How a buyer’s agent sources the right property 

Here, he explains some of the many research elements that comprise the work a buyer’s agent does behind the scenes.

Tell us about the elements that go into sourcing properties.

Building strong relationships with real estate agents is crucial to our success. Our team engages with over 100 agents daily, which enables us to stay ahead of the market and gain access to off-market opportunities that may not be widely known to the public.

It’s both a quantitative and qualitative process that is very labour intensive – but needs to be done.

Being a buyer’s agent involves an immense amount of research. What do you enjoy about that process?

I really enjoy learning about different markets and locations around the country. We’ll do field trips and visit locations, too, which helps get a clearer understanding whilst being on the ground.

Day-to-day, I work closely with Kev to deep dive into the data and examine how different factors play out, taking in considerations such as overall macroeconomics, supply and demand, and consumer sentiment. It’s all fascinating to me.

What does good due diligence look like?

In doing due diligence, it is so important to recognise the elements that can influence capital growth potential, and conversely, what can be a detractor and negatively impact growth.

It’s about having a clear approach from the macro, into the micro -- so you are just following a methodical process, having all bases covered and not second guessing anything.

From the macro perspective, you’re looking at the economic stability of the area or region, building approvals (which will impact future supply), current supply levels as well as demand factors such as sales Days on Market (DOM).

From a micro perspective, will be checking where the property is situated within town and if there are any nearby issues/concerns.

What are some things that buyers might frequently overlook in due diligence?

Buyers can all too often forget to assess things such as flood and bushfire risk, particularly in regions prone to these elements. This can significantly affect both property safety and insurability.

The concentration of public and social housing in the area should also be taken into account. High concentrations can influence local property values, rental demand, and neighbourhood dynamics.

Analysing the owner-occupier to renter ratios is also important because they provide insight into the stability and demand within a neighbourhood dynamics

Finding the right property is a fine art. In your opinion, how important is mentorship in learning the ropes of becoming a buyer’s agent?

I strongly believe the best experience comes from your own personal experience as an investor. Many will make mistakes, it’s about learning from them and helping clients avoid doing the same thing.

Once something also works well and you’ve found the blueprint, that can also be replicated for the benefits of clients.

Mentorship is crucial in levelling up. For me, Kev is a crucial guide in aspects that I am unable to see from an outside perspective.

Moreover, I believe anyone who wants to truly be elite and what they do should be challenged whilst supported, and mentorship provides that.

Why is it important to consider the unique needs of a client in recommending properties?

Clients will have a range of factors that determine if a property is right for them. These can include yield targets, openness to renovations and portfolio diversity.

Some clients are in a position where they require shorter term growth to build their portfolio faster. Sometimes this can come at a cost of buying in more heated markets, also where some growth has already occurred.

Other clients may already have a portfolio and are looking to diversity into another market that is not super heated right now, yet presents an opportunity to buy with less competition.

Others are buying in a SMSF which has limitations on how they can access growth. For example, they can’t refinance the equity so renovations may not make sense here, but perhaps assets that are in great condition to hold (minus maintenance) until they plan to sell.