Kev Tran Group brings fresh perspective to the buyer’s agency industry

A key part of the winning team for Buyer’s Agent of the Year at the REB Awards the last two years running, Kev Tran has now struck out on his own – and already notched a nomination for the award in his own right in 2024. Together with his team of four, Tran is excited to bring a fresh perspective to the industry as head of his firm, the Kev Tran Group.

What was your aim in establishing the Kev Tran Group?

I started the company to create a data driven, ethical buyers agency, helping Australian’s build sustainable property portfolios, relevant to today’s lending and property environment.

We help buyers cut through the noise, sharing holistic property strategies, research and due diligence methods, tailored to individual situations – from those who never want to feel the pain of financial insecurity again, to those looking to build portfolios and create a legacy for future generations.

How do you help buyers define their goals?

Firstly we take a step back and help them understand their “why” for investing.

Without a strong ‘why’, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the various and guaranteed obstacles which will occur (cash flow concerns, land tax changes, maintenance issues).

If that happens, buyer’s may make mistakes such as selling earlier than they should, as they don’t have the wider lens to view from.

And when I ask about their “why,” I don’t mean the surface level reason of wealth creation, I want to learn more about someone’s views.

For some, it could be to work towards buying or upgrading their principal place of residence. For some it’s a self funded retirement. For others like myself, it could be a strong drive to never feel financially insecure again like I felt when I was younger – and seeing how a lack of money or financial security can impact the family dynamic.

Once we are clear on the “why,” we then look at the what. What is it we are trying to achieve long term? For example a portfolio value, or passive income goal.

Throughout these conversations, I remind clients that the more ambitious the goal, the more aggressive the plan will likely need to be, and we also need to factor in their risk appetite and other lifestyle considerations too -- who wants to put all their money into property and not go on holidays?

Being clear on all these, we can work backgrounds and map out how many properties we’ll need to get to the final goal, along with stepping stone goals, and expected time frames, being conservative with our expectations.

What professionals should property investors have in their team, and how do you help connect buyers to the right people?

For the strategy aspect a mortgage broker is definitely a crucial team member. Ideally someone who has a portfolio themselves or has worked with many investor clients.

In my initial calls with clients, if they are asking certain questions like about purchasing entities, trusts, SMSFs or if they are business owners, I will often then refer them to a property savvy accountant who can provide advice on those questions.

And if they are also seeking holistic advice it may make sense to speak to a financial adviser as well.

For the transaction, buyers will need a conveyancer or solicitor specific to the state they will be buying in – someone who can provide advice and not just do the administrative side of the transaction.

A solid building and pest inspector is critical, along with a local expert property manager.

What are the elements that make a great buyer’s agent?

- A specialist in their chosen field, whether it be in the national investment space, or local owner-occupier, as opposed to being a jack of all trades. It’s that focus that sets them apart.

- Someone who provides full transparency to clients, educating in the journey and quantifying all decisions.

- Providing genuine post-settlement support and always having a long-term view with the client in mind.

- Lastly, recognising that we’re not perfect, and it’s how we respond to situations and our care for others are what will create a lasting impression.

Who makes up the team at the Kev Tran Group?

Mitch Todd: Mitch is an experienced property investor and buyer’s agent with a multi property portfolio across the country. He is our head of acquisitions and supports myself and the wider team in sourcing and securing high quality properties for our clients.

Andreas Gavrilidis: Andreas is a buyer’s agent with extensive experience as a sales agent as well. Andreas is strong at building relationships and also understands how sales agents operate and their negotiation tactics.

Nikka Dimalanta: Nikka is our customer success specialist who supports our team and clients, ensuring the complex journey of property investing is smooth.

What’s your aim heading into 2025?

I want to ensure our clients are serviced well by keeping up our high standards of both due diligence and time-to-buy. There is difficulty is scaling whilst maintaining and exceeding client experiences and that’s why I am committed to re-investing into the business to ensure we can provide that support.

Looking ahead we will also be growing the team and taking some trips to hot markets we buy in. Personally, I am looking to expand my portfolio by another two properties.