Brighten joins Mortgage Choice lending panel

Publication Date: Tuesday, 4 March 2025
This article originally appeared in Australian Broker.

The non-bank lender brings increased solutions for expats, non-residents and self-employed individuals, as well as construction loans.

Mortgage Choice has expanded its lender panel to include non-bank lender Brighten. 

Now, Mortgage Choice’s network of more than 1,000 brokers nationwide will be able to tap into Brighten’s full list of financial solutions. 

“It’s giving Mortgage Choice brokers more of a choice for their customers,” Chris Meaker, director, head of sales and distribution at Brighten, told Australian Broker. “In the past, some brokers may have had to say no to customers, especially around vacant land, self-employed construction. Now they don’t have to say no. The brokers have solutions available and they would be able to place their customers with Brighten. 

“We offer niches in the market that other lenders aren’t able to offer,” Meaker said. “We’ve got a very broad product range in the market, which enables Mortgage Choice brokers and their customers more choice and flexibility, and ideally, to help more customers find their dream home or refinance their property.”

Some of the specialized products Brighten brings to the table include full document verification, alternative document verification, expat and non-resident lending, loans for self-employed individuals, bridge loans and construction loans. 

“In particular, some of the products that we specialize in, and Mortgage Choice are really interested in, are around international borrowers: our non-resident customers and expat customers,” Meaker said. “And that’s an area we really specialize in, and something that Mortgage Choice didn’t really have available [before].”

Mortgage Choice director of Panel Partner Solutions Phillip Horder pointed out that ex-pats, non-residents and temporary visa-holders who want to borrow money often have the hardest times securing a loan. 

“Brighten’s Elevate and Evergreen products have been designed to meet the unique needs of these borrowers making them an excellent addition to our panel,” he said. 

Meaker added: “There’s not a lot of lenders who specialize in overseas borrowers, and it’s something that we’ve done since we launched a Brighten. We’re very good on particular visas, temporary visas, as well. And we have solutions that no other lenders can accommodate. 

“The other area which Mortgage Choice was really keen on is our construction product,” Meaker said. “So, we recently launched a vacant land product, which really benefits our construction product, as well. There’s a lot of customers who are planning to do construction. They may own some vacant land, or purchase vacant land, and it takes an awful lot of time to get your council approval, your fixed building contracts all together. And so by having that vacant land product and then a construction product, it really enhances and helps customers be able to construct their first house, or could be their investment property, as well.

“There’s a big demand, a need for construction loans and [lending to] expats and non-residents,” Meaker said. “And not all lenders, especially in the bank space, are able to provide financial solutions. And that’s the reason why, ultimately, Brighten came onto the Mortgage Choice panel.”