A great Buyer’s Advocate, particularly one with strong local knowledge, brings insight, access and strategy that most buyers simply can’t achieve on their own. They understand the true market landscape: recent sales, growth pockets, streets to target (or avoid), and which selling agents consistently deliver the best opportunities.

A Buyer’s Advocate also unlocks access to a broader range of properties, including off-market and pre-market opportunities that never reach public advertising.

If time, distance or availability is a challenge, your Buyer’s Advocate becomes your eyes, ears and project manager - inspecting, researching, negotiating and coordinating every step on your behalf.

Most importantly, buying property is a major decision, and the fear of making an expensive mistake is very real. A trusted Buyer’s Advocate provides thorough due diligence, detailed reporting and clear guidance, so you can move forward with confidence, securing the right property, at the right time, for the right price.

Personal recommendations are a great starting point. If that’s not available, review testimonials and recent client outcomes to understand their track record and reputation.

Arrange an initial consultation, in person or virtually, to ensure they genuinely listen, understand your goals, and communicate clearly. Ask about their experience with purchases similar to yours and request a walkthrough of their buying process to confirm it is structured, transparent and thorough.

Trust your instincts. A strong Buyer’s Advocate should quickly build rapport and trust. Those relationship skills are not only important for you, they’re also what help open doors to off-market opportunities and create leverage during negotiations.

A better question is often: what value will this service deliver for you? An experienced Buyer’s Advocate can save you time, reduce risk, improve buying outcomes, and often secure stronger pricing or better-quality properties than buyers can achieve independently.

In highly competitive markets, simply securing the right property can be challenging - let alone navigating negotiations, due diligence and timing with confidence.

As a general guide, Buyer’s Advocate fees typically range between 1%–3% of the purchase price, depending on the level of service provided. Some clients prefer a fixed fee structure, which can absolutely be discussed - both options have advantages depending on your priorities. Most engagements also include an initial engagement or retainer fee.

A transparent fee structure should always be clearly explained upfront, with a focus on value, outcomes and alignment with your goals.