements, a contract of sale or, if you're self-employed, two years of financials and tax returns.
Can Money Brain lodge with any lender?
No. Money Brain can only lodge with lenders on its panel, so its comparisons are across that panel. Within it, Money Brain works out what lenders would lend you on their own rules and compares the loans on rate, fees and features, in dollars.
What happens if the lender asks for more information?
Lenders often ask for more before they approve a loan. Money Brain tells you what the lender needs, works through it with you and sends it back, so you aren't dealing with the lender's questions on your own.
What does Money Brain cost?
What Money Brain costs, and how mortgage brokers are paid, is set out in full on one page.
Your next step
Tell me where you want to end up
A first home, the next one, a better loan or a portfolio. Send me a line about it, and I'll come back with what happens next for you.
Darren Parker, Credit Representative 501592
You'll get a first reply within the hour in business hours, and by 9am the next business day after hours. Or text me on 0406 117 918, or call.
Updated 2 October 2026