Buyer’s agent industry facing crisis from inexperienced operators, warns peak body

The Real Estate Buyers Agent Association of Australia has launched a campaign warning consumers about the risks of working with underqualified buyer’s agents as untrained operators flood the booming industry.

REBAA said a surge of inexperienced agents entering the field was leaving property buyers vulnerable to costly mistakes, with many new entrants lacking fundamental skills in due diligence, pricing analysis and negotiation.

REBAA President Melinda Jennison said the association had seen concerning numbers of new entrants who were failing to meet professional standards, often misled by non-accredited online courses.

“We embrace newcomers eager to enter the dynamic world of buyer’s agents, but the rise of inexperienced entrants is concerning,” Ms Jennison said.

“Many are being drawn in by online courses that don’t prepare them for real-world challenges, leaving them – and their clients – at significant risk.”

Ms Jennison said gaps in current training programs, particularly in real estate licensing courses, failed to address the unique responsibilities of buyer’s agents.

“Buyer’s agents must navigate complex negotiations, conduct due diligence, and structure offers strategically,” she said.

“These aren’t skills you can master in a matter of days.”

“The current licensing framework leaves trainee buyers’ agents ill-equipped to provide professional services, creating a troubling gap in their education.”

“Many new buyers agents enter the industry with only a superficial understanding of its complexities, putting themselves, and the clients they are representing, at risk of making uneducated and costly decisions.”

Industry veteran and Buyer’s Agent Mentoring Program Founder Veronica Morgan said new entrants often lacked critical legal and practical knowledge.

“Some of the stories that I have heard from property buyers are horrendous,” Ms Morgan said.

“Without adequate training, many new buyer’s agents are flying blind, risking disastrous financial consequences for their clients.”

Ms Morgan said licensing courses mainly focused on sales agents, leaving buyer’s agents without specialised guidance and training.

“Licensing programs might provide a broad overview of real estate, but they don’t address buyer’s agent-specific expertise – like assessing properties, negotiating, or performing due diligence,” she said.

She said that while on-the-job training could help bridge the gap, many new agents struggled to find opportunities to gain hands-on experience.

“Our industry is dominated by solo agents and micro-businesses with limited resources, making it difficult for newcomers to learn from experienced professionals,” Ms Morgan said.

With the buyer’s agent industry growing rapidly, REBAA is calling for regulators to implement stricter education and licensing requirements to protect consumers.

“The generic nature of real estate licensing is simply not fit for purpose for our industry,” Ms Jennison said.

“Buyer’s agents handle what is often the most significant financial decision in a person’s life.”

“The fact that someone can get licensed in just a few days – without specialised buyer’s agent training – is simply unacceptable.”