Australians typically follow a different path when they are looking to buy a home as compared to the path they would take if they were looking to sell one.

Since the early 20th century, it has been a social norm to have a local real estate agent list and sell your property, regardless of whether it is a family home or an investment property.

So why, then, do we still buy our own properties rather than hiring someone who will assist us in the process?

A few factors are responsible for the decisions Australians make and how it influences their choices.

Australians adore their property

There is a strong likelihood that there will be a serious discussion on the topic of property at any BBQ or social gathering on any given weekend.

There are many Australians who would like to think that they understand the property market well and would be able to pick up the next great deal or find a bargain, but in reality, this is simply a matter of luck.

Many people have had successful property outcomes purely due to the natural rise in the market.

In tight markets, experience plays a significant role when we are looking to purchase the same property.

When we think that we are capable of doing the job ourselves, it is frequently our egos which tell us not to engage a professional, because we believe we can do it better ourselves.

Costs and fees

It is true that using a Buyer’s Advocate does cost money and with good reason.

From the searching and due diligence, to market knowledge and experience, to the tough negotiations, they will coordinate the entire process to ensure that you are able to purchase the best property for the best price.

It’s all here for you, whether you want to participate as much or as little as you would like.

You should be saving yourself the fee that your Advocate charges alone for the negotiation process, let alone the extra growth you will be able to attract with the quality asset they select.

We expect the agent to be paid a commission for marketing a property for sale and negotiating the sale of the property when we sell a property through an agent.

This commission is usually a percentage of the sale price.  In this case, why do we resist this same level of service and expertise when we are buying a house?

Access to information online

There is a great deal of value in the ability to analyze sales history, growth predictions, and suburbs in general.

The problem with all of this information is that it can also be overwhelming, and give buyers ‘paralysis’ because of the numerous choices they have about where to buy and what is a ‘good price’.

It is important to keep in mind that not all of the information available is credible. Several of them are merely based on statistics, without taking current market conditions into account.

In order to make the best decision when it comes to buying a home, you need either to spend a few months monitoring the market and understanding what factors will determine what outcome you end up with OR to hire a professional who will hit the ground running and be able to provide you with expert advice from the very beginning.

Lack of awareness and misconceptions

It is common for most people to get turned off when they hear that an agent is a Buyer’s Advocate, when all it really means is that their main purpose is to assist clients to buy a property successfully.

There has been a misconception that Buyer’s Advocates are only for the wealthy, but this couldn’t be further from the truth

Investing in a Buyer’s Advocate is well worth the expense since the benefits will far outweigh the expenses.

There are a number of benefits of being a real estate agent: knowing the market, knowing the suburbs, working with agents day in and day out, having access to off-market properties, being able to identify the attributes of a top-of-the-line property, and having professional negotiation and bidding skills.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that selling a property is a huge decision that must not be taken lightly, especially since we spend thousands of dollars when it comes to choosing a qualified and experienced local sales agent and trust them to do a good job for us.

Therefore, in order to ensure that your hard-earned dollars are being spent on the highest quality property you can afford, why not use the same logic and appoint a qualified and experienced local Buyer Agent/Advocate?