People ask me about my fees before almost anything else, so let’s start there.
A lot of buyer’s agents charge a percentage of the purchase price. I don’t. I think that model creates a strange incentive – the more you pay for a property, the more your agent earns – and it’s not how I want to be paid.
Here’s how I actually charge:
A non-refundable retainer of $2,000 + GST, paid upfront to get started. This covers the early work – understanding your brief, starting the search, and getting things moving.
A flat success fee, based on the complexity and time involved in your specific search – not a percentage of what you pay for the property. I confirm this in writing before we start, so there are no surprises later.
The success fee is only payable once we’ve reached a successful settlement. If it doesn’t settle, you don’t owe it.
One thing people don’t always expect: even if you find the property yourself, the fee still applies, because it covers everything that happens after that – the inspections, due diligence, negotiation, valuation, and coordination that go into actually securing it well and not walking into a problem I could have caught.
I only ever take one commission – yours. No referral fees from selling agents, no kickbacks from conveyancers or mortgage brokers, no split loyalties. Vendor advocacy is priced separately and on request, since every selling situation is different.
Other agents in this market charge differently – some by percentage, some in stages tied to milestones. I’m not going to tell you their model is wrong for everyone, only that it’s not how I do it, and I think you’re entitled to know exactly what you’re paying and why before you commit to anything.
If you want the specifics for your situation, get in touch and I’ll talk you through it.
