A buyer's agent is the mirror image of a selling agent: a licensed professional who works exclusively for the purchaser — searching, appraising, negotiating and bidding on their behalf. They've grown rapidly in Australia as buyers look for an edge in competitive markets.
What they actually do
A full-service buyer's agent takes your brief, shortlists properties (including some sold off-market), inspects on your behalf, prepares price appraisals so you don't overpay, negotiates directly with the selling agent or seller, and bids for you at auction. A cheaper "negotiation only" engagement skips the search and just handles the deal on a property you've already found.
What they cost
Fees are typically either a fixed amount or a percentage of the purchase price — commonly in the one-to-three per cent range for full service. On a million-dollar purchase that's a five-figure fee, which is why the value question matters: they need to save you more than they cost, in price or in avoided mistakes.
When one makes sense
Buyer's agents earn their fee most clearly for interstate or overseas buyers who can't inspect personally, time-poor professionals, and buyers targeting tightly-held areas where off-market access matters. For a local buyer with time to research, much of what they provide — sales data, inspection legwork, pricing discipline — is achievable yourself.
How transparent offer processes change the equation
Part of a buyer's agent's traditional value is piercing the information fog of private negotiations — knowing what other offers really exist. On an open offer board, every verified offer is already visible to every buyer, which removes the blind-bidding problem the agent was partly hired to solve. You still might value their appraisal and negotiation experience; you just aren't paying to see through a wall that no longer exists.