Write more loans: a practical plan for Australian mortgage brokers

Most brokers are not short of leads. They are short of time, consistency and clean submissions. If you want to Write more loans mortgage brokers, focus on the few bottlenecks that limit settlements each month: capacity, conversion and speed to conditional approval. This guide gives you a clear plan to lift volume within the next quarter without adding headcount.

Start with capacity math

You can only settle what your calendar can carry. Work backwards from time.

●     List the steps you personally still do on a typical file.

●     Estimate realistic minutes per step on a standard PAYG purchase and on a complex self employed deal.

●     Multiply by your active files to see the true weekly load.

Most solo brokers discover ten to fifteen hours a week are locked in document chase, ApplyOnline data entry and lender follow ups. Freeing even half of that time creates space for new conversations that turn into deals.

Protect selling time first

The fastest way to write more loans is to guard the hours where deals are won.

●     Block two daily call windows for referrers and warm prospects.

●     Move all ad hoc admin into one afternoon batch.

●     Use a daily digest from your team or processing partner so you do not context switch between calls and admin.

●     Template routine emails and milestones so updates do not steal prime time.

If you only change this, you will secure more first appointments and progress more hot files each week.

Shorten fact find and document collection

Slow starts kill momentum. Make it easy to begin.

●     Use a simple checklist for common scenarios that shows exactly what to upload and how.

●     Share examples of acceptable documents to reduce back and forth.

●     Provide one secure upload link and a naming convention clients can follow.

●     Ask only for what you need to shortlist lenders and request pricing. Collect extras later.

Clients move faster when the first request is clear and the path feels simple.

Standardise pre submission quality checks

Rework steals days and confidence. A short, consistent quality check before you or your team lodges will lift approval speed and keep assessors onside.

●     Confirm income and liabilities match the documents.

●     Ensure living expenses are captured and reconciled.

●     Check that notes evidence reasonable enquiries and your product reasoning.

●     Verify all lender specific quirks are covered such as statements range or ID format.

When you remove one rework round per file, the entire month runs smoother.

Build a lender policy matrix

Decision speed turns enquiries into lodgements. Keep a lightweight matrix that captures the policies that often decide shortlists.

●     Income quirks such as overtime, commissions and dividends.

●     LVR and security appetite by property type and postcode.

●     Credit score sensitivities and recent changes.

●     Document preferences and common exceptions.

Use this matrix with a clear pricing request template so you can shortlist and request pricing the same day. Your next file benefits from today’s notes.

Triage files into simple and complex lanes

Not every file requires the same attention. Split your tracker.

●     Simple lane. Default path, standard document pack, standard pricing request, standard pre submission check.

●     Complex lane. Weekly pipeline review, early policy calls, tighter note drafting, and a clear strategy with mitigants.

This stops you overhandling easy files while giving tricky ones the focus they deserve.

Delegate repeatable admin to specialist support

You keep advice, lender selection and key client conversations. A processing pod handles tasks that repeat across every file.

●     Document chase and VOI coordination

●     Living expenses capture and reconciliation

●     Credit report ordering and quick flags for issues

●     Data entry into ApplyOnline or lender portals

●     Drafting notes that evidence Best Interests Duty

●     Submission pack preparation and quality check

●     Lender follow up, rework management and escalation

●     Settlement booking and CRM tidy

Start with a three file pilot. Measure days to lodge, rework rounds and your personal hours per file. If the numbers improve, expand.

Use simple automation that earns its keep

You do not need a stack of new tools. A handful of well chosen automations remove friction without complexity.

●     E signature for fact find and authority forms

●     Email templates for document requests and milestone updates

●     Auto reminders that nudge clients and lenders on a sensible cadence

●     Shared checklists that roll up to a single pipeline view

Keep anything that reliably saves minutes per file or prevents common errors. Drop anything that adds clicks.

Make referrers feel looked after

Your best volume often comes from a small group of referrers. Treat them like gold.

●     Give each referrer a single update email on set days with short status notes across shared clients.

●     Share a one page overview of your process so they know exactly what you need to move faster.

●     Book a standing fifteen minute call every fortnight to talk pipeline, not just the latest deal.

●     Send a brief win story each month that shows how your process solved a tricky situation.

Referrers will send more opportunities to brokers who communicate well and make them look good.

Track the numbers that matter

You cannot grow what you do not measure. Review these monthly.

●     Enquiries to first appointment rate

●     First appointment to submission rate

●     Submission to conditional approval days

●     Rework rounds per file

●     Files per full time broker per month

●     Your personal hours per file

●     Settlements and average loan size

Pick one constraint to improve each month. As the numbers move, your volume grows.

A 90 day plan to write more loans

Here is a simple plan that compounds.

Weeks 1 to 2

●     Build the document packs and upload link.

●     Draft your pre submission checklist and note template.

●     Create the lender policy matrix starter.

●     Protect two call windows daily and batch admin.

Weeks 3 to 6

●     Run a three file pilot with specialist processing support.

●     Hold weekly pipeline sessions for complex files.

●     Send your first referrer update rhythm.

●     Track time to lodge, rework rounds and your personal hours.

Weeks 7 to 12

●     Lock in what worked from the pilot and expand to all new files.

●     Add simple automations for reminders and e signatures.

●     Review the numbers and choose the next constraint to improve.

●     Book two extra referrer meetings per week using your freed time.

Most brokers see earlier lodgements by week three and a lift in monthly settlements by the end of the quarter.

Common pitfalls to avoid

●     Vague handovers. Fix with a standard form for every new file.

●     Scope creep with helpers. Fix with a written inclusion list and a menu for extras.

●     Quality drift. Fix with monthly spot checks and feedback loops.

●     Silence that worries clients. Fix with milestone updates and a named contact.

●     Relying on memory. Fix with a tracker that surfaces blockers and due dates automatically.

Small teams win through consistency more than heroics.

Next steps

To write more loans, protect selling time, remove repeatable admin and speed up decisions with a simple matrix and checklist. Trial a processing pod on three files, measure the change and expand if the numbers hold. If you want a ready to use handover pack, note templates and a no fuss pilot, start with Loan Processor. We will map your workflow, agree the split and show how quickly you can lift settlements without adding headcount.