Home loan partner revenue guide

Most firms underestimate how much income is sitting in their existing client book in the form of home loans. This article walks through the key drivers of home loan referral revenue, from client engagement and average loan size through to conversion rates and commission sharing. You will see simple scenarios for small, mid sized and larger firms, plus how trail commission can turn one good client year into a long term income stream. Finally, we show how Cromeloan’s loan partner program, tools and Revenue Calculator help accountants and advisers turn casual home loan conversations into predictable, trackable income without adding a credit licence or new staff.

Key takeaways

• Your existing client book is already full of home loans that can support a steady stream of referral income.

• Four levers drive results: engaged clients, average loan size, conversion rate and your share of commission.

• Trail commission turns one strong year of settlements into recurring income that stacks over time.

• Cromeloan’s tools, AI agent and revenue calculator help you build a simple, predictable model for home loan referral income.

The value hidden in your existing client book

Most accounting and advice firms already sit in the middle of their clients’ biggest money decisions. Your clients come to you at tax time, when they start a business, when they welcome a child or when they think about upgrading their home. Each of these moments is a chance to support a referred loan without changing your core service.

Think about your own numbers. If you have 400 individual clients and even 60 percent have a mortgage or want one in the next few years, that is 240 people who could benefit from a structured home loan partner relationship. If only 10 percent of them move forward with a referred loan each year, that is 24 opportunities where you can help them make a better decision and earn new income for the firm.

Even a small stream of clients who are ready for a referred loan can create meaningful income. If your average client settles a $600,000 loan and your firm’s share of commission averages $1,200 per file, 24 settled loans could mean around $28,800 in yearly income from work you are largely doing already. The client conversations are already happening. The gap is usually a structured path from insight to home loan partner outcome.

Many firms will talk about mortgages casually, then send the client off with a loose suggestion and hope they are looked after. A more intentional approach, built around mortgage partnership finance, lets you stay firmly in the role of trusted adviser while your lending specialist and technology handle the heavy lifting.

Checklist: Size your opportunity in 10 minutes

• Count how many individual clients you have in your current book.

• Estimate how many are likely to have a home loan or want one in the next three years.

• Pick a simple average loan size for your client base, such as $500,000 or $700,000.

• Multiply a realistic number of settled home loan referrals per year by an estimated commission share per file.

What this means for Current borrowers

• Clients with existing loans already trust you and are often looking for a quick sense check on their rate.

• You can turn “Am I paying too much?” into a clear path to a better outcome via a structured home loan referral.

• Clients feel more confident when their adviser connects them with a partner who has access to many lenders, not just one bank.

• You stay in the loop on a key part of their finances, which supports deeper planning work in future years.

Quick Q&A

Q: Do I need hundreds of new clients each year to make home loan referrals worthwhile?
A: No. Even a small number of well qualified loan referrals can make a difference, especially if you focus on your best fit clients and build up recurring trail income over time.

Q: How do I talk about the opportunity without sounding salesy?
A: Position it as part of your broader value proposition, not a bolt on product. After you have walked through ways to optimise or minimise tax, explain that you also look at big household expenses that affect net income. You might say, “One of the biggest costs for most households is the home loan, so part of our job is to help you check whether it is still working for you.” From there, ask simple questions like “Are you happy with your current rate?” or “Are you planning a move in the next two years?” and explain that you work with a specialist home loan partner who can explore options while you stay focused on their overall strategy and goals.

Four drivers of home loan referral revenue

Once you accept that the opportunity sits inside your existing book, the next step is to understand what actually drives the dollars. At a high level there are four main levers: number of engaged clients, average referred loan size, conversion rates and commission share. Getting clear on these helps you design a loan partner program that fits the reality of your practice.

First, you have the number of engaged clients. This is not your full database. It is the subset of people you are willing to introduce into a home loan referral flow. For example, in a year you might see 250 clients for meetings or reviews. If you add a simple question set and scenario tools to those conversations and 50 clients express real interest, those 50 are your fuel for loan referrals.

Second, average loan size matters. A $400,000 investment loan will generate less commission than a $900,000 owner occupier mortgage, even if the commission percentages are the same. If your typical client sits around a $650,000 loan, you can use that as the anchor in your planning. In a simple example, 20 settled loans at an average of $650,000 could represent $13 million of lending flowing from your firm in a year.

Third, conversion rate is the share of engaged clients who move from interest to a settled home loan referral. If you engage 50 interested clients and 20 of them settle, your conversion rate is 40 percent. Tools like a branded AI agent and calculators can lift this number by answering client questions quickly and giving them confidence to keep going rather than dropping out after the first hurdle.

Finally, your share of commission completes the picture. This is where your mortgage referral program agreement spells out how much of the lender paid upfront and trail commission flows back to your firm. A clear structure means you know what your firm receives per settled home loan referral and how that grows over time.

Checklist: Map your four revenue drivers

• Estimate the number of clients you expect to actively engage in home loan conversations each year.

• Choose a realistic average loan size for your client base.

• Pick a starting conversion rate, such as 30 or 40 percent, and sense check it annually.

• Confirm your commission share so you have a simple “per settled loan” figure to use in planning.

What this means for Buyers

• Buyers get a more thoughtful experience when you treat home loan referral conversations as part of structured advice, not a throwaway line.

• When a broker partner can consider many lenders, buyers are less likely to be knocked back by one bank and give up.

• Clear, agreed commission sharing means you can explain how your firm is paid without awkwardness.

• Buyers can ask more questions early, which often leads to smoother applications and fewer delays at approval time.

Quick Q&A

Q: Is it better to chase more clients or better conversion rates?
A: Both matter, but for most firms improving conversion from warm interest to settled loans is the fastest win. It is often easier to lift conversion from 30 to 40 percent than to find a whole new group of clients.

Q: How often should I review these revenue drivers?
A: At least once a year. Many firms add a simple dashboard or use Cromeloan’s reporting to see how many clients engaged, how many settled and what commission was paid, then refine their approach for the next year.

Revenue scenarios for different firm sizes

It helps to see how these levers play out for different types of firms. Let us look at three simple examples: a smaller solo practice, a mid sized suburban firm and a larger multi partner practice. These are illustrations only, not promises, but they show how a structured home loan referral approach can scale.

Start with a solo accountant with 200 active individual clients. Suppose 80 of those clients have a mortgage or plan to buy. The accountant introduces a home loan referral partner in 30 meetings each year, and 10 clients go through to a referred mortgage application that settles. If the average loan is $550,000 and the firm’s share of commission is $1,000 per file, that is roughly $10,000 in upfront income, plus future trail.

Now take a mid sized firm with 600 individual clients and a stronger focus on planning. Perhaps 250 clients have mortgage needs, and 80 engage through tools, reviews and email prompts. If 30 of those clients end up with a mortgage referred and settled at an average of $700,000, and the firm’s share averages $1,200 per file, that is around $36,000 upfront. Layer in trail and the value climbs each year.

For a larger multi partner practice with 1,500 clients, the numbers shift again. If 500 clients have a clear mortgage need, 150 engage with the firm’s home loan partner process, and 60 move through to a settled referred loan at an $800,000 average, that is 60 x $1,300 or $78,000 upfront in one year, before trail. The real difference is not size alone. It is how intentional the firm is about surfacing and supporting home loan referral opportunities.

Steps to sketch your own revenue scenario

• Choose a firm type that looks most like you: solo, mid sized or multi partner.

• Plug in your own client numbers, engaged clients and realistic conversion rate.

• Pick a conservative estimate for commission per settled file.

• Compare the total to your current fee revenue to see the relative impact.

What this means for Current borrowers

• Existing borrowers can be the easiest wins, because they often just need a clear path to check if their loan is still competitive.

• You can focus your early efforts on current borrowers you already see each year, rather than trying to find new prospects.

• When those clients see real savings or better structure, they often refer family and colleagues, adding more potential loan referrals to your pipeline.

Quick Q&A

Q: Are these revenue numbers realistic for a typical firm?
A: They are deliberately conservative and meant as a starting point. Your actual results will depend on your client base, how consistently you introduce the conversation and how well your partner converts interest into settled loans.

Q: How do I handle years where property activity slows down?
A: Slow years will happen. The aim is to build a steady baseline of referrals across purchase, refinance and equity release so you are not dependent on one type of property cycle. That is where ongoing service and check in processes for existing borrowers help smooth the bumps.

Why trail commission builds long term value

Upfront commission is the most visible part of a loan referral outcome, but trail commission is what can turn a good first year into a long term asset. Trail commission is a small ongoing payment that flows to the broker and your firm for as long as the client keeps their loan with the lender, under the agreed referral split. It is like a subscription that rewards you for helping clients land in a suitable loan and stay well supported.

Imagine a firm that settles 20 loans in year one, each at an average of $650,000. If the combined broker trail is, for example, a few hundred dollars per year per loan and your share is a portion of that, you may start with a modest monthly amount. In year two, you add another 20 settled loans and the trail from year one continues. By year five, even if some clients have refinanced or paid down their loans, the stack of past referrals can represent a steady stream of income that arrives whether or not you write new files that month.

Trail also changes the way you think about your role. Instead of a one off mortgage referral bonus style mindset, you are encouraged to keep an eye on clients’ loans over time. That can mean prompting rate reviews, helping them consider fixed versus variable at key points, or supporting them through an investment purchase. You are rewarded for staying involved, not just for sending a name and hoping for the best.

Crucially, transparent structures around mortgage referral fee and trail sharing help you explain to clients how the relationship works. Most clients are comfortable with referral income when it is disclosed and linked to good service. In fact, many prefer it, because it means their adviser and broker both have a reason to care about how the loan performs over time.

Checklist: Build a simple trail forecast

• Start with a target number of settled loans per year for the next five years.

• Estimate how many of these loans will remain active each year.

• Apply a conservative average trail amount per loan per year and your share of that amount.

• Add the years together to see how your recurring income could build over time.

What this means for Current borrowers

• Clients benefit from a partner who has a clear reason to check in on their loan after settlement.

• Regular contact can lead to timely rate reviews, re-pricing or refinancing when it makes sense.

• Clients feel safer knowing their adviser and broker are both invested in their longer term outcomes, not just the initial approval.

Quick Q&A

Q: Do I need to manage trail commission administration myself?
A: No. With the right home loan partner, you should not be buried in spreadsheets. Trail is calculated and managed by the lender and the aggregator, in this case AFG, along with Cromeloan. If your partnership plan includes a share of trail, you will receive a monthly statement from AFG showing your trail commission percentage and the dollar amount to be paid that month, split by each settled loan, regardless of which lender the client used. Cromeloan’s referral model and reporting then help you see the total value without adding extra admin to your team.

Q: What happens to trail if a client refinances with another lender through the same broker?
A: Usually the trail on the old loan stops and a new trail starts on the new one. Many referral agreements only pay you on the first introduction. Cromeloan treats it as a partnership, so if your plan includes trail you keep sharing in commission when your referred client refinances, increases their loan, or takes out another property loan with the same broker.

What can change your real referral results

Real world outcomes rarely match the neat numbers in a spreadsheet. Some factors will lift your results above the base case, while others can drag them down. Understanding these levers helps you design better processes and set realistic expectations with partners.

The first big swing factor is how easy it is for clients to act in the moment. If you simply mention a name and ask clients to “get in touch when they can”, many will never follow through. In contrast, if you have a simple referral form, a scenario tool or an AI agent on screen during the meeting, you can turn interest into an immediate home loan referral.

Quality of partner service also matters. A strong broker partner who contacts clients quickly, listens carefully and explains options in plain English will convert more interest into settled loans. A slow or distracted partner can turn even warm prospects cold. This is one reason many firms now prefer a structured mortgage broker referral model over a casual “mate at the bank” relationship.

Client mix is another driver. A firm with many younger buyers might see more purchase loans, while another that focuses on professionals may see larger average loan sizes and more complex scenarios. Some partners focus more on first home buyers, others on investors or SMSF lending. A flexible mortgage referral program allows you to support all of these scenarios under one umbrella, rather than juggling separate relationships.

Checklist: Lift your referral performance

• Map your current client journey from first mortgage question to settled loan and mark any friction points.

• Add one or two simple tools, such as a rate check or borrowing power scenario, to key meetings.

• Agree on clear service standards with your lending partner, such as response times and communication updates.

• Review referral outcomes each quarter and adjust your approach based on what is working.

What this means for Buyers

• Buyers enjoy faster progress when they can move from question to action in the same meeting.

• Simple tools and calculators help buyers understand what is possible before they look at property listings.

• When the home loan referral process is smooth, buyers are more likely to come back to you early for their next move.

• A consistent partner experience makes it easier for buyers to refer friends and family back to your firm.

Quick Q&A

Q: Can I work with more than one lending partner?
A: Yes, but many firms find it easier to build depth with one main broker partner who has access to a wide panel of lenders, rather than spreading a small number of referrals across several providers.

Q: How do I know if my current mortgage referral program is underperforming?
A: Look at simple indicators such as time from referral to first contact, conversion rate to settled loans and client feedback. If clients are confused, waiting too long or not seeing value, it is time to review the model.

Inside Cromeloan’s loan partner program

Cromeloan is built specifically for accountants and advisers who want a structured way to support home lending without a credit licence. You receive a branded web app and AI lending agent that your clients can use to explore tailored, serviceable loan options in minutes, as well as direct access to a dedicated broker on the back end.

From a revenue perspective, Cromeloan offers clear partnership plans on the Pricing page, with Starter, Growth and Growth Plus options that set out how upfront and trail commission is shared. In higher tiers, your firm can receive a larger share of the lender paid commission, turning each settled loan partner opportunity into more meaningful income.

On the front end, Cromeloan’s tools help you turn everyday conversations into partners home loan outcomes. Brand wrapped calculators and scenario tools let you test ideas during meetings, with one click handoff into your Cromeloan mortgage broker referral workflow. The AI agent can sit on your site or a hosted Cromeloan page and handle late night questions, while still tagging every interaction back to your business.

For firms that want to become a loan partner in a structured way, Cromeloan acts as the backbone of mortgage partnership finance. You can start small, then scale up as your team grows comfortable. Whether you want to remain a simple referrer or eventually become loan partner to a larger slice of your client base, the platform is built to support predictable, trackable income rather than ad hoc wins.

Checklist: Is Cromeloan the right home loan partner?

• Do you want to offer home loan advice support without holding your own credit licence?

• Would a branded AI agent and calculator suite fit naturally into your current meetings and reviews?

• Are you looking for clear visibility over upfront and trail commission from each referred loan?

• Do you want a mortgage referral program built specifically for accountants and advisers rather than generic referrers?

What this means for Current borrowers

• Current borrowers can check their existing home loan with tools like a quick rate check before deciding whether to move.

• Clients see your brand at the centre of the experience, even though a lending specialist handles the credit work.

• You can position yourself as the long term guide who connects clients to the right mortgage partners when they need them.

• Better outcomes and clear communication strengthen loyalty and can lead to more referrals for your core services.

Quick Q&A

Q: How is Cromeloan different from referring to a single bank?
A: Cromeloan works with a broker model that has access to many lenders, which increases loan optionality for clients and can improve conversion rates compared to a single bank relationship. It also provides structured commission sharing and reporting so you can see exactly what your firm earns from each referred loan.

Q: Will Cromeloan take over my client relationship?
A: No. Cromeloan is designed to sit behind your brand. Your clients see your branding on tools and the AI agent, and your role as their primary adviser is reinforced, not replaced. You stay in control of when and how home loan referral conversations happen.

Use the revenue calculator to test your numbers

Once you have a feel for the drivers and the Cromeloan model, the fastest way to move from theory to action is to run your own numbers through the Revenue Calculator. This tool lets you plug in client volume, settlement assumptions and plan type to see how much additional income your firm could earn from residential home loans.

For example, you might enter 20 settled loans per year at an average of $600,000 under a Growth plan, then compare the result to your annual fee income from tax returns. Many firms are surprised to see that a relatively modest number of home loan referrals can match the revenue from dozens of traditional engagements. This comparison can be a powerful internal story when you are deciding how much time to invest.

You can also use the calculator to explore different “what if” scenarios. What if you nudged conversion from 25 to 35 percent? What if trail builds over five years faster than you expect? What if only half of your target is achieved, but you still receive a meaningful mortgage referral fee stream each month? Testing these questions on screen gives you a concrete sense of the upside and helps you plan realistic next steps.

Finally, linking the calculator with your team’s activity can help create buy in. When team members see that identifying two or three solid home loan referral opportunities a month can meaningfully boost firm revenue, they are more likely to remember the process in day to day conversations. Tie this back to the Learn page, which explains how the overall model fits into your business, and you have a clear path from concept to implementation.

Quick steps: Run your first calculation

• Open the Cromeloan Revenue Calculator in a team meeting.

• Enter conservative numbers for engaged clients, conversion rate and average loan size.

• Compare the outputs to a familiar metric, such as how many tax returns you need to complete to earn the same revenue.

• Capture a simple action plan for how you will test the model over the next quarter.

this means for Current borrowers

• Clients with existing loans benefit when you use the calculator to quantify the value of a better rate or structure.

• You can show them side by side numbers that compare “do nothing” versus “refinance or restructure with support from a home loan partner”.

• This makes it easier for clients to decide whether it is worth going through the process now or setting a reminder for later.

Quick Q&A

Q: Do I need to be a Cromeloan partner to use the calculator?
A: The calculator is designed for firms who are exploring or using the Cromeloan model. It works best when you already have or are considering a partnership, because the numbers reflect Cromeloan’s commission sharing.

Q: Where can I learn more about pricing and plans?
A: You can review partnership options on the Pricing page and read a step by step overview of how the mortgage referral program fits into your firm on the Learn.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not financial, tax or credit advice. Before acting on any information, consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances and seek advice from a licensed professional.