Investing in property has produced some great gains over the past 20 years as demonstrated by the Melbourne market where we have witnessed suburbs doubling in value in the last five years alone. However you need to be mindful of the type of property you are purchasing and what your long term strategy is.

Many investors take the easy route and simply purchase new property off the plan as they see this as a hassle free investment. But are these types of properties producing the high returns we have witnessed in the Melbourne market? Many new properties will take at least three years before they even start to experience capital gains. This can be due to the fact that the developer will factor in a premium for the property at the time of sale to allow for what they predict it will be worth at time of completion. Also many of these investments have guaranteed returns for the first 1 – 2 years but after the honeymoon period it is not uncommon for the yield to drop considerably.

Gaining access to the entire market, not just selected developments is the first step of ensuring you are being offered true objective property advice. “At Buyer’s Advocate Australia we have been helping home buyers and investors meet their property objectives since 1992. We do this by being objective and only looking after the “purchaser”. We don’t sell property or even act a vendor advocates – we simply buy property. And we simply buy good property at the right price, say Cate Dundon of Buyer’s Advocate Australia”.

Buyer’s Advocate Australia works closely with a broad selection of reputable real estate agents within 25 kilometres of the Melbourne CBD. Working closely with the agent’s ensures we are always first to mind when a property is listed and being informed of any off market listings as and when they hit the market. Gaining advance knowledge of property provides opportunities to purchase without competition benefiting clients in the negotiation process.
The service offered by Buyer’s Advocate Australia is designed to provide independent advice backed by professional experience and knowledge of the property market to ensure your purchase meets your long term criteria, whether that be purchasing a family home, looking for an investment property or building wealth through self managed super fund investment. “As we are in the market every day we know what a property is really worth – not just what the agent is saying”, says Cate Dundon of Buyer’s Advocate Australia. People forget that the agent is working for the vendor so that is where their loyalty and interest lies and although they may indicate they are trying their best to assist purchasers their job is to get the best price possible for their client, the vendor. “That’s where Buyer’s Advocate excel because our interest is purely with the purchaser, we know what a property is worth and even if it matches what the agent is saying it is our job to negotiate to the best of our ability to buy it for less. This often comes down to bidding tactics at auction or questioning the valuation based on other sales which we are privy to”. It’s the knowledge of the market that makes the difference in the negotiation process” according to Cate Dundon.

But where a Buyers Advocate role becomes so valuable is for overseas clients and expatriates who are not on the ground to see what they are purchasing. So often what you see on the internet is not what you are getting in reality, with disappointment and frustration being the end result. Issues like what is next door or behind the property, what is the general condition of the overall property or apartment block as one apartment may be renovated beautifully but the remainder of the block may be old and tired. What sort of tenant are you going to attract and are they going to look after your house or apartment. If it’s a family home you are wanting to purchase is it close to shops, transport and the right schools? What is the access like for the commute to the CBD or access for the school drop off? What type of people or families live in the suburb and what infrastructure is available like sporting facilities, outdoor spaces etc. These are issues that not only affect the way you live but also the capital gains and resale value of a home. Is a particular suburb going to be close to existing family or friends and does it really match our lifestyle and personality.

So whether you are looking to purchase an investment property or a family home it is important to have access to range of options and areas. “Buyer’s Advocate Australia work very closely with their clients to really understand their lifestyle and their long term goals to ensure what is one of the largest investment in life is the right one” says Cate Dundon. “Our job is to make the entire purchasing process stress free and to save clients as much money as possible”.

So if you want independent professional property advice speak to the people who have the expertise and knowledge to work exclusively for you, the purchaser. Buyer’s Advocate Australia’s head office is located at 88 Burwood Road Hawthorn in Melbourne and they can be contacted on 61 3 9818 4499 or by emailing cate@buyersadvocate.com.au.