Lead essay
Red flags when hiring a buyer's agent
Unlicensed operators, guaranteed bargains, pressure to skip inspections, and a success fee that still bites if you find the house yourself — these are not quirks. They are reasons to stop the meeting.
Victorian terrace house, North Fitzroy, Melbourne, by Rohanstorey via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Topic hubs
Pitch a guest essayThe brief
How buyers agents work
What a buyer's agent actually does in Australia, who they work for, and how to decide whether you need one.
The paperwork
Fees and contracts
Percentage fees, fixed fees, retainers and the buyer's agency authority — what you sign before anyone searches.
On the ground
City guides
How the job changes in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and the regions.
The campaign
Buying process
Auctions, private treaty, off-market stock, negotiation and settlement when a buyer's agent is in the room.
Due diligence
Checks and red flags
Licence checks, conflicts, inspections and the moments when you should walk away from an agent — or a house.
From the journal
Downsizers: when a buyer's agent makes the move easier
Downsizing is two campaigns at once — selling a long-held home and buying a smaller one — often under family pressure and a clock. A licensed buyer's agent can run the purchase file so you are not negotiating against a selling agent while the removalist waits.
3 June 2026
When you do not need a buyer's agent
A buyer's agent is a paid professional, not a moral requirement. If you have already found the house, the campaign is quiet, and you can hold a number, the adult decision may be to keep the fee and spend it on inspections and a lawyer.
28 May 2026
Engagement fees and retainers: what you pay before the search starts
Most firms take money before they search. That engagement fee or retainer is often credited against the success fee — and often is not refundable if you never buy. Ask the three questions that decide whether the upfront payment is a deposit or a sunk cost.
21 May 2026
Canberra and regional buyer's agents
Canberra is a planned city with public-service moves baked into the calendar. Regional Australia adds a second problem: the licence and the kilometres have to match the state you are buying in.
19 May 2026
REBAA membership and professional standards
The Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia is a professional association, not a regulator. Membership can be a useful signal. It is not a licence, and it is not a substitute for the public register.
14 May 2026
Interstate and overseas buyers using a buyer's agent
Distance is the cleanest reason to hire a licensed buyer's agent, provided they are licensed in the state of the property and they do not also act for the seller. Video is not an inspection, and a national brand is not a licence.
14 May 2026
Write for Find Buyers Agents
We commission original Australian essays on hiring a buyer's agent, reading a contract, and buying without being rushed. Guest work is edited to our standards. Paid links, if any, carry rel="sponsored".