There are hundreds of buyers’ agents, how do I choose one that’s right for me?

You have to find a local buyers’ agent you can trust and one you feel has understood your property buying goals.

Look at their online reviews to make sure you are dealing with a credible and professional buyer’s agent. Check out the clients great reviews for Curtis Associates.

Call or meet with them in person to see if they measure up to your standards.

Don’t be shy to ask for contact details of past recent clients you can call to discuss how those clients felt about them after the buying dust had settled. Also, make sure they explain their systems and processes for working with you.

Remember, you are about to embark on a very significant transaction, so you have to trust them 100%.

Here are some hard hitting questions for you to ask which should be answered with hard evidence:

• how long have you been a buyers’ agent?
• what qualifications do you have to appraise a property and advise on its price?
• as the barriers to becoming a buyers’ agent are low and there is no dedicated continuing professional development (CPD) for buyers’ agents, what else do you do to keep up with the complex and fast changing Sydney residential, commercial, industrial and alternative property markets?
•  is advising me to buy the right property more important than your turnover?
• do you or any related entity also:
  • sell properties
  • provide vendor advocacy
  • manage properties bought as a buyer’s agent
  • act concurrently for different buyers with similar criteria
  • pay to or receive from selling agents any referral fees or other rewards?
  • If so, how do you manage the conflicts of interest?
• do you agree or disagree with this article ?
• what is your reputation with local area selling agents?
• have you ever caused a selling agent to send a broadcast like this before closing the door on you (as has happened with several buyers’ agents unlike Cutis Associates): “At one of our recent open inspections in Fairlight, we welcomed 30 groups through the property. During our follow-ups, one of the interested buyers advised that they would need to sell their current property before proceeding. As part of our process, we conducted a market appraisal, and they are now looking to sell with us. However, upon further discussion, this soon-to-be vendor informed us that a buyer’s agent introduced themselves during our open home, obtained their address, and later dropped a handwritten letter in their letterbox stating they had a buyer for their home. This approach is entirely inappropriate. Buyer’s agents are welcome to inspect our properties, but if we discover that they are directly approaching our clients, they will not be permitted to attend future inspections. We expect all professionals to respect ethical boundaries, and we will take necessary steps to ensure this standard is upheld” ?
• can you provide three recent examples in each of these situations, where your skills as a buyer’s agent:
  • stopped your client from making an unwise property purchase
  • reduced the price your client paid for a property?
• what is your PI insurance limit?
• are you available 24/7?
• do you check every purchase after six months to see whether or not your clients have made a capital gain or loss?
• or do you just claim you will save me money? If so, how do you prove that claim?
• what and when have you bought properties for clients in my areas of interest?
• do you offer a fixed fee regime so I can budget?
• are your due diligence reports just re-badged third party, AI enhanced Market Appraisals or detailed and reliable original reports including in field research?
• what is your average purchase price?
• are more than:
  • 90% of your clientele repeat and referrals
  • 85% of your purchases off market?
• is your success rate finding and buying properties more than 90%?
• does it usually take you more than a month to find and buy?
• how large is your data base and how often is it updated?