Almost everyone giving you property advice wants to help. The hard part is knowing which advice is complete and which is only one piece.
One of the best parts of my job is the conversations I have every day. I speak with buyers, brokers, conveyancers, selling agents and other professionals across the property industry.
Recently I was talking with another property professional about the various tools and reports that get shared with buyers, and it reminded me of something I see regularly.
Almost everyone involved in the buying process genuinely wants to help. Friends and family share what worked for them. Professionals give guidance based on their own area of expertise.
The challenge is that buying a home is not a single decision. It is a series of decisions, each requiring different knowledge and experience.
Sometimes the advice you receive is excellent. Sometimes it is incomplete. Occasionally it is simply wrong. The hard part, as a buyer, is knowing which is which.
They can be genuinely useful. Recent sales, suburb trends, an estimated value range. But they are a starting point, not an answer.
If a report says a property is worth between $1.2 million and $1.3 million with a high level of confidence, that sounds reassuring. What does it actually mean when you are about to spend that kind of money?
The report cannot tell you whether this particular home has a floorplan future buyers will avoid, whether the street is tightly held, whether there are planning controls nearby that could affect long-term value, or how many buyers are likely to compete on auction day. And even if the figures in these AI-generated reports were accurate, which I can assure you they often are not, you still would not know whether to pay at the top of that range or the bottom. Overpaying by $100,000 or $200,000 is years of additional mortgage repayments.
A friend might suggest getting a building and pest inspection. That is good advice, and it is one piece of the due diligence process. There may also be planning overlays, title restrictions, owners corporation matters, contract conditions, comparable sales and future resale considerations that should be assessed before you decide.
That does not make the original advice bad. It simply means there are other pieces of the puzzle that also need attention.
Buyers assuming they have covered everything because someone they trust has given them advice. In reality, they may only hold one piece of the picture.
Every professional has an important role to play. Your broker helps you understand your borrowing capacity. Your conveyancer protects your legal interests. Your building inspector assesses the condition of the property. A buyer's advocate focuses on the property itself: helping you understand its value, assess the risks and opportunities, and bring all of that information together before you make one of the biggest financial decisions of your life.
Buying a home is too important to rely on a single opinion or a single report. Seek advice from people you trust, but make sure you are asking the right expert the right question. That is often the difference between simply buying a house and buying the right home.
"I recently had the pleasure of working with Justin for the first time to secure a home. From the outset, the process showed signs of being a bit complex, and I knew I didn't want to navigate it alone. Justin was absolutely fantastic, attentive, thoughtful and incredibly supportive throughout. He offered valuable advice and truly partnered with me every step of the way, never once trying to push or override my decisions. I highly recommend Justin to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, respectful and genuinely caring professional." — Toni S
Note: this is general advice and does not take into account your objectives, situation or needs. Please consider whether it is suitable for you, and speak to a professional before making any financial decisions.
