FAQs

A buyer’s advocate, also known as a buyer’s agent, is a licensed property professional engaged solely to represent the buyer in a property transaction. Unlike a selling agent whose obligation is to the vendor, a buyers advocate’s only objective is securing the right property for you at the best possible price and terms. At Infolio, that means managing the entire process from brief to settlement, or stepping in at the negotiation stage if you’ve already found the property yourself.

The two terms are used interchangeably in Australia and refer to the same role. Both describe a licensed professional engaged to search, evaluate and negotiate on behalf of a property buyer. At Infolio we use both terms, but the service is the same regardless of what it’s called.

For most buyers in a competitive market, yes. The value comes from several places: access to off-market properties that never reach public listings, independent price assessment before you negotiate, experienced representation at auction, and a significantly shorter buying timeline. More than 75% of our clients are repeat or referral clients. That’s the most direct answer we can give.

We tailor our fee structure to your brief and budget, and we discuss this openly in your initial consultation. We start with a complimentary 15-minute discovery call so you can understand exactly how we work and what’s involved before committing to anything. Our goal is always that the outcome justifies the cost many times over.

Our average buying timeline from brief to contract is 90 days. The broader market average for buyers searching independently is considerably longer. The difference comes down to off-market access, a clear and well-defined brief from the outset, and a team that is actively working your search rather than waiting for listings to appear.

An off-market property is one that is available for sale but not publicly advertised on realestate.com.au or Domain. More than half of what we buy for clients never reaches a public listing. Our off-market access comes from agent relationships built over nearly two decades — agents contact us because they know we move quickly, qualify well, and don’t waste their time. That trust is earned over years and cannot be replicated through marketing spend.

Our buyers advocacy work is centred on Melbourne’s premium inner and bayside suburbs, including Stonnington, Bayside, Port Phillip and Boroondara. We also work with buyers on the Mornington Peninsula and in Central Victoria. For investors, we follow the opportunity rather than limiting ourselves to a fixed geography. Through our referral network we can also connect clients with trusted buyers advocates in Sydney and Brisbane.

Yes, and our approach to investment buying is deliberate and conservative. We focus exclusively on established properties in suburbs with proven long-term capital growth patterns. We don’t buy off the plan, in emerging or fringe areas, or in new developments. Our investment clients often continue with us for property management after settlement, which means we have a genuine long-term interest in making the right call at purchase.

Our Full Buying Service covers everything from brief to settlement — we search, inspect, assess, and negotiate on your behalf. Our Negotiation and Auction Bidding services are for buyers who have already found a property and need expert representation at the critical point of purchase. All three services apply the same rigour to price assessment and strategy — the difference is simply how much of the search process you want to handle yourself.

Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call with our team. We’ll spend that time understanding your brief and giving you an honest view of how we can help. There’s no obligation and no sales pitch — just a straightforward conversation about whether we’re the right fit for what you’re looking for.

We work with developers from the early stages, ideally pre-construction, providing advice on leasing strategy, apartment design (for liveability and lettability), pricing, staging, compliance, and ongoing property management. Our goal is to reduce leasing risk before construction begins.

Many developers do, but often underestimate the complexity. Internal teams may lack the leasing insight or compliance expertise needed to ensure projects perform as intended. We bring more than 20 years of experience to identify issues early and protect both returns and reputation.

Build-to-Rent refers to purpose-built rental developments held by a single owner. Project leasing can also apply to Build-to-Sell developments, where we manage multiple tenancies on behalf of individual investor-owners. In both cases, we focus on delivering strong leasing outcomes and long-term value.

Yes, and that’s where our input is most impactful. We assist with product design, rental forecasting, tenant profiling, and leasing strategy to ensure your plans align with current and future market demand.

We do. If you’d prefer to present the leasing and management under your own brand, we can deliver the service in a white-label format. This allows you to retain brand control while we manage operations behind the scenes.

We’ve worked across a wide range—from townhouse clusters to multi-storey BTR developments. While larger projects often yield stronger operational efficiencies, our approach is tailored to suit each development’s scale and structure.

A vendor advocate acts solely on your behalf throughout the sale of your property. Unlike a selling agent who represents the transaction, a vendor advocate’s only objective is your outcome. At Infolio, that means providing an independent assessment of your property’s value, identifying and appointing the right selling agent, managing the campaign on your behalf, and ensuring every decision made along the way is in your interest, not the agent’s.

There are no fees payable directly to Infolio from our vendor advocacy clients. We share the standard sales commission with the appointed selling agent, meaning you receive an independent layer of advice and oversight at no additional cost.

A selling agent manages the sale itself — the marketing, open for inspections, buyer enquiries, and auction or negotiation process. A vendor advocate sits above that relationship, acting solely in your best interests. We select the right agent for your property, negotiate their commission and campaign strategy on your behalf, and provide an independent check on every decision throughout the campaign. The selling agent works the sale. We make sure it’s structured correctly from the start.

A buyer’s advocate works on behalf of someone purchasing property, helping them find, assess, and negotiate the right buy. A vendor advocate works on behalf of someone selling, ensuring the campaign, pricing strategy, and agent appointment are all optimised for the strongest possible result. At Infolio, we offer both services, which gives us a rare perspective on both sides of a transaction.

We interview two to three agents best suited to your property and location, not just the biggest name or the one quoting the highest price. We assess their recent results in your area, their understanding of your property’s specific appeal, and their approach to campaign management and negotiation. You make the final choice from our recommended shortlist, and we negotiate their commission and strategy on your behalf.

It depends on your property, your timeline, and current market conditions. Auction suits properties with broad appeal and strong demand, where competitive bidding can drive a premium result. A private sale may be more appropriate when the buyer pool is narrower or when conditions favour a negotiated approach. We’ll give you an honest recommendation based on your specific situation, not a formula.

We conduct an independent assessment of your property’s market value before any agent is appointed. This means you go into the campaign with a clear, realistic view of what your property is worth — and a benchmark against which to measure the agent’s guidance. Vendors who go to market without this often find themselves managed by the agent’s expectations rather than their own.

We’re with you throughout. On auction day we provide real-time strategic advice, and in a private sale campaign we review all offers and guide you on when and how to negotiate. Having an independent advisor present at the critical moment is often where vendor advocacy has the most direct impact on the final result.

Yes, and many clients do. Managing both sides of a move through the same team means the timing, strategy, and advice are coordinated, which can make a significant practical and financial difference, particularly in a market where buying and selling sequentially carries risk.