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A strategic partnership between brokerage Blank Financial and OBrien Real Estate has led to the rollout of in-house finance solutions and lending support, which the two firms said has helped improve communication and speed up decision making throughout the property process.
Through the collaboration, OBrien’s buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and staff have access to tailored in-house finance solutions.
While the two firms had been working together for years, they have commercialised the in-house services across the whole franchise since last July.
“If you’ve got an independent broker handling someone’s loan, there’s not as much communication. It’s very sterile, takes time and the deal can fall through,” OBrien Real Estate co-founder Stavros Ambatzidis said.
“In this instance, we’re talking about finances in real time, and if there’s something we need to overcome, we can overcome it very quickly without losing traction.”
According to Blank Financial director Bernard Desmond, the partnership has benefited both agents and brokers, particularly as speed and service expectations continue to rise.
“Real estate agents have a customer base that wants to transact right now,” he said.
“Brokers can make sure that they show the real estate agent that their sale is protected and that they’re going to do everything in their capacity for that subject to finance deal to go through to settlement.”
Throughout the property journey, OBrien’s buyers, sellers, and rental providers can receive a confidential affordability health check to quickly clarify what they can and can’t afford.
Via a QR code, clients can answer a series of questions and within 90 seconds receive an estimate of what they can afford, their required deposit, and likely interest rate.
Ambatzidis said the process helped clients save time by keeping them focused on the right price range and property type.
“If something is out of reach, they can quickly pivot to a more suitable area that better meets their needs,” Ambatzidis said.
Desmond, who started about a decade ago at The Adviser's New Broker Academy, said that the partnership between both industries was essential.
He said brokers can build strong relationships with agents by consistently delivering value throughout the finance process rather than directly asking for referrals.
By keeping agents informed, solving problems quickly, and helping deals reach unconditional status, brokers build credibility and become the trusted person agents turn to for future transactions, he added.
Ambatzidis also said that the in-house partnership benefited agents with both sides working closely together to get deals done efficiently.
“Agents are also learning about the different schemes available, as there’s a lot of white noise out there in the papers and what you see on social media,” Ambatzidis said.
“Once they have a better understanding of how finances work, they can point clients in the right direction, connecting them with our in-house brokers.”
Following the latest federal budget changes, Ambatzidis said that the partnership has been key in educating offices, staff, and agents internally before rolling out broader communication to landlords, buyers and sellers.
“Having someone in-house, we can actually structure the way we educate clients and staff and have strong foundations rather than talking broadly, especially around the budget changes, which is more complicated than what we see on the headlines,” Ambatzidis said.
Desmond also noted that brokers who focus on communication, reliability, and outcomes are more likely to become long-term referral partners for agents.
Similarly, Ambatzidis said that agents who wished to fast-track their career should build a trusted team of experts to work in partnership with, such as financial services, loan writers, and building inspectors.
“As real estate agents, we’ve come to a stage where to get ruthless efficiency, we really need to have these added services and partnerships which separate the wheat from the chaff and separate the generalists from the specialists,” he added.
“And by being surrounded by professionals, agents can learn more and avoid the mistakes that others make and become better a lot faster.”
Bernard Desmond will be one of many talented finance professionals speaking at The Adviser New Broker Academy 2026.
This year, the event is celebrating a decade of guiding new-to-industry and prospective brokers through their first three years of business.
Attending the academy costs nothing but time. Spend your time wisely this year and discover the key to sustaining a successful brokerage.
[Related: How should brokers approach lead generation in 2026?]
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