This main FAQ page outlines some of the common questions when considering a finance and mortgage broker for the first time. The process will be mostly very similar to approaching a bank directly, however think of this as approaching all the banks at the same time to ensure you get the best possible deal.
A Finance Broker is a long-term professional and advisory partnership where the broker acts as your absolute advocate to find the most suitable finance solution from a range of lenders.
At Hardie Finance Group, we manage the entire process, including:
Unlike a Bank, which can only offers its own products, a Finance Broker is legally required to act in your best interest working on your behalf.
Finance Brokers assist with a wide range of lending needs, including:
Common lending solutions include:
Most businesses have several lending needs, so a Finance Broker is able to complete all requirements, with the unique ability to have different lenders for different products where appropriate.
A Mortgage Broker is a professional and advisory partner who assists primarily with residential property loans, helping clients secure the most suitable home loan from a range of lenders.
Unlike a bank, which can only offer its own products, Hardie Finance Group has access to over 50 lenders, allowing us to compare options and find the most competitive solution for your personal circumstances.
Mortgage Brokers assist both:
Common residential lending needs include:
In simple terms, lenders can only offer their own products, which may not always be the most suitable option, structure, or price for your specific situation.
A Finance and Mortgage Broker has access to a wide range of lenders and the ability to compare loan features, structures, pricing, and flexibility to find the most appropriate solution for your needs.
Using a broker means:
A broker acts as your advocate throughout the process, simplifying what can otherwise be a complex and time-consuming exercise.
In most cases, no.
There is a significant amount of work involved in gathering information, analysing financials, structuring lending proposals, and engaging with lenders. This work takes considerable time, and if a transaction does not proceed, there is no commission paid.
For this reason, a commitment or mandate fee may be charged to cover the initial work required. Any such fee is disclosed upfront and agreed to in advance, ensuring transparency from the outset.
The real value of using a Finance and Mortgage Broker comes once lender offers are received. A broker saves substantial time, manages the process end-to-end, and helps secure the most suitable structure and pricing. In most cases, this results in better outcomes and cost savings over the life of the loan.
Absolutely not.
Brokers are legally required under best interest duty laws to act in the best interests of their clients and recommend only the most suitable lending options.
Unlike banks, which can only offer their own products, a broker compares options across multiple lenders. Banks do not assess or recommend competing offers and will not suggest you seek a better deal elsewhere.
At Hardie Finance Group, we assess suitability first. Where appropriate, we will present multiple lending options and clearly explain the differences so you can make an informed decision with confidence.
This is very common in regional and rural banking. Lenders often struggle to attract and retain staff, and bank managers who relocate from outside the region frequently move on within a few years.
At Hardie Finance Group, you only need to explain your business once. By establishing a long-term relationship with a Finance Broker, your knowledge, history, and lending strategy are retained, even if you change banks over time.
This continuity makes lender changes seamless and significantly reduces the time, stress, and disruption typically associated with refinancing or restructuring facilities. It also ensures your lending arrangements remain appropriate as your business evolves.
Hardie Finance Group offers quarterly catch-ups to stay across changes in your business, financial position, and goals, allowing us to maintain a clear understanding of your operations and forward strategy at all times.
Hardie Finance Group is led by a senior Finance and Mortgage Broker with over 20 years of lending experience, specialising in Agribusiness, Commercial, and Business Finance.
Our core expertise is in farming, particularly irrigated horticulture, with deep industry knowledge across sectors including almonds, avocados, citrus, table grapes, wine grapes, and vegetable production (such as watermelon, pumpkin, and rockmelon).
Our experience also extends to dryland farming, including cereals, hay, and seed crops, as well as livestock enterprises such as sheep (wool and lamb), beef, and dairy operations.
Beyond primary production, Hardie Finance Group has strong regional and rural experience working with businesses, service industries, and commercial property, allowing us to provide holistic finance solutions across the full value chain.
We follow a structured, end-to-end process designed to make finance clear, efficient and stress-free.
At a high level, the process includes:
Our role is to manage the entire process on your behalf, keeping you informed at each stage while handling the complexity with lenders behind the scenes.
The information required depends on the type of finance and your individual circumstances, however most applications require some combination of:
We guide you through exactly what is needed, when it is needed, and why. Our goal is to make the process as efficient as possible without unnecessary back-and-forth.
Hardie Finance Group works with clients Australia-wide.
While we specialise in regional and rural businesses — particularly agribusiness and horticulture — our lender panel and systems allow us to support clients in all states and territories. Our regional experience ensures we understand complex business structures and seasonal cash flows, regardless of location.
The loyalty tax is the higher interest rate existing customers pay compared to new customers at the same bank. By not reviewing your agribusiness or commercial loans, you may be paying a premium for your loyalty. Hardie Finance Group specialises in identifying this and finding better rates and terms to improve your cash flow. Find out about how to refinance here.
The best time to speak with a broker is before you commit to a purchase or submit an application to a lender.
Early engagement allows us to:
Whether you are planning a purchase, refinancing, expanding a business or simply reviewing your current arrangements, an early conversation often leads to better outcomes.
Further FAQs are available for each of the core services provided. Check out:
Or for anything else, please reach out by phone, email or complete the contact form for a call back to book an appointment.
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