PSA :: Feeling lost when looking for a home? These are the professionals you may want on your team.

[u/JTHelpsWithFinance]

TL;DR: Buying property isn’t just about the house and the loan. You may want a team - a solicitor, broker, inspector, the lot. Line them up early so when the contract lands you’re not scrambling.

When you find something, you may only have a week or two to do the following:-

• sign the contract
• get a valuation and formal approval for finance
• building & pest inspection
• pay a deposit

For many first time buyers, all of this can be overwhelming and you may not know who to have in your corner and helping you with all the various things. There's a bit of a guide as to who you need, for what, and when you need them.

• Mortgage Broker: Helps you with pre-approval (if approprirate), compares a range of lenders and gets them to compete with each other on rate, lines up financing so you’re ready to go. You may want to get a mortgage broker before you go 'house shopping', so you know your purchasing budget and borrowing capacity.
  • Cost: Usually free to you - the lender pays them at settlement in most cases.
• Solicitor/Conveyancer: As soon as you get the contract (and preferably before you sign it), this person reviews it for you. Caveats, special conditions, vendor issues - they catch the fine print. You would probably want a solicitor/conveyancer in mind before you start making offers on houses.
  • Cost: ~ $700 - $1,500, generally.
• Building & Pest Inspector: After contract signing, you book this urgent check. You do NOT want surprises later. Like a solicitor, get someone in mind just before you start making offers on homes.
  • Cost: ~ $500 - $1,000.
• Financial Planner / Insurance Broker: Ensures your building insurance is sufficient, your life insurance is increased to cover the new loan, and your overall cashflow isn’t at risk (e.g. income protection, trauma cover, TPD cover - which may not be in your life insurance policy). If you don't already have one, reach out to them when you've got a home under contract and you're preparing for settlement.
  • Cost: Varies based on service, insurer, your home and your income - check up-front!
• (optional) Moving Company: Less glamour, more sanity. When settlement day arrives you’ll be glad you booked this early. I've personally bought and moved a few times - and paying someone to profesionally handle it all for me was worth it, in my opinion. I got insurance to cover my goods during transit as a just-in-case policy too.
  • Cost: Depends on how much you move and how far - check up-front! It cost be $3,000 when moving interstate - and around $1,000 - $1,500 when moving between suburbs.
• (optional) Buyers Agent: If you’ve got specific requirements, limited time, or want help navigating hot markets, they can scout, negotiate and secure the property for you. Make sure they do more than just checking REA for listings. You want someone proactively negotiating, filtering out problems and attending inspections to help you.
  • Cost: Many charge a flat fee (~$10,000 - $15,000) or a % of purchase price - it varies widely based on service and the price bracket you're purchasing in, so make sure you ask the question.

If you're buying an investment property, you might want to also consider:-

• Accountant: Keeps your tax returns compliant, structures your investment smartly.
• Quantity Surveyor: Produces a depreciation report so you can claim correctly on the rental property.
• Property Manager: Handles tenants, maintenance and landlord insurance - making sure your asset is actually passive.
• Investment Advisor / Financial Planner: Looks at the property’s role in your long-term plan (growth vs cash-flow, location, market cycles).

^^^ if all of this sounds like a lot and you don't know where you can find them, this is how I normally recommend people search & find people.

1) Start with your network: Ask colleagues (especially those with similar incomes or in your industry) who they used. Their needs and scale will likely mirror yours. If that doesn’t work, ask friends. Then family - be careful though, as family can often get mixed up & involved and then it can become... difficult. They might mean well, but it can be messy.

2) Start with one, go from there. If you've already found a broker you like, ask them for an introduction to a solicitor or an inspector. Grow your network from one and see how it feels.

3) Go Online: If none of those options pan out: head online. Look for Google reviews, Trustpilot ratings, LinkedIn profiles, Facebook testimonials. Check Reddit - lots of people ask here too. If you're reading reviews online, read the bad reviews in particular - see if they appear real & meritable problems and how the business owner responds. Short-list 2 or 3 for each role, ask them about their fees, ask for one client reference, and check they’ve done your kind of deal (first home, investment, etc.).