FAQs

The first thing that a buyer’s agent does is assess the property’s true value. We analyse sales in the same area utilising industry platforms, reports and analytical tools. This enables us to determine the best strategy on how to negotiate a property’s price. Confident in the property’s true value, we can move forward and negotiate based on fact – not emotion.

When buying off-market, our strong rapport with selling agents can provide us with access to additional information and the opportunity to preview properties before listing. We gain an edge in the negotations as we understand the vendor’s price expectations and there is limited competition. A selling agent is much more likely to deal with a buyer’s agent they know and trust, versus a buyer who they have had little or no previous interaction with, because they are more confident they will make the sale.

Real estate agents and buyer’s agents generally bid at auction with differing strategies in mind, although both want to achieve the same outcome – to purchase the property on the client’s behalf.

A buyer’s agent is always bidding in the buyer’s best interests, aiming to secure the property at the best price and to save our client as much as possible.

Whereas the real estate agent is generally focused on listing and selling properties. As such, they may push your budget to the limit in order to secure the purchase, in the hope that they will be able to list your current home should you need to sell.

Saving on the buyers agent’s bidding fee may cost you a lot more than you think…

We use the most reputable source of property data in the country (Corelogic RP Data) as the primary source of the information we consider when analysing properties and location. All information presented on Corelogic is up-to-date (within 1 month) and provides an accurate historical account of the performance of around 15,000 suburbs across the country.

Primarily we consider information that relates to the key drivers of property price growth: being demand, supply and desirability.

In considering demand we look at projected population growth for an area, unemployment statistics, general economic conditions, diversity of jobs, access to high paying employment, personal incomes.

In considering supply we look at forecast dwelling supply, existing dwelling vacancies, existing stock on market, discounting of existing stock on market, online search interest, days on market.

In considering desirability we look at proximity to key amenity such as public transport, parks, recreation, shops, hospitals, suburb desirability rankings etc.

We subscribe to the long held view that location will do 80% of the heavy lifting when it comes to property price growth, as such our priority is selecting the right location (city & suburb) to invest in first and foremost, from there we consider the specifics of the property.

i.e. How desirable is that product type for the location and what are the qualitative considerations such as attractiveness of the property, outlook, etc

Change in the attractiveness of a location is reliant of investment, both public and private, in public infrastructure and amenity such as shops, cafés, recreation etc. Another key consideration is gentrification which will typically occur as a result of an affordability ripple effect – i.e. young families moving into a suburb with a stigma attached as a result of being pushed further out of town due to affordability issues. The young families then begin to change the character of a location through renovation of properties and lesser desirable characters moving out of that location etc.

We strongly encourage each and every client to visit any location they are considering investing in, there is no better way to get a feel for a location than by visiting it. We also recommend clients do their own research into the proposed location using readily available information such as can be found on realestate.com.au and homely.com.au.

While stamp duty can vary slightly from state to state the costs associated with investment are largely similar across all states we are currently considering for investment (VIC, NSW & QLD). Your investment adviser will be able to talk you through all costs associated with the purchase to ensure you are informed from the outset.

It is imperative to look at the relevant recent experience of the developer who is completing the project – this includes reviewing projects successfully completed, along with considering the quality of the builder and the consultant team. At the end of the day a developer is only as good as his last project so we need to be very mindful of this. Luckily with any new property the purchaser has the benefit of a new home warranty which is a statutory warranty that applies to the property for a minimum period of 6 years from completion.

A crucial step in the exercise is to analyse whether or not we are obtaining genuine value for money, regardless of how good a location may be, or how attractive a property may appear to be. This comes with careful analysis of recent sales, inclusions, size of the property and doing our homework in terms of how that property compares to other comparable properties listed for sale at the time we are considering purchasing.