By Laura Nocera, Principal & Co-founder · Updated 21 Oct 2026
What Does a Buyers Agent Do?
What a buyers agent actually does: the full process from brief to settlement, what they do not do, and who benefits most from hiring one in Sydney.
A buyers agent is a licensed real estate professional who represents the buyer, and only the buyer, through a property purchase. Their job is to save you time and money by managing the whole process: defining your brief, searching on-market listings and using industry connections to reach off-market and pre-market homes, inspecting and shortlisting properties on your behalf, and evaluating each one against recent comparable sales. They then handle due diligence, negotiate the price and terms, or bid at auction, and guide you through to settlement. Unlike a selling agent, who is paid by and represents the seller to get the highest price, a buyers agent is hired by you and protects your interests, aiming to secure the right property at the best price. In short, a buyers agent is the buyer's expert, negotiator and advocate, doing the work most buyers have neither the time nor the market access to do alone.
A buyers agent is your expert on the buying side of a property deal. While the selling agent works to get the vendor the highest price, a buyers agent works only for you, doing the searching, valuing and negotiating that most buyers have neither the time nor the market access to do alone. Here is exactly what that involves.
What a buyers agent actually does
- Defines your brief. Turns a vague wish list into a clear mandate: budget, must-haves, deal-breakers.
- Searches on and off-market. Public listings plus industry connections that reach homes before they are advertised.
- Inspects and shortlists. Pre-screens and attends inspections, so you only see homes worth your time.
- Evaluates value. Prices each home against recent comparable sales, and runs due diligence for hidden problems.
- Negotiates and settles. Negotiates the price and terms, or bids at auction, then guides you through to settlement.
The five stages on a real purchase
A Bondi purchase shows the sequence compressed into one week. Saturday: a property came onto our radar while the clients were away; we inspected it that day and filmed a walkthrough for them. Monday: private inspection as soon as they were back in Sydney. Tuesday: contract with the solicitor, building and pest inspection completed, report the same day, strata report ordered. Thursday: strata report reviewed, no material concerns. Friday: second inspection, offer, negotiation against a competing buyer, contracts exchanged at 10:39pm.
The negotiation only worked because every stage before it was already done.
Read the full story: $2.65M garden apartment secured in Bondi Beach.
What a buyers agent does not do
It is worth being straight about the limits. A buyers agent does not lend you money, and does not replace your solicitor or conveyancer. They manage the property side and work alongside your lender and legal representative, who handle the finance and the legal transfer. Think of the buyers agent as the person making sure you buy the right property, at the right price, with thorough research and coordinated checks.
That is exactly the service we run: see how our full property search works.
Who benefits most
- Buyers with no spare time who cannot give up their weekends to inspections.
- Interstate or overseas buyers who cannot be on the ground.
- Buyers in competitive markets where off-market access and negotiation matter most.
- Investors who need the numbers to work as well as the location.
Frequently asked questions
What does a buyers agent do?
A buyers agent manages the whole purchase for you: defining your brief, searching on and off-market homes, inspecting and shortlisting them, valuing each against comparable sales, running due diligence, and negotiating or bidding through to settlement. They represent the buyer exclusively, unlike the selling agent who works for the vendor.
What is the difference between a buyers agent and a selling agent?
A selling agent works for the seller to get the highest price. A buyers agent works only for the buyer to secure the right property at the best price. They sit on opposite sides of the same transaction, and each is paid by the party they represent.
Do you need a licence to be a buyers agent in Australia?
Yes. Buyers agents need the appropriate real estate licence or registration for the state or territory where they operate, including supervision where required. Check their credentials with the relevant government regulator before engaging them.
How much does a buyers agent charge?
Fees vary depending on the service and scope of your search. Some agents charge a fixed fee, while others charge a percentage of the purchase price. Ask for the fee, GST and service inclusions in writing before you commit. Contact us for a quote tailored to your requirements.
Is it worth having a buyers agent?
For many buyers in competitive markets like Sydney, yes, if the agent saves you more than they charge through off-market access, negotiation and avoiding a costly mistake. It is less worthwhile if you know your suburb well, have time to search, and negotiate confidently yourself.
What is a buyers advocate?
Buyers advocate is another name for a buyers agent. Both describe a licensed professional who represents the purchaser, sourcing, evaluating and negotiating property on the buyer's behalf. The terms are used interchangeably across Australia.
Do buyers agents find off-market properties?
Yes, and it is one of their biggest advantages. Because they work with selling agents daily, buyers agents hear about homes offered quietly before any public campaign. In tightly held Sydney markets like the Eastern Suburbs, that access can be the difference between buying and missing out.
Does a buyers agent handle the whole purchase, including settlement?
A buyers agent manages the property side end to end: search, evaluation, negotiation and coordination through to settlement. They work alongside your solicitor or conveyancer and your lender, who handle the legal transfer and the finance, so the whole purchase runs smoothly.
Can a buyers agent help investors, not just home buyers?
Yes. Buyers agents assist both owner-occupiers and investors. For investors, the focus shifts to the numbers, yield, growth potential, tenant demand and location, but the core service is the same: independent sourcing, evaluation and negotiation on the buyer's behalf.
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
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Maroubra · $6.3M
$6.3M block of units secured in Maroubra
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Newtown · $1.75M
Newtown corner terrace secured $150k below the off-market ask
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Malabar · $6.36M
$6.36M Malabar family home secured before auction
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Waverley · $3.5M
$3.5M freestanding house secured in Waverley
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Elizabeth Bay · $1.3M
First home secured in Elizabeth Bay for $1.3M in three weeks
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Marrickville · $3.769M
Freehold warehouse secured in Marrickville for $3.769M
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