Let's talk about the number everyone wants to know before anything else.
In Australia, a buyer's agent will usually cost you somewhere between $8,000 and $30,000. It depends on the property price, the location, and how much of the job they're doing for you.
That's real money. So let's be honest about when it makes sense and when it doesn't.
What you're actually paying for
You're not paying someone to browse realestate.com.au for you. You could do that on the couch tonight.
You're paying for three things. Knowing what a property is genuinely worth, not what the selling agent says it's worth. Negotiating against professionals who do this every single day. And catching the problems buried in strata reports and contracts before you sign, not after.
The maths on overpaying
Here's the bit most people miss.
Say you're buying an $850,000 property. Overpaying by just 3 percent is $25,500. That happens quietly all the time, and you usually never find out, see our full breakdown of how buyers overpay without ever knowing it.
The person on the other side of the deal negotiates property every day of their working life. You do it maybe three or four times ever. That gap costs money.
So a $12,000 fee against a $25,000 overpayment isn't an expense. It's cheap insurance.
Flat fee or percentage?
Most reputable agents charge a flat fee. Be wary of anyone charging a percentage of the purchase price, because it quietly rewards them when you pay more. That's backwards.
Always ask how they're paid before you engage anyone. If the answer isn't immediate and clear, keep looking. Our 7 questions to ask before you pay a buyer's agent anything covers this in more detail.
One more thing on fees
For investment properties, the fee generally gets added to your cost base, which can reduce capital gains tax down the track. Check with your accountant, everyone's situation is different. You can also use our mortgage repayment calculator to see how the fee compares to your overall loan costs.
Worth it or not?
If you're buying in a market you genuinely know inside out, maybe not.
If you're buying interstate, buying your first investment, or you just don't have 15 hours a week to research properly, the fee usually pays for itself on the purchase price alone. Everything else is a bonus.
The catch is that fees vary wildly and so does quality. Converta matches you with a vetted buyer's agent who specialises in exactly what you're buying, with clear upfront pricing before you commit to anything. Free to use, no obligation, first call within 24 hours.