About Us - 11 Years Lending Experience + Smart Technology | Esteb and Co
Experience • Technology • Transparency

11 Years Lending Experience Meets Smart Technology

We've spent over a decade inside private lending—funding deals, assessing risk, and seeing what works. Now we've built the technology to match you with 80 lenders in minutes, not days.

11+
Years Experience
80
Lenders Compared
2 min
Instant Results

Our Story: Why We Built This

The problem with traditional loan brokering

The Problem We Saw

Traditional brokers rely on:

  • • Manual lender comparison
  • • Personal relationships with lenders
  • • "Gut feeling" about matches
  • • Limited lender knowledge (10-15 max)
  • • No approval probability indicators
  • • Generic advertised rates
  • • Slow response times (days)

Result: You don't know if you're getting the best deal, or just the deal your broker knows about.

💡

Our Insight

Lender matching is a data problem, not an experience problem.

  • • Lenders publish their criteria (LVR limits, DTI thresholds, credit requirements)
  • • Match quality can be calculated mathematically
  • • Approval probability can be estimated from data
  • • Personalized rates can be adjusted based on credit score, LVR, DTI
  • • All 80 lenders can be compared simultaneously

Realization: An algorithm can do this better, faster, and more objectively than a human.

What We Built

A technology-first loan brokerage:

  • • 800+ lines of matching algorithm code
  • • 80 lender database with verified criteria
  • • Automatic LVR, DTI, borrowing power calculations
  • • Match confidence scoring (0-100 points)
  • • Approval probability indicators (75-95%+)
  • • Personalized rate adjustments
  • • Instant results (2 minutes, not days)

Result: You get objective, data-driven lender matches instead of subjective broker opinions.

Why This Works

Technology advantages over experience:

  • Consistency: Every applicant gets the same rigorous analysis
  • Completeness: All 80 lenders checked, not just favorite 10
  • Objectivity: No lender favoritism or commission bias
  • Transparency: See exactly why each lender was recommended
  • Speed: 2 minutes vs 2-5 days
  • Accuracy: Math-based approval probability, not guesses

Meet the Founder

Real lending experience behind the technology

Richard Esteb

11+ Years in Private Lending

Before building Esteb and Co, I spent over a decade working inside private lending—first as a lender funding actual projects, then as Marketing Manager at an ASX-listed private lender. I've assessed thousands of applications, funded developments and projects across diverse client portfolios, and gained deep insight into what lenders look for and what borrowers need.

🏗️ Real Lending Experience

  • 11 years in private lending operations
  • ✓ Worked as a lender funding developments and projects
  • Marketing Manager at ASX-listed private lender
  • ✓ Assessed and funded projects across residential, commercial, and development sectors
  • ✓ Sat on both sides of the table—as lender and as client advocate
  • ✓ Understand exactly how lenders assess risk and make decisions

💡 Why I Built This

After 11 years inside lending, I saw the same problem repeatedly: great borrowers struggling to find the right lender. Even experienced brokers typically know 10-15 lenders well. I realized this was a data problem—lender criteria is published, match quality can be calculated mathematically, and technology could check ALL lenders objectively in minutes.

The result: Esteb and Co combines real lending experience with technology to deliver what traditional brokers can't—comprehensive, objective, instant lender matching backed by someone who's actually worked inside the industry.

Real Deals From 11 Years of Lending

Actual transactions funded across residential, business, development, and specialized finance

Note: The following are real deals funded during my 11 years as a lender and marketing manager in private lending. Details have been anonymized to protect client confidentiality, but the structures, challenges, and outcomes are genuine examples of the types of finance traditional banks wouldn't touch.

Residential Finance

📋

Saved Property Purchase When License Expired

The Problem: Client was purchasing a property through a traditional mortgage broker when his license expired mid-application. Banks refused to approve without a current license—putting his $50,000+ deposit at risk.

The Solution: Secured first mortgage finance against one of his existing properties, unlocking capital to complete the purchase without losing his deposit.

Why It Worked: Banks only see "expired license = reject." With real lending experience, I knew there was another way—use existing equity to bridge the gap.

Business Finance

🚗

$90K Vehicle Finance for Startup

The Challenge: New business needed a work vehicle but had no trading history. Banks wanted 2+ years of financials. Dealer finance was 12-15%+.

The Solution: Structured business vehicle finance understanding the business model was sound, even without years of trading history.

The Outcome: Business got the vehicle needed to start trading at better rates than dealer finance, without impossible documentation requirements.

📈

Surfers Paradise Apartment Equity Unlocked Business Expansion

The Situation: Business owner needed capital to purchase inventory and expand but traditional business loans were too slow or too expensive.

The Solution: First mortgage against his Surfers Paradise apartment unlocked equity for business inventory at residential loan rates.

The Result: Business doubled sales within 2 years. Owner used residential security for business purposes at rates that made expansion profitable.

💼

Debt Consolidation - From Drowning to Expansion

The Crisis: Business owners with multiple debts (trade creditors, tax office, high-interest loans) thought they were "going under." Banks won't lend to distressed businesses.

The Solution: Consolidated all debts into single facility, reduced monthly repayments by 40-60%, freed up working capital immediately.

The Turnaround: Businesses avoided bankruptcy, recouped operating funds, and many expanded to multiple locations. Good business with debt problem (fixable) vs bad business (unfixable).

Development Finance

🏘️

Logan 4-Lot Subdivision - 3x Return

The Strategy: Large house and land in Logan with subdivision potential requiring DA approval (12-18 months).

The Approach: Developer purchased with our finance, rented the house during DA approval (covering holding costs), then subdivided into 4 lots.

The Result: Sold all 4 lots for 3x the initial purchase price. Rental income managed risk while waiting for DA approval.

🏗️

$5M Rochdale Development to $20M+ Value

The Opportunity: Developer in Rochdale, QLD wanted to branch out from his day job with deep industry knowledge but no established company track record.

The Solution: Unlocked $5M+ to settle development block and begin subdivision, recognizing his industry expertise mattered more than company history.

The Outcome: Subdivided into 20+ residential lots, created $20M+ total value, $15M+ profit. Developer successfully launched his own company.

🏘️

13-Stage House & Land Development - Lowood, QLD

The Challenge: Multi-stage development needed capital to move seamlessly stage-to-stage, but had unsold stock and undeveloped future stages.

The Structure: Rolling finance with first mortgages on both unsold house/land packages AND undeveloped land, allowing capital to recycle as packages sold.

The Success: Developer moved through all 13 stages seamlessly over multiple years without waiting for 100% sell-through each time. This is how development actually works.

Specialized & High-Net-Worth Finance

📊

Securities Portfolio - 70% LVR, ASX Strategy

The Complexity: High-net-worth client with substantial ASX-listed dividend stock portfolio wanted to purchase family home but was approaching 5% ASX disclosure threshold.

The Solution: Structured open-ended securities lending facility at up to 70% LVR, allowing home purchase while retaining 100% stock ownership, staying under 5% disclosure requirement, avoiding CGT.

Why It Matters: This requires understanding securities lending, ASX Corporations Act Chapter 6C disclosure rules, tax implications, and corporate governance. Traditional mortgage brokers have never done this.

🏫

Childcare Centre Expansion - Multiple Locations

The Sector: Childcare centers combine commercial property, business operations, government subsidy revenue, and long settlement timeframes. Banks treat each center individually.

The Approach: Assessed operator track record, location demographics, government revenue stability, and each center's strengths/weaknesses across the portfolio.

The Outcome: Multiple operators expanded from 1-2 centers to 3-5+ locations by understanding portfolio risk and funding during construction/ramp-up phases banks won't touch.

What This Experience Means For You

These aren't theoretical examples from a textbook. These are real deals I was part of funding over 11 years. When you work with Esteb and Co, you're getting someone who's sat on both sides of the table—assessed the risks, structured the finance, and seen what actually works when traditional lenders say no. That experience, combined with our technology matching 80 lenders objectively, gives you the best of both worlds.

Full Transparency: What We Do & Don't Do

Clear about our approach and commitments

✅ What We HAVE

  • Real Lending Experience: Founder with 11+ years inside private lending (lender & marketing manager at ASX-listed firm)
  • Advanced Technology: 800+ lines of sophisticated matching algorithm
  • Complete Lender Database: 80 verified lenders with current criteria
  • Real Calculations: LVR, DTI, borrowing power, approval probability
  • Proper Licensing: ASIC Authorised Credit Representatives (Company 574070 | Individual 574071)
  • Secure Platform: Encrypted, compliant data handling
  • Lender Relationships: Authorized aggregator access to all major lenders
  • Fast Service: 2-minute assessment, <2hr response times
  • Free Service: No fees to borrowers, ever

🚫 What We DON'T Do

  • Push lenders based on commission rates
  • Limit you to 10-15 "preferred" lenders
  • Make you wait days for a comparison
  • Hide how we make recommendations
  • Charge you any fees (ever)
  • Use high-pressure sales tactics

Our Different Approach

We combine 11+ years of real lending experience with technology that analyzes ALL 80 lenders objectively in 2 minutes. You get exact match scores, approval probability, and personalized rates—with complete transparency on why each lender was recommended.

No bias. No favorites. Just data-driven recommendations backed by genuine industry expertise.

Our Principles

The rules we operate by

1️⃣ Technology Over Tradition

We believe: Lender matching is a data problem that technology solves better than human judgment.

What this means for you:

  • Every lender gets evaluated fairly based on math, not relationships
  • You see ALL matches, not just the broker's favorites
  • Approval probability is calculated from data, not guessed
  • Results are consistent and repeatable

2️⃣ Transparency Over Sales Tactics

We believe: You deserve to know exactly how decisions are made and why certain lenders are recommended.

What this means for you:

  • See your exact match score (0-100 points)
  • Understand what factors contributed to each score
  • Know your approval probability before applying
  • See personalized rates, not misleading advertised rates
  • No hidden fees or unexpected commissions

3️⃣ Speed Over "Relationship Building"

We believe: You want answers fast, not forced small talk or unnecessary "discovery calls."

What this means for you:

  • 2-minute assessment, instant results
  • No mandatory phone calls before seeing matches
  • No pressure to "book a consultation"
  • <2 hour response times when you do need help
  • Apply to lenders directly from results page

4️⃣ Data Over Anecdotes

We believe: Every claim should be backed by data, research, or verifiable facts.

What this means for you:

  • Match scores based on 6 weighted factors (not gut feeling)
  • Lender count verified and auditable (80)
  • Rate adjustments based on actual credit score impact
  • DTI and LVR calculations shown with formulas
  • No fake testimonials or inflated success claims

5️⃣ Substance Over Marketing Hype

We believe: Real experience and proven results matter more than flashy advertising.

What this means for you:

  • 11+ years of real lending experience backs our recommendations
  • We've funded deals ourselves—we know what lenders actually want
  • Lean team = direct access to decision makers, not call centers
  • We stand behind our technology with a $500 guarantee
  • No inflated claims—just verifiable results

6️⃣ Continuous Improvement

We believe: Technology should evolve constantly—we're not stuck in outdated processes.

What this means for you:

  • Algorithm updated monthly with latest lender criteria
  • New features added based on user feedback
  • Technology improvements deployed weekly
  • No "that's how we've always done it" mentality
  • Lender database expanded as we verify new options

Our Technology Guarantee

If another broker finds you a lender that our algorithm missed AND that lender offers better terms, we'll pay you $500.

We're that confident in our matching technology.

Terms: Other broker must provide written confirmation. Lender must have been on our radar (one of our 80). If we genuinely missed them in our algorithm, we'll pay $500 + improve our algorithm so it doesn't happen again.

How We Make Money

100% transparent about our business model

💰 Commission from Lenders

When your loan settles, the lender pays us a commission. This is standard in the brokerage industry and costs you nothing. Lenders pay the same commission whether you come to us or go directly to them—the difference is you get our technology and expertise for free.

Typical commission: 0.5-0.7% of loan amount (home loans), paid by lender, not you

❌ What We DON'T Do

  • ❌ Charge borrowers any fees
  • ❌ Accept higher commissions from certain lenders (flat structure)
  • ❌ Push certain lenders because of commission
  • ❌ Hide lenders that pay lower commission
  • ❌ Charge for assessments, consultations, or advice
  • ❌ Require you to proceed to earn money (free to walk away)

✅ How We Stay Objective

Our algorithm doesn't know which lenders pay higher commissions. It ranks lenders based purely on match score (LVR quality, income strength, credit quality, employment, savings, specialty bonuses). Commission rates are not an input to the algorithm.

Our incentive: Get you the best match so you complete the loan and recommend us to others. A bad match that doesn't settle = $0 commission. A great match = happy client + referrals + sustainable business.

Common Questions About Us

Q: Why should I choose you over a bigger brokerage?

A: Bigger doesn't mean better. Our founder has 11+ years of real lending experience—on the lender side, not just broker side. Our algorithm analyzes ALL 80 lenders objectively in 2 minutes. Most brokers (even at big firms) rely on personal relationships with 10-15 lenders and subjective judgment. With us, you get: insider lending expertise + comprehensive technology + direct access to decision makers. No call centers, no runaround.

Q: What makes your experience different from other brokers?

A: Most brokers have only ever worked on ONE side of the table—helping borrowers apply. Our founder Richard Esteb spent 11+ years on the LENDER side—actually funding developments and projects, then as Marketing Manager at an ASX-listed private lender. He's assessed thousands of applications and knows exactly how lenders think, what they look for, and why they decline. That insider knowledge is now built into our matching algorithm. Combined with our technology that compares ALL 80 lenders objectively, you get the best of both worlds: real lending expertise + comprehensive data-driven matching.

Q: What if your algorithm makes a mistake?

A: We have a $500 guarantee. If another broker finds a better lender that our algorithm missed, we'll pay you $500 AND fix our algorithm. We're confident this won't happen because our algorithm checks ALL 80 lenders systematically. But if it does, we'll make it right.

Q: Do you have proper licensing?

A: Esteb and Co Pty Ltd (ACN 681 636 056) operates as ASIC Authorised Credit Representatives. Our company credit representative number is 574070, and our principal Richard Esteb holds individual credit representative number 574071. This authorisation gives us full access to all major lenders and the ability to provide comprehensive credit assistance services.

Q: Are you just a tech company or a real brokerage?

A: We're a real, licensed brokerage that uses technology as our competitive advantage. We handle the full loan process: matching, application submission, lender communication, document collection, settlement coordination. The difference is our matching is done by algorithm instead of manual comparison.

Q: What happens if you go out of business?

A: If you've already been matched with a lender and submitted an application, that application continues directly with the lender—we're just the introducer. If we close before you settle, the lender relationship continues. Your loan is with the lender, not with us. That said, we're built for sustainability: low overhead (digital-only), strong technology foundation, and growing user base.

Ready to Try Our Technology?

See how data-driven matching works—100% free, 2 minutes, instant results

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No obligation • No credit impact • See all 80 lenders compared

Ricky Esteb - Licensed Mortgage Broker
Richard (Ricky) Esteb
Licensed Mortgage Broker & Founder
Credit Rep #574071 ACN 681 636 056 83+ Lender Panel

With direct experience helping Australians secure home loans, car finance, and business funding, Ricky founded Esteb and Co to bring transparency and technology to mortgage broking. Every piece of content is written from real-world lending experience.

✓ Verified & Last Reviewed: December 2025 | Content meets ASIC regulatory requirements
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