Mortgage Brokers in Sydney: Top 10 Rankings (2026)

How much does a mortgage broker in Sydney cost?

Sydney mortgage brokers generally don’t charge a fee for their service. Instead, they’re paid a commission by the lender once your loan settles, calculated as a percentage of the loan amount, plus a trail commission based on your loan balance while the loan remains in place.

These commissions are already built into the cost of the loan. This means you don’t pay more for using a broker compared to going directly to a bank.

While uncommon, some Sydney brokers may charge a fee in specific or more complex scenarios, like: 

• Bridging loans

• Certain non-standard or specialist loans

• Highly complex lending structures

Any fees are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Brokers are legally required to disclose all fees upfront and clearly explain what each fee covers in their Credit Guide before providing a service.

Can a broker help with refinancing in Sydney?

Yes, a mortgage broker can help with refinancing in Sydney, particularly when it comes to using equity. Brokers know which lenders will allow equity releases of up to 80% without LMI, which banks are more flexible with cash-out or top-up refinances, and which lenders tend to deliver stronger valuation outcomes for Sydney properties. 

Refinancing makes sense when:

• Your current rate sits well above market (0.50% or more higher).

• You want to access equity for renovations or investment.

• You need to consolidate debts or restructure for tax purposes.

• Your circumstances have changed (income increased, property value risen).

• You want better features like offset accounts or flexible repayments.

Common Sydney refinancing scenarios:

• Accessing equity for renovations (many homeowners have seen significant property value growth)

• Portfolio restructuring for investors with multiple properties

• Rate arbitrage if you’ve been with the same bank for 3+ years

Our analysis of ABS data found that around 72,000 Sydney refinances were handled by mortgage brokers last year alone. This means almost three in four Sydney refinances went through brokers.

This estimate is based on ABS refinance data, Sydney accounting for roughly 66% of NSW activity, and mortgage brokers handling 77% of all home loan refinances.

Can a broker help a first-home buyer buy in Sydney?

A broker can help first-home buyers access specific loan options, including low-deposit loans, guarantor loans, First Home Guarantee (FHBG) loans, and lenders participating in the Help to Buy scheme. Sydney brokers can also explain NSW first-home buyer grants, stamp duty concessions and how these interact with individual lender policies.

This is particularly valuable in Sydney, where even small price differences can determine whether a scheme is viable. For example, whether a property price pushes you over a scheme cap or materially changes your stamp duty outcome.

Our analysis of ABS data estimates that mortgage brokers handled nearly 5,000 first-home buyer loans across Greater Sydney in the past year alone.

What suburbs do Sydney mortgage brokers service?

Most mortgage brokers in Sydney service clients across the entire metropolitan region, including inner city spots, suburban locations and major growth corridors. 

Common areas serviced include:

• CBD and Surry Hills

• Eastern Suburbs (Bondi, Coogee, Randwick)

• Inner West (Newtown, Marrickville, Leichhardt)

• North Shore (Mosman, Chatswood, Willoughby)

• Northern Beaches (Manly, Dee Why, Mona Vale)

• Western Sydney (Parramatta, Penrith, Blacktown)

• Hills District (Castle Hill, Kellyville, Baulkham Hills)

• South Sydney (Hurstville, Sutherland Shire)

• Growth corridors (Marsden Park, Schofields, Leppington)

Brokers can work online, by phone or face-to-face, so location rarely limits access to their services.  

Should I use an independent broker in Sydney or a franchise? 

Independent brokers in Sydney often offer more personalised service and insight into local property and lending policies. This is particularly valuable if you’re taking on a high-LVR loan (e.g. first-home buyers), investing in property, consolidating debt or buying in high-density or apartment-heavy postcodes.

On the other hand, franchise brokers in Sydney can offer scale, structured systems and established branding, which some borrowers like interstate buyers find reassuring.

Is a mortgage broker in Sydney better than going directly to a bank?

Even before factoring in Best Interest Duty and the fact brokers have seen almost every borrower scenario under the sun, the range of loan products they can access is often reason enough for Sydney borrowers to use one, rather than going to a bank that can only offer its own in-house products. Crucially, brokers act on behalf of the borrower (that’s you), while banks ultimately operate in the interests of their shareholders

Should I use Reddit to find top mortgage brokers in Sydney?

Reddit threads (like r/AusFinance or r/Sydney) can be helpful for real, unfiltered experiences with mortgage brokers in Sydney. You’ll often longer-form discussions and candid feedback you won’t find on traditional review sites. But the opinions of a few don’t always reflect the broader market or guarantee a broker is the right fit for your circumstances.

Reddit has limits including: 

• Recommendations are anecdotal only and not comprehensive

• Threads become outdated quickly as lender policies change almost every week

• You can’t easily verify lender access, accreditation or current performance

Best approach for Sydney borrowers:

You can use Reddit as a starting point to identify names or potential red flags, but you should always vet and validate mortgage brokers yourself through your own research,  including checking their licensing, lender panel, and Sydney-specific experience.