In the chaos of separation, a good buyer’s agent can be the architect of a fresh start. Photo: Hyde Burchell Buyers Agents.
In the wake of a separation, finding a new home may be the hardest thing you will ever have to do while completely running on empty.
As director of Hyde Burchell Buyers Agents, Penny Johnston works on the front lines of these transitions. She sees firsthand how easily clients can be overwhelmed by a complex mix of tight budgets, new boundaries and bittersweet changes.
“Whether it’s amicable or not, separation comes with a massive amount of stress,” Penny points out.
“Buying property is stressful at the best of times. Putting the two together can be a truly awful combination.”
One of the biggest hurdles is that the upheaval of a breakup forces buyers into completely unfamiliar territory.
“I have been through it. I know people can feel lost. They don’t know what the next stage is going to look like,” she says.
“They don’t know where they’re going to be, what they can afford, they might be moving out of the area where their kids go to school or further from work and must figure out the transport implications of that.”
It’s a constellation of considerations, and connecting the dots is what a good buyer’s agent does.
Unlike other players, a buyer’s agent is legally and morally obligated to sit firmly in the buyer’s corner.
Conversely, by law, real estate agents must act in the seller’s best interests.
“While agents in Canberra absolutely consider buyers, at the end of the day, their legal obligation is to get the best price, terms and conditions for their seller,” Penny says.
“They’re not on your side.”
Conveyancers and mortgage brokers play vital roles, handling their respective pieces of the transaction.
But for someone standing at the crossroads of a collapsed past and an unwritten future, a buyer’s agent can act as the architect of a fresh start. Equal parts market strategist, fierce advocate and objective anchor, they do far more than just scout properties.
“For us at Hyde Burchell, it’s about providing a level of support you won’t find anywhere else,” Penny says.
“We’re your sounding board, ensuring you make the right choices while taking the stress of due diligence off your plate, because your plate is already full.”
The Hyde Burchell team begins with a “blueprint meeting” Photo: Hyde Burchell.
Deep industry knowledge, cultivated connections and finely tuned negotiation skills allow buyer’s agents to level the playing field. This is particularly valuable in the current market, where buyers have a bit more breathing room to secure the right outcome.
“We’re seeing a lot of vendors sitting on the market longer than expected and realising they won’t get their dream price,” Penny says.
“We can use this to our advantage to negotiate deals that aren’t solely based on price, leveraging attractive conditions like longer settlements or quick exchanges. This market presents an opportunity to secure great properties at good prices, but it requires insider knowledge and skill to know exactly when and how to push.
“We recently sourced an off-market property for a client, shielding them from competing with the general public. They weren’t rushed into a decision, and they secured a fantastic home at an excellent price. Had that property gone to the open market, it easily could have fetched an extra $100,000.”
Contrary to popular belief, buyer’s agents are not reserved exclusively for multi-million dollar homes. Many budget-conscious buyers use them, including first-home buyers and downsizers.
“There’s no denying there’s an upfront cost to engaging a buyer’s agent, but it pays off,” Penny says. “Not just financially, but in saved stress, time and access.”
At Hyde Burchell, the journey begins with a “blueprint meeting” — a sit-down session to map out a clear buyer profile. This covers practical realities such as school zones, work commutes and transport routes, as well as property “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves”.
This becomes the launchpad to find a property that fits your new lifestyle.
“It’s a clarifying process for the buyer, too,” Penny says.
“Often, this is the moment they begin to reassess what their new home will look like, which is often downsized and very different from what they are used to.”
The blueprint meeting is also when many clients first learn about government assistance available to separated individuals, such as the latest changes to the Home Buyer Concession Scheme.
“We help coordinate all of these moving parts to ensure the purchase goes smoothly,” Penny says.
“We’re here to lift the burden, so you don’t have to go it alone.”
For more information, visit Hyde Burchell.
