By Laura Nocera, Principal & Co-founder · Updated 21 Oct 2026
Buyers Agent vs Selling Agent: The Difference
Buyers agent vs selling agent: who each one represents, who pays them, and why the selling agent is not representing your interests when you buy.
The core difference between a buyers agent and a selling agent is who they represent. Both are real estate agents. A selling agent, also called the listing agent, works for the seller and works to achieve the best sale price and terms for the seller. A buyers agent works only for the buyer, and is bound to secure the right property on the best terms for you. They sit on opposite sides of the same transaction. Payment differs too: the selling agent is paid a commission by the vendor from the sale proceeds, while a buyers agent is paid by the buyer, usually as a fixed fee or a percentage of the purchase price. Both need the appropriate licence or registration for the state or territory where they operate. If you deal only with the selling agent, the selling agent is not representing your interests. A buyers agent evens that up, giving the purchaser their own expert and negotiator.
When you buy a home, the friendly agent showing you through it does not work for you. They work for the seller, and they are paid to get the highest price. A buyers agent is the opposite: your own representative, paid by you, working to get you the right property on the best terms. This guide explains the difference and why it matters to your wallet.
Side by side
| Selling agent | Buyers agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Represents | The seller | The buyer (you) |
| Goal | Highest sale price | Right property, best terms for you |
| Paid by | The seller, from sale proceeds | You, fixed fee or percentage |
| Loyalty | The vendor | You, exclusively |
| Licensed | Yes | Yes |
Why the difference matters to you
If you only ever deal with the selling agent, the selling agent is not representing you. Every question you ask, every number you reveal, goes to someone paid to maximise the seller’s result. A buyers agent restores the balance: independent advice, evidence from recent sales, and a negotiator on your side.
What independence looks like in practice
A young family asked our opinion on an apartment before they were our clients. We told them the advertised guide understated where it would sell and that it would finish beyond their budget. It did.
Later, as our clients, they fell for a second apartment. As the campaign heated up we reassessed the comparable sales and advised them the price no longer represented the best buying opportunity. They walked away. Weeks after that we secured them a better apartment, in a stronger suburb, off market, for about the same money.
Read the full story: off-market garden apartment secured in South Coogee.
When you still deal with the selling agent
Even with a buyers agent, the selling agent is still part of the process; your agent simply handles them for you. That is the point. Your agent handles those conversations strategically, helping protect sensitive information about your budget, deadline and attachment to the property.
Buyers agent, buyers advocate, vendor advocate
- Buyers agent / buyers advocate. The same thing: represents you when buying.
- Vendor advocate. Represents you when selling, overseeing the selling agent.
Not sure which you need? We will tell you honestly. If you are buying, see how our buyers agent service in Sydney works, or read are buyers agents worth it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a buyers agent and a selling agent?
A selling agent (also called the listing agent) works for the seller and aims for the highest sale price. A buyers agent works only for the buyer and aims to secure the right property on the best terms. They represent opposite sides of the same deal, and each is paid by the party they act for.
Is it worth using a buyers agent instead of dealing with the selling agent?
Often yes, because the selling agent represents the seller's interests. A buyers agent gives you your own expert to search, value and negotiate, which can save you more than the fee, especially in a competitive market. If you know the area well and negotiate confidently, you may manage without one.
Who pays the buyers agent and who pays the selling agent?
The seller pays the selling agent, usually a commission taken from the sale proceeds. The buyer pays the buyers agent directly, typically a fixed fee or a percentage of the purchase price. This is what keeps each agent's loyalty clearly on one side of the transaction.
Do you need a licence to be a buyers agent in Australia?
Yes. A buyers agent must hold the appropriate real estate licence or registration to operate in Australia, the same regulatory framework that covers selling agents. Always confirm your buyers agent is properly licensed before you engage them, and ask about their experience and any industry memberships.
Can one agent act for both the buyer and the seller?
In the same transaction that creates a conflict of interest, because one side wants the highest price and the other the lowest. A buyers agent avoids this by only ever representing the buyer in your deal. It is why independence, working for one side only, is the whole point of a buyers agent.
What is a buyers advocate?
Buyers advocate is simply another name for a buyers agent. Both terms describe a licensed professional who represents the purchaser, sourcing, evaluating and negotiating property on the buyer's behalf. The words are used interchangeably across Australia.
How is a buyers agent different from a vendor advocate?
A buyers agent helps you buy, representing the purchaser. A vendor advocate helps you sell, overseeing the selling agent on the seller's behalf. Both work for you rather than the other side, but one is for buying and the other for selling. Some agencies offer both.
Should a first home buyer use a buyers agent?
It can be valuable if you are unfamiliar with the market, short on time, or worried about overpaying against experienced selling agents. Weigh the fee against the likely saving and stress avoided. Some first-home buyers use an auction bidding service as a lower-cost way to get professional help.
This is not theory
A selection of recent acquisitions. Every one sets out the client brief, the strategy behind our search and the property we secured.
Bondi · $2.65M
$2.65M garden apartment secured in Bondi Beach
Read it →
South Coogee · $1.47M
Off-market garden apartment secured in South Coogee for $1.47M
Read it →
Maroubra · $6.3M
$6.3M block of units secured in Maroubra
Read it →
Newtown · $1.75M
Newtown corner terrace secured $150k below the off-market ask
Read it →
Malabar · $6.36M
$6.36M Malabar family home secured before auction
Read it →
Waverley · $3.5M
$3.5M freestanding house secured in Waverley
Read it →
Elizabeth Bay · $1.3M
First home secured in Elizabeth Bay for $1.3M in three weeks
Read it →
Marrickville · $3.769M
Freehold warehouse secured in Marrickville for $3.769M
Read it →