Buyers agents are property professionals that work on the other end of the sale to traditional real estate agents – rather than selling property, buyer’s agents work on the behalf of a buyer to purchase a home. A buyers agent’s services will generally include conducting searches for potential properties, bidding at auction, negotiating with vendors, and finally, securing the deal for the buyer.
As one of the most lucrative real estate professions in Australia, buyers agents are becoming an increasingly popular career path for new and seasoned members of the real estate industry. So, just how much do buyer agents earn in Australia?
How much does the average buyers agent make in Australia?
According to Talent, the average annual earnings for a buyers agent is $130,000 — earnings for entry-level buyers agents start at $75,000, while top-performing buyers agents are recorded to earn ~$200,000 a year.
However, this is just an estimate of how much buyers agents earn. In reality, a buyers agent’s earnings depend on the number of property transactions they facilitate – the sky is the limit!
How does a buyer agent make earnings?
The earning structure of a buyers agent is similar to the way real estate agents earn money — unlike other occupations where a fixed amount of income is received, there is no cap on how much an agent can earn.
Buyers agents in Australia typically earn money through commissions or fixed fees. With a commission-based fee structure, buyers agents charge a percentage of the purchased property price. The average percentage is between 1% and 3%, depending on the service offered and the buyer’s agent’s discretion. Assuming a commission rate of 2%, a buyers agent who facilitates the sale of a property at $1.2 million will earn a commission fee of $24,000.
Buyers agents who work on a fixed fee basis charge a flat fee for the services rendered. The fee will be adjusted according to the market value of the property and the scope of services required, ranging from $10,000 to $30,000. In some cases, buyers agents use a tiered system where different fee amounts are charged for property prices within certain thresholds. For example, a buyers agent may charge $5,000 for properties under $500,000 and $10,000 for properties between $500,000 and $1,000,000 under a tiered fee structure.
Example commission-based fee structure
| Commission % | Property price | Commission fee |
| 1% | $500,000 | $5000 |
| 2% | $500,000 | $10,000 |
| 2% | $1,200,000 | $24,000 |
| 3% | $1,200,000 | $36,000 |
Example tiered fixed-fee structure
| Property price | Fixed fee |
| Under $500,000 | $5000 |
| $500,000 – $749,999 | $8,000 |
| $750,000 – $999,999 | $15,000 |
| $1,000,000 and over | $20,000 |
The earning potential of buyers agents
There is no cap for how much a buyers agent can earn – it can be a lucrative career option for those who are willing to put the time and effort into the role. The more property transactions completed, the greater the earnings.
To put things into perspective for how much a buyers agent can earn in a year, let’s consider an example of a buyers agent who charges a modest 2% commission fee. Given the average price of a house in Australia at $959,300 (ABS, 2024), one completed transaction will earn the buyers agent $19,186. By assisting at least one client each month throughout the year, the buyers agent will earn an annual gross income of $230,232, which is significantly above the average estimated earnings.
Of course, this level of earnings is dependent on the individual expertise of the buyers agent — naturally, seasoned buyers agents will be more adept at finding the right property for clients than someone new to the industry. With the right skills and hard work, there’s an equal opportunity for buyers agents at any level of experience to reap the rewards of the role.
How to work as a buyers agent in Australia
Those looking to start a career as a buyers agents will need to obtain a real estate licence specific to the state they are in. Every state and territory in Australia has its own set of qualifications and study requirements that individuals must obtain before being able to apply for a real estate licence.
Getting the necessary qualifications to work as a real estate agent is just one element of becoming a successful buyers agent. Making connections with high-profile clients through networking, having a deep understanding of the local property market, and staying up to date with effective real estate strategies are all equally important aspects that contribute to how much buyers agents can earn.
If you are planning to start a career in real estate as a buyers agent, you’ll need to start by getting the right qualifications. As a registered training organisation in Australia, Entry Education offers real estate courses to help you gain the knowledge and credentials to work as a buyers agent in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, and ACT. Our real estate courses are structured in an easy-to-learn format and are taught by real estate professionals working in the industry. Once you’ve obtained your real estate licence, you can also enrol in our Buyers Agent course, which is specifically designed to equip you with the ins and outs of buyers agent services.
