If you’re buying property in Australia, you’ve probably come across two very different professionals who both call themselves ‘agents,’ and confusing them could cost you tens of thousands of dollars. Many Australians don’t fully understand the difference between a buyers agent and a real estate agent, and a significant number aren’t even searching for a buyers agent simply because they don’t know the role exists.
A real estate agent works for the seller, with a legal duty to secure the highest possible price and the best terms for their client, not you.
A buyers agent, on the other hand, is engaged exclusively by the purchaser, working solely in your interests from search through to settlement.
At Moove, we exist to make sure every Australian buyer knows this option is available, giving everyday people the same professional representation, market intelligence, and negotiating power that sellers have always enjoyed. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how these two roles differ, who pays who, and why the choice matters for your next purchase.
What Is a Real Estate Agent / Selling Agent?
A real estate agent, often called a selling agent or listing agent in Australia, is a licensed professional engaged directly by the property seller (the vendor) to market and sell their property. Their core legal and contractual duty is to act in the vendor’s best interests, which means achieving the highest possible sale price and the most favourable terms for the person selling, not for the person buying. Every action a selling agent takes, from setting the listing price to running negotiations, is guided by this obligation to the vendor.
A real estate agent is paid by the vendor, typically through a commission calculated as a percentage of the final sale price, deducted from the proceeds at settlement. Commission rates in Australia are unregulated and vary by state and market, generally falling somewhere between 1.6% and 3% of the sale price, though some agents charge higher in regional areas or lower in highly competitive metro markets. Because the agent’s pay is directly tied to the sale price, a real estate agent is financially motivated to push that figure as high as possible, which is the opposite of what a buyer wants.
In practice, a real estate agent’s day-to-day work includes appraising the property, developing a marketing and advertising strategy, hosting open homes and private inspections, qualifying interested buyers, and managing the negotiation and contract process through to exchange and settlement. Many buyers meet a real estate agent for the first time at an open home, where the agent is often warm, helpful, and happy to answer questions about the property. That friendliness can easily be mistaken for impartial advice, but a real estate agent representing the seller has no legal obligation to look out for a buyer’s interests, no matter how the conversation feels.
This is precisely the imbalance a buyers agent exists to correct. While the seller has a professional in their corner whose entire role is to extract the best possible outcome on their behalf, most buyers walk into the same negotiation with no equivalent support, working from general online research and whatever the selling agent chooses to share.
At Moove, our buyers agents are engaged solely by the purchaser, giving everyday Australians the same calibre of professional representation, market data, and negotiation strength that vendors have relied on for decades.
What Is a Buyers Agent?
A buyers agent, sometimes written as buyer’s agent or buyer’s advocate, is a licensed real estate professional engaged exclusively by the property purchaser to represent their interests throughout the buying process. Unlike a real estate agent who works for and is paid by the seller, a buyers agent’s only client is the buyer, and their legal and contractual obligation is to act in that buyer’s best interests from the first property search through to settlement. In Australia, a buyers agent must hold the same real estate licence as a selling agent, but they operate on the opposite side of the transaction.
A buyers agent is typically paid directly by the buyer, either as a percentage of the purchase price (commonly around 2% plus GST in the industry) or as a fixed fee agreed upfront. Moove operates on a fixed-fee, GST-inclusive model with three packages for owner-occupiers: Negotiate at $7,500 for appraisal and negotiation support on properties the buyer has already found, Classic at $12,000 for full search, assessment, and unlimited negotiation support, and Classic Plus at $20,000 for the same full service plus in-person inspections and video walk-throughs. Because a buyers agent like Moove is paid by the buyer rather than earning more the higher the price climbs, there’s no financial incentive to push a purchase price up.
Day to day, a buyers agent’s work covers property search and shortlisting based on the buyer’s brief, due diligence on comparable sales and red flags, negotiation with the selling agent on price and contract terms, and coordination through to settlement, including liaising with conveyancers and lenders. This mirrors many of the same stages a selling agent manages, but every decision is made with the buyer’s outcome as the priority rather than the vendor’s.
At Moove, this representation is delivered through a tech-enabled, data-driven approach that gives Australian buyers access to off-market and pre-market opportunities, suburb-level market data, and a dedicated buyers agent who manages the search, negotiation, and purchase process on their behalf. For someone navigating one of the largest financial decisions of their life, having a buyers agent whose only job is to look out for them, rather than the person selling the property, can make a significant difference to both the price paid and the property secured.
Key Differences at a Glance
When comparing a real estate agent (selling agent) and a buyers agent, the core distinction comes down to one question: whom do they legally and contractually represent? A real estate agent represents and is paid by the property seller, with a duty to achieve the highest price and best terms for that seller. A buyers agent represents and is paid by the property purchaser, with a duty to secure the right property at the right price and on the best terms for that buyer. Every other difference between the two roles flows from this single distinction.
| Real Estate Agent (Selling Agent) | Buyers Agent | |
| Whom they represent | The property seller (vendor) | The property buyer |
| Who pays them | The seller, from the sale proceeds | The buyer, directly |
| Typical fee structure | Commission, usually 1.6%–3% of the sale price | Fixed fee (e.g. Moove’s $7,500–$20,000 packages, GST-inclusive) or percentage-based fee |
| Primary goal | Achieve the highest possible sale price for the seller | Secure the right property at the best possible price for the buyer |
| Access to off-market and pre-market listings | Manages their own seller’s off-market opportunities | Can access off-market and pre-market listings across multiple selling agents’ networks |
| Negotiation role | Negotiates upward on price, on behalf of the seller | Negotiates downward on price and favourable terms, on behalf of the buyer |
| Due diligence provided | Limited; focused on presenting the property in its best light | In-depth due diligence on comparable sales, contracts, zoning, and red flags, on behalf of the buyer |
| Licensing in Australia | Requires a real estate agent’s licence | Requires the same real estate agent’s licence |
For an Australian property buyer, this table highlights why engaging a real estate agent is not the same as having representation. A buyer might speak to a real estate agent at every open home they attend, but that real estate agent’s duty remains to the seller throughout. A buyers agent such as Moove is the only professional in the transaction whose fee, legal duty, and day-to-day work are all aligned with getting the buyer the best possible outcome, which is why more Australians are choosing to engage a buyers agent before they start their property search rather than after they’ve already found a property they like.
The Conflict of Interest Buyers Often Don’t Realise
For many Australian property buyers, the only real estate professional they interact with throughout their entire search is a real estate agent standing at the front door of an open home. That real estate agent is often friendly, knowledgeable about the local area, and seemingly happy to help, answering questions about the property, the suburb, and even offering advice on what the buyer should offer. None of this changes the fact that the real estate agent’s legal duty is to the seller, and every piece of information shared, every answer given, and every suggestion made is filtered through that obligation to get the seller the best possible outcome.
This creates a significant information asymmetry. A real estate agent typically knows the seller’s bottom line, how many other parties are interested, how urgently the seller needs to sell, and what kind of offer is likely to be accepted. A buyer walking into that same conversation usually has none of this information, and is relying entirely on what the real estate agent chooses to disclose. In a negotiation, that imbalance can translate directly into a higher purchase price or less favourable contract terms for the buyer.
The conflict becomes even more pronounced when a real estate agent offers to help a buyer find their ‘next’ property after missing out on the one they viewed. While this can feel like a helpful gesture, that real estate agent is still operating within a network built around relationships with sellers and other selling agents, and their income still comes from successful sales rather than from securing the best deal for a buyer. A buyer accepting this kind of informal help is not gaining independent representation, even if it feels that way.
Moove was built specifically to remove this conflict of interest from the buying process. As a buyers agent engaged only by the purchaser, Moove’s team has no relationship to protect with the seller and no commission tied to a higher sale price, which means every piece of market data, every negotiation tactic, and every recommendation is directed solely at getting the right outcome for the buyer. For Australians who have felt that an open home conversation didn’t quite add up in their favour, having a buyers agent like Moove in their corner closes that information gap before negotiations even begin.
What Does a Buyers Agent Actually Do Day-to-Day?
A buyers agent’s work typically follows four broad stages: search, assessment, negotiation, and purchase management. In the search stage, a buyers agent works with the buyer to define a clear brief covering location, budget, property type, and lifestyle requirements, then uses that brief to filter the market and identify properties that genuinely match, including off-market and pre-market opportunities that never appear on platforms like realestate.com.au or Domain. At Moove, this search stage is built around the same principle: pinpointing the right location and property criteria first, then drawing on relationships with selling agents across the country to access listings before they hit the public market.
Once potential properties are identified, a buyers agent moves into the assessment stage, which involves shortlisting suitable options, arranging inspections, and conducting due diligence on each property under consideration. This due diligence typically covers comparable sales data to establish a realistic price range, a review of the contract of sale, and checks on issues such as zoning restrictions, flood or bushfire overlays, and planned infrastructure that could affect the property’s future value. Moove’s buyers agents narrow this list down using direct feedback from the buyer, refining the criteria until a genuinely suitable property is identified.
The negotiation stage is where a buyers agent’s role differs most sharply from a real estate agent’s. Once a buyer is ready to proceed on a property, a buyers agent prepares and submits the offer, negotiates directly with the selling agent on price and conditions, and, where relevant, attends and bids at auction on the buyer’s behalf. Moove’s buyers agents handle this negotiation stage as a dedicated part of the service, helping buyers prepare an offer, negotiate the price, and make a formal offer with the benefit of market data the average buyer wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
After a deal is agreed, a buyers agent’s final role is purchase management, guiding the buyer through the exchange of contracts, liaising with solicitors, conveyancers, and lenders, coordinating the building and pest inspection, and ensuring all contractual deadlines are met through to settlement. Moove’s buyers agents stay involved through this entire final stretch, guiding buyers through the exchange process with their financier and legal team, arranging the pre-settlement inspection, and supporting a smooth run to settlement so nothing falls through the cracks at the last minute.
Do You Need a Buyers Agent? Common Scenarios
First-home buyers are often the group with the most to gain from engaging a buyers agent, simply because they’re entering the property market for the first time without the benefit of having been through the process before. A first-home buyer typically doesn’t know how to read a contract of sale, what a fair price looks like in a given suburb, or how to handle a negotiation against an experienced real estate agent representing the seller. A buyers agent like Moove removes much of this uncertainty, guiding first-home buyers through each step of the search, negotiation, and settlement process so they can make confident decisions on what is usually the largest purchase of their life.
Time-poor professionals are another group who frequently turn to a buyers agent, particularly when the property search starts eating into weekends that would otherwise be spent on work, family, or rest. Research cited by Moove suggests the average Australian home buyer’s journey can take upwards of 18 months when managed alone, largely due to the time required to attend inspections and follow up on listings. A buyers agent takes on this search and shortlisting work directly, and Moove’s buyers agents typically aim to find a suitable property well within three months, condensing a process that might otherwise drag on for well over a year.
Interstate and overseas buyers face a different challenge: they’re often trying to purchase a property in a city or suburb they can’t easily visit in person. A buyers agent based in that local market can attend inspections, assess properties in person, and negotiate on the buyer’s behalf without the buyer needing to travel. Moove’s Classic Plus package is built specifically around this need, including in-person property inspections and video walk-throughs so interstate and overseas buyers can make informed decisions remotely.
Property investors also commonly engage a buyers agent, particularly when assessing rental yields, vacancy rates, and long-term capital growth potential across different suburbs or states. Moove’s Invest and Invest Bespoke packages are designed for this purpose, using a proprietary data-driven approach covering thousands of suburbs across Australia, along with in-depth research reports and cashflow analysis, to help investors identify and secure the right property for their strategy.
Buyers purchasing through a self-managed super fund (SMSF) face additional compliance requirements around the type of property that can be acquired and how the purchase must be structured. A buyers agent experienced in SMSF property purchases can help ensure the property identified meets the relevant requirements before an offer is made, reducing the risk of a purchase that later creates compliance issues for the fund.
How Much Does a Buyers Agent Cost in Australia?
Buyers agent fees in Australia are largely unregulated, and many buyers agent companies don’t publicly disclose their pricing, leaving prospective clients to enquire directly before they get a clear answer. Where pricing is known, the most common industry structure is a percentage-based fee, typically around 2% of the purchase price plus GST. On a $1 million property, this works out to roughly $22,000 in fees, a cost that scales up directly with the purchase price regardless of how much work is actually involved.
Moove takes a different approach, using a fixed-fee, GST-inclusive structure for owner-occupier home buyers purchasing properties under $2.5 million. Our Negotiate package costs $7,500, split into a $500 engagement fee and $7,000 due on exchange, and covers appraisal and negotiation support across three separate property negotiations, including auction attendance and bidding. The Classic package costs $12,000, split into a $2,000 engagement fee and $10,000 due on exchange, and adds full property search and assessment, access to off-market and pre-market listings, and unlimited negotiations. The Classic Plus package costs $20,000, split into a $5,000 engagement fee and $15,000 due on exchange, and includes everything in Classic plus in-person property inspections, video walk-throughs, and unlimited auction attendance.
For property investors, Moove offers two fixed-fee packages for properties under $2.5 million. Our Invest package costs $15,000, split into a $5,000 engagement fee and $10,000 due on exchange, and includes property search and assessment, off-market and pre-market listings, in-depth research reports, and detailed cashflow analysis across Moove’s selected locations. The Invest Bespoke package costs $25,000, split into a $5,000 engagement fee and $20,000 due on exchange, and extends this service to identify the ideal location across all suburbs and states in Australia, including support for multi-unit dwellings, renovation strategies, and development opportunities.
For properties above $2.5 million, Moove’s Premium package charges a flat fee of 1.1% of the purchase price, rounded down to the nearest $500,000. On a $5.4 million property, for example, the fee would be calculated on $5 million, working out to $55,000, split into a $5,000 engagement fee and $50,000 due on exchange.
Whichever fee structure a buyer encounters, it’s worth weighing the cost of a buyers agent against the potential savings from professional negotiation, the time saved by not managing the search alone, and the risk of overpaying or buying the wrong property without expert guidance. Moove also offers a four-week money-back guarantee on its engagement fee, so a buyer who isn’t satisfied with the service in the first four weeks can request a full refund of that initial fee.
Real Estate Agent vs Buyers Agent: Which One Should You Talk to First?
For most Australian property buyers, the instinct is to start by browsing listings and contacting the real estate agent attached to a property they like. While this feels like the natural first step, it means entering the market without any independent advice on what to look for, what a fair price looks like, or how the negotiation is likely to play out. By the time a buyer speaks to a real estate agent about a specific property, that real estate agent already has a relationship with the seller and a duty to act in the seller’s interest, not the buyer’s.
Engaging a buyers agent before contacting any real estate agent puts a buyer in a fundamentally different position. Rather than reacting to whatever happens to be listed, a buyers agent works with the buyer first to define their budget, location, and property requirements, then approaches the market, including real estate agents managing off-market and pre-market opportunities, on the buyer’s behalf. This means the first conversation a real estate agent has about the buyer is often already with someone representing that buyer’s interests, rather than with the buyer directly.
This doesn’t mean a buyer should never speak to a real estate agent directly. A real estate agent remains a useful source of information about a specific property, its history, and the seller’s general circumstances. The difference a buyers agent makes is in how that information is used: a buyers agent like Moove takes what a real estate agent shares and weighs it against independent market data, comparable sales, and the buyer’s own brief, rather than taking it at face value.
For a buyer who is just starting to think about purchasing a property, talking to a buyers agent first, even before browsing listings in earnest, can shape the entire search in their favour. Moove offers a free 30-minute consultation for exactly this reason, giving buyers a chance to map out their options and understand what kind of support is available before they make contact with a single real estate agent or attend their first open home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a real estate agent also act as my buyers agent for the same property?
In Australia, a real estate agent who is already representing the seller of a property cannot simultaneously act as an independent buyers agent for someone trying to purchase that same property, because their legal duty to the seller would directly conflict with a duty to the buyer. State-based property and conveyancing laws across Australia require real estate agents to disclose whom they represent and to avoid situations where their duties to one party would compromise their duties to another. A buyer who wants genuine, independent representation needs to engage a separate buyers agent, such as Moove, whose only relationship is with the buyer.
Do I have to pay a buyers agent if I don’t end up buying a property?
This depends on the buyers agent and the specific package. With Moove, owner-occupier and investor packages are split into an upfront engagement fee and a second payment due on exchange of contracts, meaning the larger portion of the fee is only payable once a property purchase is actually proceeding. Moove also offers a four-week money-back guarantee on the engagement fee, so a buyer who isn’t satisfied with the service within the first four weeks of engaging Moove can request a full refund of that initial payment.
Is a buyers agent worth it for an experienced property investor?
Even experienced investors benefit from a buyers agent’s access to off-market and pre-market listings, in-depth research reports, and negotiation support, particularly when investing in an unfamiliar location or state. Moove’s Invest and Invest Bespoke packages are built around this scenario, combining a proprietary data-driven approach across thousands of Australian suburbs with detailed cashflow reports and bespoke location search, which can be valuable even for an investor who already understands the broader market but wants support narrowing down and securing a specific property.
Can a buyers agent help me with a property I’ve already found myself?
Yes. For buyers who have already identified a property they’re interested in and simply want help with the appraisal and negotiation, Moove’s Negotiate package is designed specifically for this situation, covering appraisal and negotiation support across up to three separate properties the buyer brings to Moove, including attendance and bidding at auction if required. This means engaging a buyers agent doesn’t always mean starting the search from scratch.
Are buyers agents licensed and regulated in Australia?
Yes. A buyers agent in Australia must hold the same real estate agent’s licence required to operate as a selling agent, issued under the relevant state or territory’s property and stock agents legislation. This means a buyers agent such as Moove is subject to the same licensing standards, trust account obligations, and conduct rules as any other licensed real estate agent, with the key difference being who they are contractually engaged to represent.
Buyers Agent or Real Estate Agent: Make Sure Someone Is on Your Side
The difference between a real estate agent and a buyers agent ultimately comes down to representation. A real estate agent, or selling agent, is engaged and paid by the seller, with a legal duty to achieve the best possible price and terms for that seller. A buyers agent is engaged and paid by the purchaser, with that same level of duty directed entirely at the buyer’s outcome. For a transaction as significant as buying property, understanding which side of the table each professional is sitting on can be the difference between a confident purchase and an expensive mistake.
For most Australians, property is bought only a handful of times in a lifetime, while real estate agents negotiate sales every single day. Engaging a buyers agent before contacting a real estate agent, attending an open home, or making an offer means a buyer enters the market with independent market data, access to off-market and pre-market opportunities, and a dedicated professional negotiating on their behalf from the very first conversation.
Moove is a tech-enabled buyers agent helping Australians buy property better across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, with fixed-fee packages ranging from $7,500 to $20,000 (inclusive of GST) for owner-occupiers, and dedicated investor packages for those building a property portfolio. Whether you’re a first-home buyer trying to understand the process, a time-poor professional who can’t face another weekend of open homes, or an investor looking for the right opportunity in an unfamiliar market, having a buyers agent on your side levels the playing field against the seller’s representation.
If you’re ready to start your property search with an expert in your corner, book a FREE consultation with Moove today and find out how we can help you buy the right property at the right price.
