Last week I sat down with the lovely Kim Ball from Buy East Buyers Agency in Sydney. We spoke about all things buying new and building; it was a very insightful chat, and I wanted to share with you some of her tips on Buying in Australia.

First, let's talk about Kim. With 12 years' experience in the buyer's agent industry, Kim brings a much-needed analytical approach to purchasing a home. While also being a sweetheart, she shared great insights with me about the home buying game and what clients can be doing to get the most out of a sale.

Let's see what Kim’s tips are below:

What’s one piece of advice you would give someone looking to buy a new home?

Make sure you are in a position to buy before you start looking. Not being organised will hurt you during the buying crunch time.

Before you seriously start looking, make sure you:

Have finance – obtain approval in principle (and re-apply every three months).
Make arrangements and think of timing – if you need to sell your property before purchasing, or if you currently lease a property look at when your lease expires
Assemble a team around you and educate yourself on the purchasing process – get a good conveyancer, and buyer’s agent so that when you find the perfect property you are in a position to move quickly.

If you wait too long before organising these things, you'll end up being beaten by other buyers that are more prepared.

The more you know early on, the better!

Why is using a buyer’s agent a necessity, not a luxury for clients looking to buy?

A home is probably the most expensive thing you'll buy in your lifetime!

If you make a mistake, it might end up being a huge burden on your family. As a buyer's agent, you protect clients from all the things that can go wrong in the purchasing journey, which is why it's so important buyers assemble a good team around them.

What do you find the most challenging during the purchase process?

As a buyer's agent, part of the job is about taking all the stress away from our clients. Sometimes taking the stress off people and always wanting the best for my clients can be a lot to take on.

Any tips on how clients can stick to their purchase budget?

Clients need to do research on the types of homes they want before looking to buy. Make sure you know the different suburbs and what your money buys in those areas.

Before getting a client signed on, I discuss what they are looking for and show them recent sales in their preferred areas so we can discuss before singing up what their expectations are versus what is available.

You need to be realistic always, as you’ll never find the right house if it doesn’t exist!

I learned so much from Kim's tips. Of course, we also discussed my tips for new home buyers looking to build.

What’s one piece of advice you would give someone looking to build a new home?

Think about what you are and are not willing to budge on – is it time, cost, or quality?

Once you know what’s most important, make informed decisions with this in mind as a guiding principle. That and have a construction professional review your construction contract before you sign!

Why is using a project manager a necessity, not a luxury for new builds?

Building a new home can be overwhelming, and honestly, you don’t know what you don’t know. Construction is full of moving parts, and without the right experience, things can easily get messy. That’s where a project manager comes in—they’ve seen it all and can catch issues before they become big (and expensive) headaches. Plus, they’re there to look out for you, making sure everything stays on track. It’s not an added luxury—it’s the key to making your build as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Just as important is having someone walk you through your building contract. Those documents can be full of tricky clauses and jargon that could trip you up later if you’re not careful. A project manager will help you understand the fine print and make sure you’re fully informed about what you're signing. It’s not a luxury—it’s the key to a smoother, stress-free build.

What do you find the most challenging during the home build process?

It often comes down to understanding why things are happening the way they are. In residential construction, there can be a lot of smoke and mirrors, making it hard to get clear answers. But the key to a successful build is being prepared to ask the right questions and tackle issues head-on. When you’re informed and proactive, you can avoid a lot of unnecessary stress and keep things moving smoothly.

Any tips on how clients can stick to their construction budget?

A great way to stay on track is by creating a "must-haves" and "nice-to-haves" list. That way, if you start going over budget, you can cut back on the "nice-to-haves" and still end up with a home you love.

Also, don’t forget to set aside a contingency fund right from the start—unexpected costs can pop up! And before you sign your building contract, have a professional review it. That way, you can make sure everything is clear, and there are no hidden costs or surprises that could blow your budget. Taking these steps will go a long way in helping you stick to your plan!

I hope these tips have helped you on you new home building journey!

Thanks for reading, and catch you in the next post 😊

Annelyse

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Written by Annelyse, Building Contract Enthusiast, Project Manager, and founder of Build Together Project Management.

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A buyers agent’s tips on Buying a New Home in Australia