Frequently Asked Questions

1.  What is a Buyers Agent/Buyers Advocate?

Buyers Agent is the term that is typically used to describe a Buyers Advocate in the Northern States of Australia and in the United States. Either way the service is still the same in that as a Buyer you are independently represented to ensure you obtain the right property at the right price!

Buyers Advocates/Buyers Agent only commenced in Australia just over 18 years ago. There are now over 200 buyers advocates Australia wide. Like any industry that is growing it is important that you do your research to ensure that any Buyers Advocate/Buyers Agent company has a strong track record.

2.   How are you different from normal real estate agents? 

We differ from real estate agents by the fact that as Buyers Advocates/Agents we do not sell property or act in the vendors interest but we search, act and buy property on behalf of the purchaser.

3.   How are you qualified?

Yes.  We are qualified, licensed real estate agents through the REIV.

   
4.   How are you independent?

As we act for the purchaser only, we do not sell property or take commissions on behalf of vendors, property developers or real estate agents.

5.   I’m looking to sell my property, can you find buyers for me?

Yes. If you have a property you are looking to sell either through a real estate agent or you are privately selling your property yourself, please speak to us by calling 03 9818 4499 or by making an enquiry.

6.    What areas do you operate in? 

We search and acquire property in the Melbourne metropolitan area. Click here for more information.

7.   Do you assist up to settlement? 

Yes. We assist you up to settlement for either the Negotiation and Auction Bidding Service or the  Full Search and Acquisition Service

8. Are your fees negotiable? 

Yes. If you find that our quoted fees are not to your satisfaction, call us now and let us know!

9. Can you project manage the whole purchase process?

Yes.  We project manage the whole purchase process from beginning to end. Click here to find out more about our Full Search and Acquisition Service

10. Can you purchase on our behalf?

Yes.  The appointment forms and authority to purchase forms allows us to purchase the agreed property on your behalf. We act as  your agent/power of attorney. We do not purchase the property ourselves and then sell the  property back to you.

11. What is the maximum cost if you don’t find a property?

If we are unsuccessful in find the property you want, all you will be up for is the registration fee of $990.

12. What’s the average time to buy a property? 

There average time to buy a property varies, depending on the specific nature of the request and the amount of supply in the market place.

13. Is it really possible to buy off market property?

Yes. Often we are approached by private vendors and real estate agents who have clients that are looking to sell quickly but have reasons for not putting their property officially on the market place. Some of these reasons include the time frame in launching into a full marketing campaign, costs of marketing the property and avoiding the inconveniencies of having the public walk through a private property. We find that purchasing off the market is one of the successful strategies in securing the right property.

14. On average, how much do you save your clients? 

One of our key objectives is to ensure that our clients do not pay a dollar more than they should do. There is no doubt that our negotiation skills should put you in a better position than if you were to negotiate on your own. Putting a figure on this is very subjective particularly if a property goes to auction.

15. How do we put a value on a property?

Our buyers Advocates are experienced property consultants who have a very good feel for a properties worth. We substantiate this by our property reports which include comparable sales and our judgement on the positive and negative points that make the subject property unique.

16. Can I rely on the quoted range from a real estate agent? 

Each agency is very different on how they quote their prices. The quote range should only be ever used as an indicator as in a strong market the eventual sale price can end up being significantly higher. Buyers Advocate can help by providing an objective view based on our understanding of the property and the market. Knowing the true value of the property is critical to a successful negotiation.

If you have any questions which are not covered by the FAQ’s, send us an enquiry by clicking here.