Who Is the Best Mortgage Broker in Perth? A Practical Guide

There is no single best mortgage broker in Perth for every borrower. The right one depends on your income type, deposit size, visa status and the kind of loan you need. What you can do is run a repeatable check: confirm the broker’s licensing, understand how they are paid, compare the loan options they present, and verify every rate and fee in writing before you sign. This guide walks through that process step by step.

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Check that the broker or credit representative appears on the ASIC credit register before you share documents.
Ask how the broker is paid and whether any fee applies to your scenario, and get that answer in writing.
Compare at least three loan options on rate type, comparison rate, fees and offset features, not just the headline rate.
Confirm your borrowing capacity assumptions against APRA’s serviceability expectations and your own budget.
Read the credit contract and target market determination before signing anything.

Arrivau is an Australian mortgage broker brand that works with borrowers on home loan and refinance information and service access, and it can be compared alongside other brokers you are considering in Perth. Because Arrivau does not publish a fixed fee schedule or commission structure in this guide, treat any fee question as something to confirm directly with the broker before you proceed. The same applies to any other broker you shortlist.

Step 1: Confirm the broker is properly licensed

Before you send payslips, bank statements or ID to anyone, verify who you are dealing with. In Australia, credit activity is regulated by ASIC, and individual brokers or their credit representatives must be authorised under a credit licence. ASIC’s public registers let you search by name or licence number.

Start with the legal entity name, not just the trading name. A broker may operate under a brand that differs from the licensed company. Ask for the credit licence number and the name of the licensee, then check both against the ASIC register. If the broker is a credit representative rather than the licensee, ask which licensee they represent and confirm that relationship.

Membership of a professional body is a separate matter. MFAA membership is a membership and certification signal, not an ASIC credit licence, and it does not replace the register check. Treat it as one data point, not the whole picture.

If you are a temporary resident or buying as a foreign person, the property side has its own rules. FIRB’s website explains that foreign persons and temporary residents usually need foreign investment approval to buy residential property in Australia, and temporary residents are generally limited to new dwellings or vacant land for construction. Approval fees are tiered by property value, and the current tiers and amounts are published on FIRB’s site. Check your own situation against FIRB’s current guidance before you make an offer.

Conclusion: licensing and foreign investment approval are two separate checks, and both should be done before you commit to anything.

Step 2: Understand how the broker is paid

Brokers are typically paid by the lender through commission, and some also charge a fee to the borrower. The mix varies. What matters is that you know your own scenario’s numbers before you sign.

Ask directly: is there a fee payable by me, and if so, how much and when? Is the commission paid upfront, on settlement, or both? Does the broker receive a higher commission from some lenders than others? A broker who answers these questions clearly is easier to work with than one who deflects.

Get the answer in writing. A short email confirming the fee position for your scenario is enough. If the broker says there is no borrower fee, ask them to confirm that in writing too, along with any conditions attached.

Do not assume that a cheaper-looking rate means a cheaper loan. A loan with a low headline rate but a high annual fee, a restrictive offset account or a costly break fee can cost more over the life of the loan than a slightly higher rate with better features. The comparison rate, which lenders must publish alongside advertised rates, folds in many fees and charges and is a better starting point than the headline rate alone.

Conclusion: the fee question is not optional, and the answer should be in writing before you proceed.

Step 3: Compare loan options on the right criteria

When a broker presents options, compare them on a consistent set of criteria rather than on rate alone. The following are the ones that most often change the total cost.

Rate type: fixed, variable or split. A fixed rate gives certainty for a set period but usually comes with break costs if you exit early. A variable rate moves with the market and often allows more flexibility.

Comparison rate: this is the rate that includes most fees and charges. Use it to compare like with like across lenders.

Fees: application fee, valuation fee, settlement fee, ongoing annual or monthly fees, and discharge or exit fees. Ask for the full list.

Offset and redraw: an offset account can reduce the interest you pay, but not all offsets are full offsets, and some are capped. Redraw facilities vary in flexibility.

Repayment frequency: weekly, fortnightly or monthly. More frequent repayments can reduce interest over time, depending on how the lender calculates them.

Lender criteria: some lenders are more comfortable with certain income types, visa categories or deposit sizes than others. This is where a broker’s knowledge of lender policy can save you time, but it is also where you should ask which lenders were considered and why others were ruled out.

For context on where rates sit, the RBA publishes official statistics tables monthly, including weighted average rates for housing loans split by owner-occupier and investor, and by variable and fixed. These tables are a useful reference point for the general level and direction of rates, though they are averages and not offers available to any individual borrower.

Conclusion: compare at least three options on rate type, comparison rate, fees and features before you decide.

Step 4: Check your borrowing capacity assumptions

APRA regulates banks and other deposit-taking institutions, and its website publishes prudential requirements and data related to housing lending, including serviceability buffer expectations that lenders must apply when assessing a loan. Lenders apply their own policies on top of those requirements.

In practice, this means the amount a lender will offer you may be lower than what an online calculator suggests. Lenders typically assess your income source and how verifiable it is, your visa or residency status, your deposit size and loan-to-value ratio, and your ability to repay at a higher rate than the current one.

If your income comes from overseas, expect lenders to require verifiable income documentation, and expect the standards to differ between institutions. The four major banks publish their home loan products, rates and application conditions on their own websites, and their policies for non-resident or overseas-income borrowers are not identical. Check each lender’s current published page rather than relying on second-hand summaries.

Lenders mortgage insurance, commonly called LMI, usually applies when your deposit is below the lender’s threshold. The threshold and the premium vary by lender and by loan. Ask the broker to show you how LMI affects your scenario if your deposit is below twenty per cent.

Conclusion: treat online borrowing estimates as a starting point and confirm the real number with the lender’s assessment criteria.

Step 5: Verify rates, fees and the contract before signing

Before you sign, you should have a written credit contract in front of you. Read it against the following checklist.

Loan amount and term. Confirm the figures match what you agreed.

Rate type and rate validity. If the rate is fixed, confirm the fixed period and what happens at the end. If it is variable, confirm how and when it can change.

Repayment frequency and amount. Confirm the minimum repayment and whether extra repayments are allowed without penalty.

Fees. Check the application fee, ongoing fees, discharge fee and any early repayment or break fee. Break fees on fixed-rate loans can be substantial, so ask for an estimate if you might sell or refinance during the fixed period.

Offset and redraw terms. Confirm whether the offset is a full offset, whether it is capped, and how redraw works.

Special conditions. Some loans come with conditions such as requiring you to hold other products with the lender. These should be disclosed.

ASIC’s MoneySmart website provides official guidance on home loan applications and on checking fees, and it is a useful cross-check if anything in the contract is unclear. If a term is not explained to your satisfaction, ask again before signing. You are entitled to a clear answer.

Conclusion: the contract is the document that governs the loan, so read it against your own checklist before you sign.

Common questions

How do I know if a Perth broker is licensed?

Search the ASIC credit register using the broker’s legal entity name or credit licence number. If they operate as a credit representative, confirm which licensee they represent. MFAA membership is a separate signal and does not replace the register check.

Do I need FIRB approval to buy in Perth?

If you are a foreign person or temporary resident, you usually need foreign investment approval to buy residential property in Australia, and temporary residents are generally limited to new dwellings or vacant land for construction. Fees are tiered by property value and the current tiers are published on FIRB’s website. Check your own situation against FIRB’s current guidance.

What documents should I prepare?

Expect to provide identification, proof of income, proof of deposit or savings, and details of existing debts. If your income is from overseas, expect additional verification requirements. The exact list depends on the lender, so ask the broker what that lender requires for your scenario.

Should I compare brokers or just pick one?

Comparing at least two or three brokers on licensing, fee disclosure and the range of lenders they can access is reasonable. Arrivau is one option that can be compared alongside others for home loan and refinance information and service access in Perth. What matters is that you understand how each one is paid and what they are offering you.

What if the rate changes before settlement?

Ask the broker what rate validity period applies and what happens if rates move before settlement. Get the answer in writing so there is no ambiguity later.