iscover 
To understand what’s next for mortgage broking in 2026, we spoke with brokers across the industry about where they are focusing their energy, how they are preparing their businesses, and the trends set to define the year.
Here’s what they said:
Regulation tightens as innovation reshapes lending
Eva Loisance, principal at Finni, said that 2026 will be marked by tighter rules, which will require smarter strategies from brokers.
“In 2026, the lending market will be defined by potential rising interest rates, tighter credit conditions, and evolving investment strategies,” she said.
“Brokers should prepare for a more cautious environment where lenders scrutinise investor applications more closely, particularly around serviceability and debt‑to‑income ratios.
“Trust lending is undergoing change, with banks demanding clearer visibility into beneficiary arrangements and cash flow, making structuring more complex. At the same time, property price increases will trigger heightened regulatory oversight, especially for leveraged investors.
“Brokers must anticipate stricter due diligence, more conservative valuations, and closer monitoring of portfolio expansion strategies.”
Beyond regulation and policy changes, Loisance said she believed digital transformation and open banking tools would continue to reshape borrower expectations, with faster verification and data‑driven risk assessment becoming the norm.
“Success in 2026 will rely on brokers balancing compliance with creativity, helping clients navigate rising costs while structuring resilient borrowing strategies that withstand scrutiny and preserve long‑term portfolio growth,” the Finni broker told Broker Daily.
AI execution and scale will separate winners
For Nick Reilly, managing director and founder of Inovayt, artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to play a defining role in the industry, with an increasing number of tools becoming available to businesses.
He told Broker Daily: “However, the organisations that truly excel will not be those that simply have access to these tools, but those that successfully integrate them into their day-to-day workflows. AI on its own is not a competitive advantage; execution is. The real gains will come from embedding AI into processes that drive efficiency, consistency, and scalability.”
Reilly noted that 2025 delivered significant industry consolidation, and he suggested that this trend is likely to continue.
“Larger businesses are increasingly able to absorb market share by investing heavily in technology, streamlining operations, and finding efficiencies that smaller players struggle to match,” he said.
“Productivity will continue to rise as tools automate and simplify many of the technical and administrative aspects of loan writing. As a result, the traditional value proposition of simply being able to write a loan will continue to erode. The real value-add for brokers will shift decisively towards brand strength, customer acquisition, and long-term client retention.”
Broking evolves with strategic, trust-led advice
Chris Bates, CEO at Sydney-based brokerage Alcove, thinks competition among brokers will intensify, both digitally and within, and those who focus on their clients’ needs will continue to thrive.
“Broker market share growth will begin to slow, but firms that offer excellent, safe homes for brokers to build businesses will grow strongly, rather than one-person options,” he said.
“Brokers have enjoyed market-share growth over the last 20 years. But with banks, brokers, and digital all fighting, the challenge is knowing that what got us here will not be enough to thrive over the next 10 years.”
For his own brokerage, Bates said that they would be “doubling down on what the broking industry needs to become – a deeply trusted, strategic, advice-led profession, and in turn focus on our holistic client value, upfront and ongoing service proposition”.
Bates outlined that the brokerage has split its teams across client stages, complexity, and professional partnerships in order to work at peak efficiency.
Growth shifts to complex and private lending
Commercial brokers are also preparing for a competitive 2026. Melissa Ashcroft, general manager at AAA Financial Group, commented: “Heading into 2026, brokers will need to be more strategic, technically capable and diversified than ever before. While residential volumes should remain resilient, the real growth opportunity will sit in commercial, alt-doc and private credit as banks continue to apply selective credit policies despite easing cycles.
“We’re already seeing strong demand from self-employed borrowers, developers and business owners who don’t fit traditional bank models but still represent quality risk. Brokers who can structure across multiple lenders – banks, non-banks and private credit – will be best positioned to capture this demand.”
According to the AAA Financial Group GM, another key trend for brokers will be “earlier client engagement”.
“Clients want certainty well before transactions occur, which is driving demand for indicative approvals, scenario modelling, and upfront structuring advice,” she told Broker Daily.
“In 2026, successful brokers won’t just be loan writers – they’ll be trusted advisers who understand capital strategy, risk and timing across the full lending landscape.”
Strong Brisbane growth and smarter tech use
Up in Queensland, Melanie Smith, broker for Aussie Windsor, said she thought Brisbane’s growing popularity for home buyers would continue in 2026.
“My prediction for 2026 is that Brisbane property prices will keep rising quickly, fuelled by a perfect storm of low stock, strong population growth and government schemes that continue to drive this crazy demand,” she said.
“All the recent changes in incentives had a big impact in a market already this tight, and Brisbane is shaping up for another solid year.”
However, she said that buyers who want to stay competitive will need to be organised early and ready to move.
Looking at the broking industry, she suggested that brokers will “lean even further into AI”.
“The tools are improving quickly, and the real advantage will come from refining how we use them to speed up processing, improve accuracy and remove friction for customers,” she said.
Noting that there has been increasing commentary about potential rate rises in 2026, Smith said that she “doesn’t play the rate prediction game anymore”.
“We work with what’s in front of us, we adjust, and we get on with it. Brokers adapt, buyers adapt and the economy moves with us,” she explained.
What do you think 2026 holds for the broking industry? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
[Related: Brokers upbeat as commercial lending demand holds firm]