Do buyers agents charge an upfront fee?

Most buyers agencies split their fee into two parts: an engagement fee payable when you sign the agency agreement, and a success fee payable once your property is secured. The split varies between agencies, so check the agreement before you sign.

Is a buyers agent worth the cost?

That depends on your situation. A good buyers agent earns their fee through better property selection, access to off-market listings, stronger negotiation and the hours of searching you no longer have to do yourself. For time-poor buyers, interstate buyers and investors, the fee is often small relative to the price of buying the wrong property.

Do I still pay if I do not end up buying a property?

The engagement fee is generally non-refundable, as it covers work already done on your brief and search. The success fee is usually only payable when a property is secured. Every agency agreement is different, so read the terms before signing.

Can I claim buyers agent fees on my tax return?

For an investment property, buyers agent fees are generally not immediately deductible - they form part of the cost base of the property for capital gains tax, which reduces your capital gain when you sell. For a home you live in, the fee is not deductible. Confirm your position with your accountant.

Does GST apply to buyers agent fees?

Yes. Buyers agent fees are usually quoted plus GST, so add 10% to any quoted fee unless the agency confirms its price is GST-inclusive.

How are Providence Property’s fees calculated?

Providence Property works on a fixed fee, quoted after a free initial consultation. The quote reflects the scope of your brief - not the price of the property you buy - so our advice on how much to pay is never influenced by our fee.

Buyers Agent Fees in Australia

Buyers agents in Australia charge in one of two ways: a fixed fee agreed before the search starts, or a percentage of the property’s purchase price - typically in the range of 1.2% to 2.75% plus GST. Most agencies split payment into a smaller engagement fee when you sign the agreement, with the balance payable as a success fee once your property is secured. Providence Property works on fixed fees only, quoted after a free consultation, so our advice is never tied to how much you spend.

How much does a buyers agent cost in Australia?

Published industry fee guides put percentage-based fees at roughly 1.2% to 2.75% of the purchase price plus GST, and full-service fixed fees at roughly $8,000 to $25,000 or more plus GST, depending on the city, your budget and the complexity of the brief. On a $1 million purchase, a 2% fee works out at $20,000 plus GST - which is why it pays to understand the fee model before you sign anything.

Where you sit inside those ranges comes down to scope. A full search - strategy, shortlisting, inspections, due diligence and negotiation - costs more than a single service such as auction bidding or negotiating on a property you have already found, which can run to a few thousand dollars. Fees also tend to be higher in Sydney and Melbourne than in smaller capitals, reflecting property prices and competition for stock.

Fixed fee or percentage: which is better?

Both models pay for the same work - the difference is the incentive behind them. A percentage fee rises with the purchase price, so the agent is paid more when you pay more. A fixed fee is settled before the search starts, so the agent has no financial stake in the price you end up paying.

	Fixed fee	Percentage fee
How it works	One agreed amount, set before the search begins	A set percentage of the final purchase price, so the fee moves with the price
Typical range	Roughly $8,000 to $25,000+ plus GST for a full search, depending on the brief	Roughly 1.2% to 2.75% of the purchase price, plus GST
Certainty	You know the full cost from day one	Final cost is unknown until you buy
Incentives	The agent earns the same whether you pay less or more - no reason to push your budget	The agent earns more when you pay more, which can sit awkwardly with their job of negotiating the price down

For most buyers, the fixed fee is the cleaner arrangement: cost certainty for you, and no tension between the agent’s pay and their duty to negotiate hard on your behalf. It is the reason Providence Property has only ever charged fixed fees.

What do you get for the fee?

A full-service engagement covers the whole purchase, not just the search. With Providence Property that means:

A written brief and buying strategy based on your goals and budget
A search across listed and off-market properties - 59% of our purchases are secured off-market, before they reach the portals
Suburb and property research using our research methodology, plus a price appraisal on every shortlisted property
Due diligence coordination - building and pest, strata, contract review with your solicitor
Negotiation or auction bidding, then support through to settlement

The full range of engagements, from complete searches to negotiation-only work, is on our services page.

Are buyers agent fees tax deductible?

For an investment property, buyers agent fees are generally not deductible in the year you pay them. Instead they form part of the property’s cost base for capital gains tax, which reduces the capital gain - and therefore the tax - when you eventually sell. For a home you intend to live in, the fee is a private cost and not deductible at all. Tax outcomes depend on your circumstances, so confirm the treatment with your accountant before you rely on it.

How do Providence Property’s fees work?

We charge a fixed fee, quoted after a free initial consultation. The quote is based on the scope of your brief - the type of property, the search area and the level of service you need - and it does not change with the price of the property you buy. Because the fee is independent of the purchase price, our advice on what a property is worth, and when to walk away, stays unbiased.

Providence Property has been buying for clients since 2006, with more than 3,112 transactions and $2.03 billion in purchases across the country. Our buyers agents work in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart. To get a quote for your brief, book a free consultation.

Buyers agent fee FAQs

Most buyers agencies split their fee into two parts: an engagement fee payable when you sign the agency agreement, and a success fee payable once your property is secured. The split varies between agencies, so check the agreement before you sign.
That depends on your situation. A good buyers agent earns their fee through better property selection, access to off-market listings, stronger negotiation and the hours of searching you no longer have to do yourself. For time-poor buyers, interstate buyers and investors, the fee is often small relative to the price of buying the wrong property.
The engagement fee is generally non-refundable, as it covers work already done on your brief and search. The success fee is usually only payable when a property is secured. Every agency agreement is different, so read the terms before signing.
For an investment property, buyers agent fees are generally not immediately deductible - they form part of the cost base of the property for capital gains tax, which reduces your capital gain when you sell. For a home you live in, the fee is not deductible. Confirm your position with your accountant.
Yes. Buyers agent fees are usually quoted plus GST, so add 10% to any quoted fee unless the agency confirms its price is GST-inclusive.
Providence Property works on a fixed fee, quoted after a free initial consultation. The quote reflects the scope of your brief - not the price of the property you buy - so our advice on how much to pay is never influenced by our fee.

Get a fixed-fee quote for your brief

Tell us what you are looking to buy and we will quote a fixed fee for the work - no obligation, and no percentage of your purchase price.

Book a free consultation