Will People Be Completely Honest With You?
Updated: Jul 10
Or Are They More Honest With Someone Who Knows the Industry?
In short: Experienced buyers advocates ask better questions, verify information independently, and negotiate from a position of expertise. That often leads to more transparent conversations, stronger negotiations and better buying decisions.
When you're buying a property worth hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars, the quality of the information you receive can significantly influence the outcome. Here's an interesting question.
If someone knows they are speaking to an experienced property professional who understands the market, legislation, negotiation tactics, comparable sales, building issues and valuation methods...
...are they likely to be more careful with what they say?
In our experience, the answer is yes.
Why Industry Expertise Changes Conversations
Real estate is a surprisingly small industry. Selling agents, property managers, valuers, conveyancers, builders and buyers advocates interact with one another every day. Reputations matter.
When an experienced buyers advocate asks questions, those questions come from someone who understands the market and knows how to verify the answers. That changes the conversation.
Claims about competing offers, expected sale prices, comparable sales, renovation quality, market demand or vendor expectations can often be cross-checked through industry knowledge, market data and professional networks. A dodgy answer will be picked up quickly and challenged by an experienced buyers advocate.
As a result, conversations with sales agents and other professionals in the industry, including trades people, tend to become more direct, factual and transparent.
Professional Accountability Matters
Every selling agent has legal obligations to represent their vendor. However, they also have a professional reputation to protect.
Providing inaccurate or misleading information to another experienced property professional in the industry carries far greater professional risks than making broad statements to an inexperienced buyer who may not know what questions to ask.
That doesn't mean selling agents are dishonest. It simply means industry professionals recognise they are speaking with someone capable of verifying the information independently.
This alone naturally encourages more precise, accurate discussions.
The Advantage for Buyers
An experienced Melbourne buyers advocate doesn't just inspect properties. Experienced Buyers Advocates understand:
how to identify inconsistencies
which questions reveal useful information
how to verify claims independently
current buyer demand and negotiation conditions
comparable sales and true market value
vendor motivation and likely negotiation strategy
That knowledge helps reduce uncertainty and that is what allows our buyers to make decisions based on evidence rather than sales presentation.
Better Information Leads to Better Decisions
The biggest advantage of using an independent buyers advocate is not simply access to properties. It is access to better information.
The more accurate your information, the better your negotiations. The better your negotiations, the lower your risk of overpaying or purchasing the wrong property.
For many buyers, that alone can save tens of thousands of dollars—and sometimes much more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are selling agents often more open with experienced buyers advocates?
Experienced buyers advocates speak the same professional language as selling agents. They understand comparable sales, market conditions, contracts, vendor motivations and negotiation strategies. Because information can be independently verified, discussions are typically more precise and evidence-based. While selling agents always act in the vendor's best interests, conversations with experienced industry professionals are often more detailed and direct.
Can a buyers advocate verify information provided by a selling agent?
Yes. An experienced buyers advocate will rarely rely on verbal statements alone. They cross-check information against recent comparable sales, planning overlays, title documents, council records, market data, building inspections and other independent sources. This helps buyers make informed decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions.
Do buyers advocates negotiate better property prices?
A buyers advocate cannot guarantee a lower purchase price. Every property and every negotiation is different. However, an experienced buyers advocate understands market value, buyer competition, auction dynamics and vendor motivations. This knowledge helps buyers avoid overpaying and negotiate with greater confidence. In many cases, the value comes not just from price savings, but from better terms, reduced risk and purchasing the right property.
Is a buyers advocate worth it in Melbourne?
For many buyers, yes. Melbourne's property market is diverse, competitive and highly localised. A buyers advocate can help identify suitable properties, assess market value, perform due diligence, negotiate effectively and reduce the likelihood of costly mistakes. Buyers who are interstate, overseas, time-poor or unfamiliar with the Melbourne market often benefit the most.
What information can a buyers advocate uncover that buyers often miss?
Experienced buyers advocates look beyond the marketing brochure. Depending on the property, they may identify planning restrictions, flood or bushfire overlays, easements, zoning issues, future developments, building defects, overpriced listings, unrealistic price guides, market sentiment, vendor motivations and comparable sales that influence true market value. This broader analysis helps buyers understand both the opportunities and the risks before making an offer.
Does a buyers advocate have access to off-market properties?
Many experienced buyers advocates have relationships with selling agents and may gain access to off-market or pre-market opportunities before they appear on major property websites. However, not every property is sold off-market, and the quality of the opportunity is far more important than whether it is marketed publicly. A good buyers advocate focuses on finding the right property, regardless of how it comes to market.
How does an independent buyers advocate differ from a selling agent?
A selling agent is engaged by the property owner and has a legal duty to achieve the best possible outcome for the vendor. An independent buyers advocate is engaged exclusively by the buyer and acts solely in the buyer's interests. Their role is to provide unbiased advice, conduct due diligence, negotiate strategically and help the buyer purchase the right property at the right price and terms.
How can I choose the right buyers advocate in Melbourne?
Look for an independent buyers advocate with extensive local market experience, a transparent fixed-fee structure, proven negotiation skills and a strong track record. Ask how they determine market value, what due diligence they perform, how they source properties and whether they receive referral commissions or sales incentives. The right buyers advocate should be completely aligned with your interests and able to explain every recommendation with evidence.
Buying Property in Melbourne?
At Concierge Buyers Advocates, we combine real-world negotiation experience, on-the-ground market intelligence and independent property analysis to help buyers make confident, informed decisions.
Whether you're purchasing your first home, upgrading, relocating or investing, our role is simple:
To ensure every important decision is backed by evidence—not assumptions, not sales pitch.
About the Author
Rayson Lim is the founder of Concierge Buyers Advocates, an independent Melbourne buyers advocate firm. With more than 20 years of property experience and a background in data analytics, he combines market intelligence with on-the-ground negotiation to help buyers purchase with confidence. And if you believe in star signs and horoscopes, a Virgo like him may appear understated, but is a walking lie-detector.
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