Fintech’s new ambassador targets homeowners and agents navigating the risks of buying before they sell
Bridgit, the Australian bridging finance fintech founded in 2021, has appointed Tom Panos as brand ambassador, with the company looking to take its “Buy Now, Sell Later” bridging loan offer directly to homeowners and the real estate agents advising them.
The appointment targets a problem that is becoming more common for upgraders. When a homeowner commits to buying their next property before selling their existing one, they are exposed on three fronts: the sale takes longer than expected, the price comes in below what they needed, or the cost of carrying a bridging loan through that uncertainty eats into the gain.
According to property data firm Cotality, the median time to sell a capital city home has risen from 23 to 39 days over the past year. A homeowner carrying a bridging loan through that extra time is paying a higher interest rate on a short-term facility, with no certainty on when – or at what price – their existing home will sell.
It is the problem Bridgit aims to address with its “Buy Now, Sell Later” proposition.
Panos sits at the point in the transaction where that decision gets made. Over a 30-year career experience, he is one of Australia’s best-known real estate coaches and auctioneers who founded the Real Estate Gym, co-hosts the Million Dollar Agent podcast with John McGrath, and has run more than 900 agent workshops across Australia and New Zealand.
With a combined social media following of over 300,000, Panos is recognised as one of the most trusted faces in the industry, and one Bridgit considers will bring authenticity, knowledge and relatability to his audience.
Aaron Bassin, founder and chief executive of Bridgit in Sydney, said: “I’ve admired what Tom has built and have been a fan for a long time, so I am thrilled to have him join as one of Bridgit’s ambassadors. Tom has stood in more auction rooms and trained more agents than almost anyone in this country. He’s seen what happens when a buyer can’t move until they’ve sold. Nobody explains the problem better, and nobody is more trusted by the agents who see it first."
Panos added: “Whenever I’m looking to partner with either a business or an individual, I need to be passionate about what they're doing and how they’re making a difference. When I first met with Bridgit and Aaron, their CEO and Founder, I realised quite quickly that they were the panadol for the headache that buyers are facing. Being able to buy now and sell later is a big thing for homeowners and Bridgit can do it quickly, efficiently and for more Australians than what other traditional lenders can do."
Panos' appointment also comes at a point of rapid growth for Bridgit, with the company’s loan book passed $1 billion in July 2026 and its lending grew 168% between FY2025 and FY2026.
