Property Investing: What I’ve Seen From the Inside (and From Talking to Buyers’ Agents)
I didn’t always see the value in buyers’ agents.
In fact, for a long time, I thought they were wildly overpriced.
Before mortgage broking, I spent over seven years in financial services, working in holistic, goals-based advice. Clients paid a clear fee for advice, and more often than not, they saw a substantial return on that investment over time. It made sense.
So when I first looked at buyers’ agents charging two to three times more than that, for what looked like a single, transactional outcome, I honestly thought: how is this justified?
It wasn’t until I moved into mortgage broking, and started working closely with the right buyers’ agents, that my view shifted.
Not because the fees changed.
But because I finally saw the cost of not having that expertise.
The Fee Everyone Fixates On (and the Cost They Don’t)
Yes, buyers’ agents charge a fee.
Typically somewhere between $8,000 and $15,000.
Ironically, that’s often less than what many lenders charge for Lenders Mortgage Insurance — a cost that delivers zero upside to the borrower. But that’s a conversation for another day.
What I started noticing was this:
people obsess over the visible fee, while completely missing the invisible cost of delay, indecision, and poor asset selection.
And that invisible cost is usually far higher.
The Pattern I See Again and Again
I can’t count how many times I’ve spoken to people who were fully qualified to buy an investment property, borrowing capacity confirmed, deposit ready, who never actually bought.
Not because they didn’t want to.
But because:
the market felt “too hard”
confidence dropped as conditions shifted
life got busy
research became overwhelming
weekends disappeared into inspections
decision fatigue crept in
Months turned into years.
And to date, I’ve never had someone say, “I’m really glad we stayed out of the market.”
What I have seen is people quietly miss out on $250,000–$500,000 in opportunity cost, depending on how long they stayed on the sidelines.
Obviously, not every market moves the same way, and not everyone would have had the same outcome, but the pattern is consistent enough to matter.
What This Looks Like in Reality
Most aspiring investors I speak to are actually in a solid position:
They’re working with a good broker
The loan structure is sound
They understand tax advantages
The intent is there
But these are the friction points that stall momentum:
Time and Energy
You work 9–5. You want a life too.
If you’re doing this solo, buying an investment property can easily become a six-month (or longer) process.
In the right markets, six months of growth can be $50,000 without you lifting a finger.
Local Bias
Most people only feel confident buying where they live.
Interstate investing feels risky when you don’t understand the nuances, the data, or the on-the-ground realities.
Asset Confusion
House vs townhouse.
New vs established.
Yield vs growth.
Cash flow vs long-term equity.
Even smart people get paralysed here.
No Access to Off-Market Opportunities
By the time something hits realestate.com.au, you’re often competing with everyone else.
All of this chips away at confidence.
And confidence is the real currency in property decisions.
The Silent Killer: Opportunity Cost
This is the part that doesn’t feel painful.
No invoice.
No direct debit.
No obvious loss.
But it compounds quietly.
Buying the wrong property type can mean a decade of flat growth
High-density apartments are a common offender here
Buying locally because it’s familiar can mean missing stronger markets elsewhere
Waiting too long can mean affordability disappears altogether
If someone told you they were about to erase $500,000 of equity from your balance sheet, you’d panic.
But when that same amount disappears slowly through inaction, it barely registers.
Why My Perspective Changed
I’ll be honest — writing this still makes me cringe a little.
I’m a mortgage broker talking positively about buyers’ agents.
That’s not a sales angle. It’s lived experience.
I didn’t get into this space to push debt or transactions.
I got into it because I saw how often people wanted to build wealth, but were blocked byuncertainty, overwhelm, or lack of support.
Can I guarantee markets always go up? No.
Can I guarantee property investing is easy? Definitely not.
But I can say this with confidence:
I’ve seen far more people regret not acting than acting imperfectly with the right support.
A Thought That Stuck With Me
A good friend once said something that reframed this entirely:
“People are happy to spend $50,000 on a degree that gives them nothing immediately,
but hesitate to spend money on advice to buy an asset that could return ten times that.”
Seen that way, the right advice isn’t a cost.
It’s a form of education, often with far more upside.
Final Thoughts
A buyers’ agent isn’t for everyone.
And not all buyers’ agents are created equal.
But if you’ve ever thought about investing in property, and you recognise yourself in any of the scenarios above, it’s at least worth serious consideration.
Not because it guarantees success.
but because the cost of doing nothing is often far higher than people realise.
💬 Use the contact form, or book a meeting to see how the right expertise could make a difference for you.
