Invest Smarter Grow Faster

Aggregating Australia's Best Vetted Buyer's Agents with Tom Mifsud

Episode Summary

Tom's journey from NAB debt collections at 19 to founding ALBA reveals the future of property investment advisory. With 16 years across major banks, he's seen how inefficiency costs investors thousands. Alba solves the broker problem by applying Royal Commission-level standards to buyer's agent selection, matching investors with vetted experts in under 24 hours. Tom explains why 75% of Australians trust their mortgage broker for property advice, yet brokers can't vet the hundreds of buyer's agent pitches flooding their inbox. From the Channel Nine primetime moment that brought 50 people's worth of leads with only three staff, to why buyer's agent fees keep rising while broker commissions drop, Tom shares startup realities. He reveals the $54,000 opportunity cost of waiting in today's market and why technology will amplify but never replace human investment conversations. With buyer's agents growing from 7% to potentially 80% market penetration, understanding how to access quality advice without the legwork has never been more critical.

Episode Notes

Alba solves the broker problem by applying Royal Commission-level standards to buyer's agent selection, matching investors with vetted experts in under 24 hours. Tom explains why 75% of Australians trust their mortgage broker for property advice, yet brokers can't vet the hundreds of buyer's agent pitches flooding their inbox.

From the Channel Nine primetime moment that brought 50 people's worth of leads with only three staff, to why buyer's agent fees keep rising while broker commissions drop, Tom shares startup realities. He reveals the $54,000 opportunity cost of waiting in today's market and why technology will amplify but never replace human investment conversations.

With buyer's agents growing from 7% to potentially 80% market penetration, understanding how to access quality advice without the legwork has never been more critical.

(0:00) Growing up in Melbourne's northwest

(10:00) From banking to buyer's advocacy: the Alba vision

(32:00) Why broker commissions drop while buyer's agent fees rise

(48:00) The Channel Nine refinance war story that created chaos

About Tom:

Thomas Mifsud has built his career at the intersection of property, finance, and innovation with a mission to make the property buying process smarter, faster, and more transparent for Australians.

With over 16 years of experience across major banks and private lending including leadership roles at NAB, Bendigo Bank, ANZ’s 1835i, and Wingate - he’s seen firsthand how both investors and professionals can get caught in inefficiencies, misinformation, and missed opportunities.

As the Founder of ALBA - Australian Leading Buyers Agents, Tom is pioneering a new model: a national aggregation of trusted, ethical, and vetted buyer’s agents that connect investors to the right expert in less than 24 hours. His focus is simple: protect leverage, build long-term wealth, and raise the bar across the buyer’s agent industry.