We're stoked to have entered an exciting new era this week, as iconic Wellington-based mortgage company, The Home Loan Shop, has officially unveiled its rebrand to Squirrel.
Founded in 1999, The Home Loan Shop was one of New Zealand’s first ever mortgage advisory businesses – and in the 25 years since, with the help of its prominent central Wellington offices, it’s become one of the capital’s most well-known brands.
We first announced the merger back in July 2022 - and the rebrand marks the final step in the process.
Founder of The Home Loan Shop, and our new GM Wellington, Greg Scott, says it was the similarities between the two businesses that made a partnership feel like the right next step in The Home Loan Shop journey.
“What’s made this work so well is that the guys at Squirrel are just like us. The merger and rebrand is about bringing together two like-minded businesses to create something bigger, better and that lets us tap into all the advantages that come with scale.
“So, yes, we’ll have a new name and a new look from here on out, but very little else is going to change - we've been here over 20 years and we're not going anywhere. Our new and existing clients will still get the same quality of service, the same team and the same expertise that The Home Loan Shop has built its reputation on. But they’ll now benefit from the network, technology and expertise of the wider Squirrel business too,” says Scott.
Squirrel founder, JB, says he admired The Home Loan Shop business long before partnership talks got underway.
“I’m based in Auckland now, but grew up and lived in Wellington for years. So, I remember seeing these guys in action back in the early days, and I loved what Greg and his team were up to even then. They’re a phenomenal group of advisers.
“When we started to look at opportunities to expand Squirrel outside of Auckland, and take the business nationwide, The Home Loan Shop team felt like the obvious people to do it with really. We’ve got such similar values, it feels a bit like kindred spirits. It’s taken several years of talks to get to this point, so it’s really cool to finally be making this official,” says Bolton.
As a result of the merger, our team has now grown to more than 100, originating upwards of $2.5 billion in mortgages per year, and representing over 6% of the New Zealand mortgage broker market.
If you're in the capital, keep an eye out for our outdoor campaign over the next couple of months, consisting of billboards, buses and posters at Wellington stations highlighting the rebrand - and that clients can count on getting the same mortgage experts and same local service that The Home Loan Shop has been providing for over 20 years.
The Home Loan Shop team have racked up more than 600 five-star ratings on Google reviews over the years. Here's a sample of what some of those clients had to say:
"Working with Stevie from The Home Loan Shop to get our first home has been amazing! She was always there to answer questions (and we had lots!) and never made us feel silly for not knowing anything! In fact the complete opposite! We move into our new home today and we literally couldn't have done it without Stevie's help! It's a stressful time, and working with Stevie took away so many layers of that stress. Highly recommended!"
— Tess Devereux
"I sought help from the Home Loan Shop to extend my home loan for some complex, phased renovations. Oliver's support has been top class. Renovating is a stressful time and Oliver's enthusiasm has made a real difference. He instinctively understood what I needed across different loan types and he has been available to lead discussions with our bank at every stage. Couldn't recommend him more highly."
— Billie Moore
"Sloan and his team are brilliant to work with and trusted advisors for our family. They're our first point of call for mortgage advice and support because they have great relationships with financial providers are knowledgeable, professional, hard-working and ensure we get the best possible outcome. We also are comforted that we can count on them to provide us with the best recommendations in a timely fashion. We wholeheartedly recommend Sloan and the whole team at the Home Loan Shop."
— Justin Lester
"Steven H at the Wellington branch was an absolute legend, sticking with us over months of attempts to buy a house, patiently working with us, the banks, and lawyers over every single time. He was also available at the critical moment when we were in the back room of the auction house in final negotiations and needed to know something on the spot so we could make the (ultimately successful) decision. Would recommend him to anyone and everyone looking for a professional, patient and friendly guy to help them on their homebuying journey. Literally couldn't have done it without him."
— Clayton