Why use a buyer advocate?

This is the number one reason why most people think about advocates in the first instance, and in many, many cases we do just that. We know this is of primary importance in all business negotiations but it's interesting to note that clients we've surveyed after the buying process often rate savings as the Number 3 benefit in using James Buyer Advocates. Buying property well is as much about MAKING money as it is about SAVING money. We'll be happy to explain this in detail at our first meeting.

Buying a home is about as bad as it gets. It's emotional, exhausting and sometimes terribly discouraging. You only need to miss that perfect property, drive for miles to find the picture on the brochure didn't nearly match your expectations (or what you'd been told), have agents leave you hanging or be gazumped in the negotiation stage. It hurts. Careful planning is paramount. It takes exactly the same time to buy a home well as it does badly. We help you manage the stress level in buying property by evaluating it according to your needs and budget, and looking at what the property represents as a long-term investment. We do it all the time. We love it.

If you were selling a home would you hire an expert? If you had to go to court on an important matter, would you hire a solicitor? Why is that? Because no matter how much research is undertaken or how much involvement an amateur brings to the buying process, an experienced professional who understands your issues and is distanced from your emotions will give a better result, and with less risk, 99 times out of 100.

Think of a few houses in similar areas with similar characteristics and ponder what they were worth 10 years ago. What are they worth now? Will they have increased or decreased in value at the same rate? Not necessarily. We can show you inner city properties within a few hundred metres of each other that 10 years ago were each worth $400,000. Today, one is worth over $2,000,000 and the other $600,000. If you had been purchasing either of those properties, which one would you prefer to own now? All properties are not the same - and we know the difference.

How to buy, how to minimize cost, what to buy, and where. How do I make an offer? What do I really want and how do I get it? Where do I want to be financially in the next decade? Why do some people own multiple properties without a mortgage and others have one property and are struggling? The answer is strategy. We help you define and execute your action plan to buy the right property.

Working out what a property is worth is a lot more than looking up a few statistics. And we definitely need to talk some more if you think saving money is about finding a cheap place "below valuation". In many cases if you are not crystal clear about property values, you could well be negotiating at a level that will not buy the dream home you want. It might also leave you with a compromised property in the long run. Another expensive and distressing mistake a buyer can make is to pay way too much. Under these circumstances selling agents are very pleasant and helpful as they laugh all the way to the bank.

There are hundreds of places out there you may never find or get to see. Quiet sales, private transactions, sales without boards. There are places you won't be given the opportunity to inspect because they aren't advertised. We deal with agents every day. We find "hidden'" houses that will never be listed because agents and vendors approach us quietly all the time. And we are involved in a number of property purchases "off market" without any publicity or fanfare.

We actually like and respect many selling agents, but they act for sellers or vendors, not buyers. Treating agents like a friend or guide is a minefield and gaining experience can cost you dearly.

Most agents don't know who you are, and it's a good idea to keep it that way. That's because if you don't buy today, you might buy something else tomorrow. It's not in your best interests if an agent knows "what you were prepared to look at before". Our role as a buyers advocate is to keep you ahead of the game without revealing your hand. We help you through the Perhaps you have tried and failed to buy a particular property or maybe your business is really just that - your business. In any event, we represent you in complete confidentiality and until such time as the deal is successful, you can remain anonymous if you wish.