There is a common perception in real estate that a sales agent, once appointed, works purely for the seller.  

While that is true, and should never be otherwise, Kollosche sales agent Hayley Kidson said delivering the result a seller deserves in the current market depends heavily on how well agents also nurture potential buyers. 

“The two are more connected than most people realise,” Ms Kidson said. “You cannot get the best result by ignoring buyers in this market.” 

She said while some agents may have been able to downgrade this during the pandemic boom, when confidence was high, stock moved fast and buyers competed hard for what was available, the current real estate landscape was quite different. 

“Back then a sale was almost guaranteed, so agents were free to focus purely on servicing sellers,” Ms Kidson said. “That market has long passed. Today, buyers are cautious and anxious about making decisions. They do not want to get it wrong.” 

 Ms Kidson said buyers’ hesitation was being exacerbated by market noise and amplified by the media.  

“Stories around interest rates, the cost of living, global diplomatic instability and endless commentary on where prices are headed – buyers are absorbing all of it,” she said. “The result is hesitation at exactly the point when they need the confidence to commit.” 

Unlike sellers, Ms Kidson said buyers typically had no one representing them in a transaction. 

“Buyers have no advocate, no one who is across the figures on their behalf,” she said. “Sometimes the listing agent can be the only source a buyer has to provide them with real information such as comparable sales and what is genuinely happening in the market.” 

Agents who do not provide this information are doing so at a direct cost to their sellers. 

“Agents who leave that communication gap unfilled will end up with cautious buyers, and when that happens, sellers end up short-changed, because an uncertain buyer will tend to make a softer offer, or no offer at all,” she said.  

The agents delivering the strongest results are the ones spending real time educating their buyers on facts rather than opinion, so that when it comes time to commit, they can do so with confidence rather than fear.” 

Ms Kidson said a well-informed buyer negotiated from a position of certainty, with the effect compounded when more than one buyer is being guided through the same process. 

“Each will naturally want to put themselves in the best position, because they know they are not the only party at the table,” she said.  

“Think about the attention given to buyers during an auction campaign, where the goal is to create competitive tension. A good agent should be applying that same approach to every campaign, regardless of the method of sale.” 

Ms Kidson makes clear, however, that none of the extra attention paid to buyers comes at a seller’s expense. 

“If anything, sellers should expect to be kept equally informed about what their buyers’ intentions are,” she said.  

“Knowing who is genuinely interested, what they can spend and where they sit relative to the property will give sellers confidence too, rather than leave them to guess at what is happening behind the scenes.” 

In a market defined by caution and hesitation, Ms Kidson said the agents who were delivering the best results were those investing time into both sides of a transaction, not just one. 

If you want an experienced and honest view of the current market, reach out to Hayley Kidson and her team who can help you to position your property for a successful sale.