Smart Aggregators Stopped Building Their Own Tech

I've watched too many aggregators in Australia take the same expensive detour. They spot the technology gap in their business and reckon the answer is building their own platform.

It's the classic "not invented here" mentality. And it's creating what I call roads to nowhere.

Having spent 25 years building technology platforms across financial services in Australia, Asia, and the US, I can tell you this approach is bloody expensive. When you're building just for yourself with no one else to support it, you're setting up for failure.

The research backs this up. According to industry analysis, 61% of firms admit their core technology infrastructures still rely on legacy systems. That's more than half of Australian aggregators stuck in technological quicksand.

The Australian market data shows similar patterns locally, with traditional platforms struggling to keep pace with digital transformation. But here's what I find fascinating. While some aggregators are digging deeper holes, others are discovering something powerful.

The partnership advantage is real.

Why DIY Technology Kills Broker Networks

When I see aggregators trying to build their own technology, I know exactly what happens next. They burn through capital, tie up their best people, and end up with something that barely works.

Meanwhile, their broker networks suffer.

Think about it from a broker's perspective. You want tools that make your job easier, data that's accurate, and systems that actually talk to each other. You don't want to be a beta tester for someone's homegrown solution.

The brokers who generate the most business have choices. They'll work with aggregators who give them competitive advantages, not technological headaches.

I've seen this pattern repeat across industries. At Commonwealth Bank, we learned early that trying to build everything in-house was a recipe for mediocrity. The systems that took us from zero to $8 billion in turnover? They succeeded because we partnered with specialists who lived and breathed those specific technologies.

The Expansion Opportunity Hidden in Plain Sight

Here's what most aggregators miss. Technology partnerships don't just solve problems. They create expansion opportunities.

When you partner with a comprehensive technology platform, you're not just getting software. You're getting access to their entire ecosystem of users, integrations, and capabilities.

At Lendhaus, we've connected borrowers with 70 global financiers precisely because we focused on what we do best. We didn't waste years building basic infrastructure. We built relationships and leveraged existing technology to create something more powerful.

The data supports this approach. Research shows that nearly half of brokerages plan to increase their technology spending this year. PwC's regional analysis confirms this trend across Asia Pacific, including Australia, where integrated solutions that boost efficiency and client service are becoming essential.

That's your opportunity.

Smart aggregators are becoming technology curators, not technology builders.

What Strategic Partnership Actually Looks Like

Real partnership goes beyond licensing software. It's about finding platforms that complement your strengths and amplify your reach.

I look for three things in any technology partnership. First, does it solve a problem my clients actually have? Second, can it integrate with existing workflows without massive disruption? Third, does it give us capabilities we couldn't reasonably build ourselves?

The best partnerships feel invisible to your brokers. They just notice that suddenly they can do things faster, access better data, and serve clients more effectively.

Look at what successful platforms have built. They're not just listing platforms. They're marketplaces, marketing engines, lightweight CRMs, and data rooms all in one. They integrate seamlessly with other industry software through partnerships and syndication.

That's the kind of thinking that expands broker networks. The ACCC's digital platforms inquiry highlights how successful aggregators create value through integration rather than replacement. You're not asking brokers to abandon their existing tools. You're giving them something that makes everything work better together.

The 2026 Reality Check

The commercial real estate financing world is changing faster than most people realise. According to Deloitte research, more than $1 trillion in commercial real estate loans are coming due over the next two years globally.

This creates massive pressure on traditional business models. ANZ's property market analysis shows similar pressures building in the Australian market. But it also creates massive opportunity for aggregators who can move quickly.

By 2026, I predict we'll see a clear divide. Aggregators who embraced strategic technology partnerships will have expanded their broker networks significantly. Those who spent these years building their own systems will be struggling to keep up.

The market doesn't care about your technology. It cares about your results.

The goal isn't to own the technology. The goal is to own the relationships.

Building Your Partnership Strategy

If you're ready to move beyond the DIY trap, start with your biggest pain points. Where do brokers complain most about your current systems? Where do you lose deals because your technology can't keep up?

Those pain points are your partnership priorities.

Look for platforms that already serve your market successfully. Don't try to reinvent wheels that are already rolling smoothly. Focus on integration and user experience.

The best technology partnerships feel like natural extensions of your existing business. Your brokers should think you built it specifically for them.

At Lendhaus, our mission is making commercial real estate financing as simple as online stock trading. We couldn't achieve that by building everything ourselves. We achieved it by partnering strategically and focusing on what makes us unique.

Industry analysis shows that strategic partnerships enable access to new markets, shared resources, and reduced risks. The Australian Government's Digital Economy Strategy 2030 reinforces this approach, emphasising collaboration over competition in digital transformation. For aggregators, this translates directly to broker network expansion.

The Future Belongs to Connectors

I believe the most successful aggregators of 2026 will be the ones who stopped trying to build everything and started connecting everything.

Your value isn't in your technology stack. Your value is in your ability to bring the right people together with the right tools at the right time.

The brokers who work with you should feel like they have access to capabilities that would be impossible to build or afford on their own. That's how you expand networks. That's how you create loyalty.

The road to nowhere is paved with good intentions and expensive custom code. The road to expansion is built on strategic partnerships and clear focus.

Choose your road wisely.

The aggregators who figure this out by 2026 will own their markets. The ones who don't will be explaining why their expensive technology couldn't compete with someone else's smart partnerships.

The Global Context: What We're Seeing Worldwide

While Australia faces its own unique challenges, the technology partnership trend is playing out globally with similar patterns.

In the United States, Deloitte's research shows the same $1 trillion in loan maturities creating pressure on traditional aggregation models. American firms that haven't embraced technology partnerships are struggling with the same capital allocation problems we see locally.

The European market tells a similar story. Brexit created additional complexity for UK-based aggregators, forcing many to choose between expensive compliance systems or strategic partnerships with established platforms. Those who chose partnerships have maintained their competitive edge.

In Asia, particularly Singapore and Hong Kong, the regulatory environment has actually accelerated the partnership trend. Firms can't afford to build compliance-heavy systems from scratch when established platforms already meet stringent regulatory requirements.

What's fascinating is that the successful aggregators globally aren't trying to compete with technology platforms. They're partnering with them to focus on what they do best: relationships, market knowledge, and deal origination.

This global trend reinforces what we're seeing in Australia. The firms that recognise this shift early will have the competitive advantage by 2026.

References

1. Online Marketplaces. "What Are Real Estate Aggregators and Are They About to Disappear?" (2024). https://www.onlinemarketplaces.com/articles/what-are-real-estate-aggregators-and-are-they-about-to-disappear/

2. Deloitte. "Commercial Real Estate Outlook 2024." (November 2023). https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/financial-services/commercial-real-estate-outlook-2024.html

3. Brevitas. "The Ultimate CRE Broker Tech Stack: Essential Tools to Grow Your Business." (May 2025). https://brevitas.com/articles/2025/5/the-ultimate-cre-broker-tech-stack-essential-tools-to-grow-your-business

4. CBRE. "Australian Real Estate Market Outlook 2025." (March 2025). https://www.cbre.com.au/insights-and-research

5. ANZ Research. "Australian Property Market Update." (June 2024). https://www.anz.com.au/personal/home-loans/property-research/

6. Australian Government. "Digital Economy Strategy 2030." (May 2024). https://www.digital.gov.au/about-digital-government/digital-economy-strategy-2030

7. Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). "Digital Platforms Inquiry Final Report." (November 2023). https://www.accc.gov.au/publications/digital-platforms-inquiry-final-report

8. PwC. "Emerging Trends in Real Estate Asia Pacific 2025." (January 2025). https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/financial-services/emerging-trends-real-estate/asia-pacific.html

9. Metheus. "Collaborative Partnerships and Alliances: Key to Successful Market Expansion in 2025." (April 2025). https://www.metheus.co/insights/collaborative-partnerships-and-alliances-key-to-successful-market-expansion-in-2025