What Does a Buyer’s Agent Actually Do? (and What They Don’t)
A buyer’s agent is engaged by the purchaser, not the seller, which flips the usual dynamic of a property transaction. But ‘buyer’s agent’ covers a range of service levels, so it pays to know what you’re actually paying for.
What a full-service buyer’s agent typically covers
- Shortlisting properties that match your brief, including off-market opportunities
- Attending inspections and auctions on your behalf
- Due diligence support alongside your conveyancer
- Negotiating price and terms directly with the selling agent
What they generally don’t do
A buyer’s agent isn’t a mortgage broker, a conveyancer, or a building inspector — you’ll still need those separately, though a good agent will coordinate with them. See our guides on borrowing capacity and building and pest inspections for those pieces.
Firms operating in this space
Buyer’s agents range from boutique, single-operator practices to larger firms. Examples active in the Australian market include PivotPB, Alcove, Investeps Property, Strike, Liviti, and Aus Property Professionals — worth comparing a few rather than going with the first one you find.
Deciding if you need one
If you’re weighing this up, our guide to interviewing a buyer’s agent has the specific questions worth asking before you commit.
