Meet Our Brokers

Why How To Home Loan exists

How To Home Loan started with a simple frustration. First home buyers are handed confusing, one-size-fits-all advice by big banks whose only real goal is to sell their own product. Ross McFarlane built this business to do the opposite: to sit on your side of the table, explain the whole process in plain English, and find the loan that actually fits your life rather than the one that suits the lender.

That founding idea still shapes everything here. We would rather you understand your options and make a confident decision than sign something you do not fully follow. Buying a home is one of the biggest financial commitments most people ever make, and you deserve a guide who treats it that way.

Who we help

We specialise in first home buyers across South Australia, and we work with clients right across Australia by phone and video. Whether you are saving your first deposit, trying to work out which government scheme you qualify for, or simply confused about where to start, that is exactly the situation we are built for.

We also help beyond the first purchase. Upgraders moving to a larger home, investors weighing their next step, and existing owners who want to refinance to a sharper rate all come to us for the same reason: a clear, honest comparison of the market instead of a single bank’s pitch. If you have a home-loan question, you are in the right place.

First home buyers get particular attention because they have the most to gain from good guidance and the most to lose from bad. The rules around deposits, government schemes, and lenders mortgage insurance change often, and small decisions early on can cost or save many thousands of dollars. Walking a first buyer through all of that, patiently and without jargon, is the work we most enjoy.

Our approach and your legal protection

We are education-first, which means you will always understand why we recommend a particular loan or strategy, not just what to sign. We explain the trade-offs in plain language, show you the numbers, and make sure you are comfortable before anything moves forward. The goal is for you to leave every conversation knowing more than you did before it.

There is also a legal foundation under all of this. As a licensed mortgage broker, Ross is bound by a Best Interests Duty, a legal obligation to act in your best interests rather than the lender’s. That is a standard the banks’ own staff are not held to, and it is one of the clearest reasons to use a broker rather than walk into a single branch.

What makes us different from a bank

A bank can only offer its own products and assesses you against its own single policy. If it says no, or offers a mediocre rate, you have no comparison and no way of knowing whether a better option existed. We turn that one option into many. Through our licensee we compare a broad panel of Australian lenders, so we can match you to the one whose policy and pricing genuinely suit your situation.

Just as importantly, we stay with you after settlement. A rate that was sharp when you signed can drift over time, and lenders reserve their best offers for new customers rather than loyal ones. We keep an eye on that and let you know when it is worth reviewing, so your loan does not quietly become uncompetitive while you get on with your life.

This is why most Australians now arrange their home loan through a broker rather than directly with a bank. It is not about finding a secret rate the banks are hiding. It is about having someone whose job is to know the whole market, handle the paperwork, chase the lender, and keep your interests front and centre from the first call to well after the keys are in your hand.

How we work with you

Our process is designed to be simple and pressure-free from the first call to long after settlement. It runs in five clear stages, and you always know what happens next.

It begins with a free discovery call, where we learn your goals, income, and timeline. From there we map your strategy and borrowing power, showing what you can realistically buy and how to maximise it. When you are ready, we prepare and submit a clean pre-approval application to the right lender. We then manage the lender through offer and settlement to keys in hand. Finally, we carry out ongoing reviews to make sure your rate stays sharp long after you have moved in.

Credentials and where to find us

How To Home Loan is a trading name of a Credit Representative (number 526725) of Australian Associated Advisers Pty Ltd, trading as Keylend, which holds Australian Credit Licence 392169. That structure means every recommendation is made under a licensed, regulated framework, with the Best Interests Duty and responsible-lending obligations that come with it.

We are based in South Australia, with a presence at Seacliff and Norwood, and we work with clients across the country by phone and video. Wherever you are, the service is the same: a clear conversation, an honest comparison of the market, and someone in your corner from the first question to settlement and beyond.

Frequently asked questions

What does it cost to use your service?

For most home loans there is no cost to you. Brokers are generally paid by the lender once your loan settles, and under the Best Interests Duty that commission cannot drive our recommendation. Any situation where a fee might apply is explained upfront before you commit to anything.

Do I have to be in South Australia?

No. We specialise in South Australian first home buyers, but we work with clients right across Australia by phone and video. The whole process, from discovery call to settlement, can be handled remotely.

Are you tied to a particular bank?

No. We are not owned by or aligned to any single bank. Through our licensee we compare a broad panel of lenders, which is how we find the option that genuinely suits you rather than the one a single institution happens to sell.

What if I am not ready to buy yet?

That is often the best time to talk. An early conversation lets us map your borrowing power, spot anything worth fixing, and give you a clear savings target, so that when you are ready to buy you can move quickly and with confidence.

How is a broker paid, and could that bias the advice?

Brokers are generally paid a commission by the lender when a loan settles, and lenders are required to pay broadly similar rates so that no single one has an incentive to steer you. On top of that, the Best Interests Duty legally requires us to recommend what suits you, not what pays most. Our Fee and Commission Disclosure sets this out in full, so nothing about how we are paid is hidden from you.