House hunting for luxury overseas property can be exciting and fun, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in daydreams of what a new life abroad will be like. Unless you have some who’s on your side, though, you’re essentially shopping blind – and you can easily get into trouble without even realizing it. A property buyer’s agent works on behalf of the client and works to find them their perfect home. They will then work with the buyer and guide them through the entire process, offering advice and support along the way.

Property Buyer’s Agent vs. Regular Real Estate Agent

Most often, a seller will hire a listing agent to market and sell their home. A buyer will hire a buyer’s agent to help them find the perfect home, make negotiations and complete the purchase. Listing agents have expertise in marketing and selling, and they work on behalf of the seller and their best interests. They may have the same skills as the buyer’s agent, particularly market knowledge and location expertise, but their priority is the seller, not the buyer.

You may hear additional terminology, too, like “selling agent” and “seller’s agent.” These terms sound the same, but they actually refer to two different kinds of agents. The selling agent is the same as the buyer’s agent; they gain the “selling agent” title once the buyer and the seller enter into a contract. The selling agent still works on behalf of the buyer, despite the confusing term. When it comes to the term “seller’s agent,” it’s simply interchangeable with “listing agent.”

There are also cases where a real estate agent represents both the buyer and the seller. Moving.com has a great explanation of what happens in this situation.

Benefits of Hiring a Buyer’s Agent

The property buying process varies from country to country, making it difficult to handle even if you’ve purchased property before. For example, France has especially strict regulations to follow, and navigating the buying process can be daunting, especially if you don’t speak the language yet. There are a number of benefits of hiring a buyer’s agent:

They know about hard-to-find properties.

Publicly listed properties are only part of what’s available. For privacy’s sake, high-profile sellers, like athletes, celebrities and wealthy businessmen, don’t always list their properties when they’re for sale. When it comes to luxury property in sought-after destinations, buyer’s agents will know about everything available in an area, including the hidden gems that others don’t have access to.

They have a vast network with prime connections.

The longer a buyer’s agent has been in the business, the more trustworthy connections they’ve made. When you’re ready to view or buy a property in Australia for example, your buyers agent in Brisbane can connect with listing agents, notaries, developers and anyone else you’ll need to work with in the city. This also means they’ll be able to uncover information about the property that could make or break your sale, like if the building has specific challenges (plumbing that needs a major overhaul, for example).

You don’t have to rush to learn the language.

One of the biggest perks of hiring a buyer’s agent is that they’ll be an expert in the area where you want to move, which includes being fluent in the language. You’ll probably want to learn the language of your new home country at some point, but until then, you don’t have to muddle through meetings, hoping you understand what’s going on.

There’s no cost to you.

Hiring a buyer’s agent doesn’t cost the buyer anything. The agent gets paid when the home is sold, and they take part of the sales fee, which is paid by the seller instead of the buyer. Technically, the listing agent is paid their commission, then the listing agent’s broker pays the brokerage for the buyer’s agent. It’s a little confusing and what’s most important to know is that the payment doesn’t come out of your pocket, but The Balance goes into it more in this article.

Overall, a buyer’s agent has one goal in mind: making the buyer as happy as possible. They’ll answer your questions, conduct extensive research and stick by your side from start to finish to make sure that happens.

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