A record 82% of Australian home loans now rely on mortgage brokers. Why?

Key points

• Brokers arranged a record 81.6 per cent of all new and refinanced home loans in June 2026, up from 50.1 per cent in June 2016. An industry-commissioned report found brokers arranged 838,815 residential home loans in 2025, a rise of 17.2 per cent on the year before.
• Bank branch closures and recent interest rate rises have also shaped borrowers' reliance on brokers.
• Brokers are paid a percentage of the loan value plus an ongoing trail commission, and they typically present three options drawn from a limited set of lenders.