Defining buyer representation for a A$425,600 Sydney mixed-use purchase

L

LeoFable

Buyer
I’m comparing buyer representation services for a mixed-use building in Sydney at around A$425,600. The scopes are all over the place: some appear to cover searching, negotiation and coordination through closing, while others effectively end after an introduction.

I’m deciding between a full-service appointment and paying only for negotiation. Before signing, what should be stated in writing about response times, fees, local mixed-use knowledge and responsibility after an offer is accepted? I want fewer people to chase, not the same chasing converted into notifications.
 
At minimum, ask for a written list of included and excluded tasks. It should say who communicates with the selling agent, who follows up the solicitor or conveyancer, how negotiation authority works, and whether support continues until closing. Also request the complete fee basis, including when payment becomes due and what happens if you do not buy. “Coordination” is too vague unless named actions and response times sit behind it.
 
The intended use is the missing fact. Will part of the building be owner-occupied, or is existing rental income central to the purchase? That changes what local knowledge is useful. I’d want someone to identify questions around permitted uses, current leases, outgoings and the building’s physical condition, while leaving legal, tax and technical conclusions to the appropriate advisers.
 
I’d separate accountability from expertise. One representative can maintain the task list and deadlines, but should not pretend to replace the buyer’s solicitor, finance contact or inspectors. In fact, a promise to “handle everything” would concern me more than a limited scope. For a mixed-use property, the engagement should show where the representative’s role ends and who is expected to answer each specialist issue.
 
That distinction helps. My concern is less about having one person make every decision and more about having one person notice when nothing is moving. I’ll ask each service to explain, in writing, what happens from accepted offer to closing, who flags an unanswered request, and the normal response window. I’ll also compare the fee payable if the purchase falls over or I decide not to proceed.
 
Give them the same short scenario rather than relying on brochures: offer accepted on the Sydney building, contract question outstanding, finance timing uncertain, and the selling agent asking for a response. Ask who contacts whom, by when, and how the exchange is recorded. Their answer should reveal whether they actively coordinate or merely forward messages. Request a sample task list with confidential details removed if they have one, but don’t treat polished software as evidence of follow-through.
 
Also decide your fallback before appointing anyone. If the representative misses the agreed response time, can you contact the selling agent directly, and who then updates the document trail? Keep offer instructions, fee terms, exclusions and material decisions in writing. I’d choose the narrower service if the full-service provider cannot describe its post-offer duties clearly; a broad label without a defined handover is not worth paying extra for.
 
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