Meet the team

The people behind Ascent

A finance business founded by a property investor and run by a former commercial banker. Between them, a personal portfolio built from the ground up and a career spent inside the lending system most brokers only see from the outside.

$9M+
Founder's personal
property portfolio
$150M+
Commercial lending
portfolio managed
30+
Lenders on
our panel
2hr
Response
guarantee
Casey Taylor and Adrian Hanson of Ascent Property Finance
Casey Taylor, Founder of Ascent Property Finance
Founder

Casey Taylor

Founder, Ascent Property Finance

Casey has built a personal property portfolio exceeding $9 million. That matters here for a specific reason: the ceilings our clients run into are ones he has hit himself, and worked out how to get past.

He also founded and leads Taylored Property Wealth, a buyer's agency recognised nationally as a finalist for REB Buyer's Agent of the Year in 2026.

Ascent exists because of a pattern he kept seeing. Investors would come to him ready to buy their next property, only to find that the loans behind the first two had quietly used up their capacity. Nothing had gone wrong exactly — each loan had been arranged sensibly, one at a time, by someone who was never asked about the fourth purchase.

Ascent was built to ask that question first, and to structure lending as the architecture a portfolio is built on rather than a transaction to be repeated.

"Most investors aren't held back by their borrowing power. They're held back by how the last three loans were structured."

— Casey Taylor, Founder
Track record
→ Personal property portfolio exceeding $9 million
→ Founder, Taylored Property Wealth
→ National finalist, REB Buyer's Agent of the Year 2026
→ Specialist in portfolio strategy & acquisition
Adrian Hanson, Head Mortgage Broker at Ascent Property Finance
Head Mortgage Broker

Adrian Hanson

Head Mortgage Broker

Before becoming a mortgage broker, Adrian spent years inside the commercial banking system — managing a portfolio of over $150 million in commercial lending and working directly with business owners and sophisticated investors. He saw firsthand how banks assess risk, where applications succeed, and where they quietly fail.

That insider knowledge is what makes Adrian different. He doesn't just submit a loan application and hope for the best. He structures your lending the way a senior banker thinks — anticipating the questions lenders will ask before they ask them.

Adrian's background in accounting laid the foundation. His move into commercial banking sharpened his eye for cash flow, tax implications and long-term portfolio strategy. Today, those skills are fully directed toward one goal: helping clients build wealth through property — whether that's a first home, a growing investment portfolio, or a complex refinancing strategy.

He works across the full range — first-time investors taking their initial step, established clients expanding a portfolio, and those planning to retire within the next five to ten years. The lending is matched to the goal and the risk profile, not the other way round.

"I spent years on the other side of the desk, watching good applications fail on structure rather than substance. Knowing what the credit team is looking for changes how you put a file together."

— Adrian Hanson, Head Mortgage Broker
Qualifications & Accreditations
→ Certificate IV in Finance & Mortgage Broking
→ Diploma of Finance & Mortgage Broking Management
→ Member, Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA)
→ Member, Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA)
→ Background in Accounting & Commercial Banking
→ 7+ Years Finance Experience
Track record

The numbers
behind the experience

$150M+
Commercial lending portfolio managed during banking career — working directly with business owners and sophisticated investors
7+
Years of finance experience spanning accounting, commercial banking, and specialist mortgage broking
30+
Lenders on the Ascent Property Finance panel — from the big four banks to specialist and non-conforming lenders
2hr
Response guarantee on every enquiry — faster than any major bank and most other brokers in the Hunter
What Adrian specialises in

Built for investors.
Ready for everyone.

Investment Property Lending

Adrian's core speciality. From first investment property to multi-property portfolios, he structures lending around long-term growth — factoring in cash flow, tax implications, equity and your next acquisition.

Complex Lending Structures

Commercial banking experience means Adrian is comfortable with complexity — SMSF loans, trust structures, self-employed applicants, and situations where a standard bank application simply won't cut it.

First Home Buyers

Not just applying for a loan — navigating every NSW grant and scheme available. The First Home Owner Grant, First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme stamp duty relief, the First Home Guarantee and Help to Buy. Adrian makes sure first home buyers get every dollar they're entitled to.

Refinancing Strategy

Refinancing isn't just about chasing a lower rate. Adrian reviews your entire loan structure — rate, features, offset accounts, loan splits — and models the actual saving versus the cost of switching before making any recommendation.

Professional Packages

Doctors, nurses, accountants and other professionals can access LMI waivers and preferential loan structures. Adrian has the lender relationships and knowledge to make sure professionals aren't leaving thousands in savings on the table.

Long-Term Wealth Strategy

Adrian's clients aren't just buying a property — they're building a plan. He works with clients who are 5–10 years from retirement, helping them structure lending today so their portfolio is positioned for tomorrow.

How Adrian works

The Ascent Property Finance
approach

Straightforward advice. Proactive communication. A genuine interest in your long-term outcome — not just settling the loan.

Book a free assessment
01
Proactive, not reactive

Adrian doesn't wait for problems to appear. He anticipates what lenders need before they ask, flags potential issues early, and keeps every client informed at every stage of the process.

02
Detail-oriented by nature

An accounting background means a sharp eye for numbers. Loan comparisons, repayment modelling, break-even analysis on refinancing — Adrian does the maths so you know exactly what you're agreeing to.

03
Strategy, not just a transaction

Every loan recommendation is made in the context of your broader financial position and goals. Adrian thinks about your next property before you've settled your current one.

04
One broker, start to finish

You speak with Adrian from your first enquiry through to settlement. No hand-offs, no junior staff taking over, no losing track of what was discussed three weeks ago.

05
Straightforward communication

Finance can be complicated. Adrian's job is to make it simple. Plain language explanations, honest assessments of what's achievable, and no jargon unless it actually helps.

Outside the office

The person
behind the broker

Finance is what Adrian does — but it's not all he is. The same discipline and focus he brings to complex lending structures is what you'll find in everything else he takes on.

Overseas travel
Exploring new countries and cultures whenever the calendar allows
Camping & fishing
Remote locations, off the grid — the more remote the better
Beach holidays
NSW coastline and beyond — the perfect reset
Motorsport
F1 and MotoGP fan — now competing in motorcycle racing

Started motorcycle racing 5 years ago. The same way he approaches complex lending — methodical preparation, calculated risk, and no shortcuts.

Ready to work
with Adrian?

Book a free, no-obligation assessment. Adrian will review your situation, explain your options across 30+ lenders, and give you a clear path forward — usually within 2 hours of your enquiry.

Book Free Assessment Or call Adrian directly — 0411 747 956