For decades, buying property was considered something you simply did yourself. You found a property online, attended the inspection, spoke with the selling agent and, if you liked it, made an offer.
For many buyers, that process still works. But as property markets have become more competitive, information-rich and time-consuming to navigate, an increasing number of buyers are choosing to have a professional on their side.
The growth is particularly evident at the premium end of the market. Research from REA Group found that the proportion of premium buyers with budgets of $1.5 million or more who used a buyer’s agent increased from 4% in 2024 to 14% in 2025.
That is a significant shift in just one year, and an indication that buyer representation is moving from a niche service to an increasingly normal part of the property acquisition process.
So, what is driving the change?
Time is Becoming an Increasingly Valuable Commodity
For many, it simply comes down to time.
Searching for the right property can become a second job. Monitoring new listings, speaking with agents, attending inspections, researching comparable sales, understanding planning controls and then navigating the negotiation.
For professionals, business owners and families already balancing demanding schedules, having someone manage this process can be invaluable.
Access to the Full Market
For others, it is about access and knowledge.
The properties advertised online are only part of the market. Experienced buyer’s agents spend their days speaking with selling agents, tracking properties, understanding vendor circumstances and developing relationships within the local market.
This can provide access to opportunities before they reach the broader market, while also helping buyers understand which properties are genuinely worth pursuing and which are better left alone.
Professional Negotiation, Without the Emotion
Then there is perhaps the most important consideration, negotiation.
Buying property, especially a home you plan on living in, is an inherently emotional process. It is easy to become attached to a property, lose perspective during an auction or convince yourself that paying a little more is justified because you simply do not want to miss out.
A buyer’s agent brings an objective perspective to the transaction. Their role is not to sell you the property, it is to determine whether the property represents good value and, if it does, develop a strategy to secure it on the best possible terms.
A Different Approach to Property Buying
Ultimately, the rise of the buyer’s agent reflects a broader change in the way people approach significant financial decisions.
We routinely seek professional advice when managing our investments, finances, legal affairs and businesses. Increasingly, buyers are recognising that perhaps their largest personal asset deserves the same level of expertise.
The question is no longer whether you can buy property yourself. Of course you can.
The more important question is whether doing it yourself is actually giving you the best chance of finding the right property, paying the right price and navigating the process with confidence.
For an increasing number of buyers, the answer is no, and that is why buyer advocacy is becoming an increasingly important part of the property landscape.