Smartline Mortgage Brokers just passed a significant milestone, bringing its 300th franchisee on board.

The milestone franchisee, Mike Crawford, says “I’m very excited to be joining the Smartline family. It’s an incredibly strong brand, with core values that match my own. They are dedicated to providing excellent customer service, which is exactly what I plan to do.”

Crawford worked for 27 years as a lender at a major bank but wanted to be able to provide clients with many more options than just those offered by his employer.

“You are very limited in terms of what you can offer your clients when you’re aligned to just one lender. I want to be able to really look after my clients by offering them loan options that can meet their unique needs,” he says.

Smartline currently settles close to $6 billion in loans each year, arranging mortgages for more than 250,000 Australians.

Matt Fitzpatrick, national franchise recruitment manager, says “It is a testament to the dedication of each franchisee that 85 per cent of our business comes from client referrals and the average client service rating is 4.9 out of 5.

“It is an exciting time for brokers as the status quo of banking and lending is shifting. With many banks looking to reduce staff and premises to improve their bottom line, borrowing direct through a lender is becoming less feasible and less attractive. Brokers already make up around 52 per cent of all loans written, and they are likely to become an even more sought-after resource.”

Smartline has great prospects believes Crawford. “This is where the future of lending is heading, so I want to be part of that.”