And the annoying part is that most of the pricing is vague on purpose.
So let’s make it plain. This is what investment property advisors charge in Australia, what those fees usually include, the ways people get stung, and how to compare options without getting lost in sales talk.
I’ll also say this up front. There is no single “correct” fee. But there are normal ranges, and there are red flags. Once you know the difference, the whole thing gets a lot easier.
First, what is an “investment property advisor” in Australia anyway?
In Australia, the term gets used loosely. Sometimes it means a:
- Buyer’s agent (licensed, paid to buy a property for you)
- Property investment “coach” (education, strategy, accountability)
- Property advisory firm (strategy plus sourcing plus ongoing support)
- Mortgage broker bundled into an “advice” package
- Marketer who funnels you into new builds and gets paid by the developer (this is common, and often dressed up as advice)
That last category is where a lot of confusion comes from, because their fee to you can look like £0. But they are still getting paid, just not by you directly.
So when people ask what investment property advisers charge in Australia, the only honest answer is: it depends how they get paid.
Let’s break down the common pricing models. “
The main ways advisors charge
1) Upfront fixed fee (strategy or advisory fee)
This is the cleanest model on paper. You pay a set amount for advice, usually tied to an initial strategy, target locations, borrowing plan, and a buying roadmap.
Typical range in Australia:
- Roughly $1,500 to $5,000 for a single client strategy package
- Sometimes higher for complex portfolio planning
What it often includes:
- Review of your income, savings, serviceability, risk tolerance
- Portfolio goal setting (cash flow vs growth, timeline, exit plan)
- Suburb or region shortlist and buy criteria
- A plan for sequencing purchases (if you want multiple properties)
- Coordination suggestions for broker, accountant, solicitor
What it often does not include:
- Actually finding and negotiating the property
- Due diligence, building inspections, contract negotiation
- Ongoing portfolio management
Some firms credit this fee back if you proceed to a buying service with them. Others don’t. Neither is automatically good or bad. Just be clear.
This is one of the most straightforward answers to what investment property advisors charge in Australia, because you can compare it like for like. Still, you need to see what you get for that fixed number.
2) Percentage based buyer’s agent fee (purchase price based)
If the advisor is acting as a buyer’s agent, the fee is commonly a percentage of the purchase price.
Typical range:
- Around 1.5% to 3.3% of the purchase price (plus GST), depending on city, price point, and service level
- Some charge a minimum fee instead (like $10,000 to $15,000)
Examples (very rough, just to show the maths):
- $650,000 purchase at 2.2% = $14,300 (plus GST)
- $1,000,000 purchase at 2.0% = $20,000 (plus GST)
What is typically included:
- Sourcing suitable properties (on market and sometimes off market)
- Inspections and shortlisting
- Comparable sales analysis
- Negotiation or auction bidding
- Some level of due diligence coordination
Where people get caught:
- Percentage fees can feel “normal” but the incentives matter. If their pay rises with the price, you want to know how they protect you from overpaying.
- Some agents push “exclusive” stock that is easy for them, not best for you.
When you’re trying to understand what investment property advisors charge in Australia, percentage fees are the ones you see most often, and also the ones that require the most checking around incentives.
3) Fixed buyer’s agent fee (flat success fee)
Instead of charging a percentage, some buyer’s agents charge a flat fee.
Typical range:
- Roughly £9,000 to £20,000+ (plus VAT), depending on market and complexity
This model can be simpler, especially if you’re buying in higher priced areas. It also removes the “bigger price equals bigger fee” incentive.
But you still want to ask:
- Does the fee change if you buy below or above a target price?
- Do they charge extra for auctions, or for regional travel, or for multiple inspections?
Again, in the context of what investment property advisors charge in Australia, flat fees are growing in popularity, but the fine print still matters.
4) Ongoing retainer (monthly or quarterly)
A smaller portion of the market runs on retainers, especially those offering portfolio management, ongoing research, and “call anytime” support.
Typical range:
- Around £150 to £500 per month (sometimes more)
- Or packaged into annual membership programmes
What it can include:
- Regular portfolio check ins
- Updating strategy if lending rules change
- Equity release planning guidance (not financial advice, but sequencing)
- Market updates, rent reviews, property manager support
The catch:
- Ongoing fees only make sense if you actually use the ongoing service
- Some retainers are basically paid newsletters with a hotline
If you are asking what investment property advisors charge in Australia because you want long term support, this is the model you’ll bump into.
5) “No fee” to the client (developer or seller funded)
This is the one that causes the most drama. You meet an advisor. They say it costs you nothing. They’ll “help you build a portfolio”. They show you brand new house and land packages, or new flats, usually with depreciation schedules and glossy forecasts.
How they are paid:
- They receive a commission from the developer, project marketer, or seller side. Sometimes it’s large. Sometimes it’s built into the price you pay.
Why it matters:
- If the advisor is paid by the seller, they are not independent. That does not automatically mean the property is bad. But the conflict is obvious, and you need to price that in mentally.
A lot of people searching what investment property advisors charge in Australia are actually seeing this model and not realising it, because the fee is hidden.
Typical total cost ranges, in plain numbers
If you want a simple mental benchmark, here are common “all in” structures you’ll see:
Strategy only
- £1,500 to £5,000
Buyer’s agent only (buying service)
- £10,000 to £25,000+ depending on property price and city
Strategy + buyer’s agent bundle
- Often £12,000 to £30,000+ total, sometimes with the strategy fee credited back
“Free” advisory linked to new builds
- £0 upfront to you
- But potentially thousands or tens of thousands built into the deal via commissions, pricing, and limited negotiation
That is the real landscape of what investment property advisors charge in Australia. You’re either paying directly, or indirectly. Sometimes both.
What do these fees usually include, and what should they include?
Because fees alone are meaningless if the scope is thin.
Here’s what I’d personally want to see spelled out, item by item.
For strategy fees
Should include:
- Your borrowing capacity assumptions and buffers (even if broker confirms)
- Buy box: budget, yield target, growth drivers, dwelling type, land content preferences
- Market selection logic, not just a suburb list
- Risk notes: vacancy risk, flood risk, strata risk, oversupply risk, insurance availability
- A clear “why now, why this, why not that” explanation
Should be clear if excluded:
- Tax advice
- Financial advice
- Legal advice
For buyer’s agent fees
Should include:
- Comparable sales and a price ceiling, explained
- Due diligence checklist
- Contract review process (coordinated with solicitor)
- B&P organisation or at least recommendation and booking
- Negotiation plan, not just “we negotiate hard”
- Clear timeline and communication expectations
If it’s missing, you can still proceed. But you’re paying for a buying process, so the process should exist.
Extra charges people don’t expect
This is where budgets get messy.
Depending on the advisor, you might also pay for:
- Auction bidding surcharge (sometimes £500 to £2,500)
- Regional travel or inspection costs
- Building and pest inspections (usually £400 to £800+)
- Strata report (commonly £250 to £400+)
- Solicitor or conveyancer fees (varies widely)
- Quantity surveyor report (often £600 to £900, if relevant)
- Property management setup fees and letting fees
- Independent valuation fees (sometimes covered, sometimes not)
These are not “advisor fees” exactly, but they affect the real cost of getting to settlement. Worth including in your numbers before you sign anything.
Are these fees tax deductible in Australia?
Broadly speaking, some costs related to acquiring an investment property are not immediately deductible and may form part of the cost base for CGT purposes. Buyer’s agent fees often fall into that bucket. But strategy or advisory fees can be trickier and depend on what exactly they are for and how they are invoiced. Understanding capital gains tax planning can help investors navigate these distinctions more effectively.
This is where you stop relying on internet summaries and ask your accountant. Get advice for your situation, and make sure the invoices are detailed.
Still, when people look up what investment property advisors charge in Australia, they are often trying to work out the net cost after tax. Just be careful. The tax treatment is not a marketing bullet point; it’s a compliance thing.
The biggest red flags with pricing
A few things that should make you pause.
“We are free, we get you discounts from developers”
Maybe. But ask:
- Who pays you?
- How much?
- Do you show properties where you earn nothing?
- Can you put in writing that you don’t receive commissions?
If they dodge, that’s your answer.
Very high fixed fees without clear deliverables
If someone charges £8,000 for “strategy” and can’t show a sample deliverable or a clear scope, you’re basically paying for vibes.
Pressure to sign before you see the engagement letter
You should see the terms, refund policy, and scope in writing. Always.
Refusing to disclose relationships
If they have referral relationships with brokers, property managers, accountants, developers, whatever. That is fine. But it has to be disclosed, because it can influence recommendations.
How to compare advisors properly (without getting stuck)
If you are shopping around and trying to decide what investment property advisors charge in Australia and who is worth it, ask these questions and write down the answers.
- How are you paid, in total, including commissions and referral fees?
- Are you licensed as a buyer’s agent? In which region?
- Do you accept developer or seller side commissions?
- What is included, exactly, for the fee? What is excluded?
- What does a typical client journey look like, week by week?
- How many properties do you assess before recommending one?
- Do you provide a written comparable sales pack and price ceiling?
- What happens if I don’t buy anything? Any refund, any pause option?
- Can you show me a redacted example of your strategy document or due diligence pack?
- What markets do you avoid, and why? (Good advisors have opinions here.)
It’s not about interrogating them. It’s about getting the fog out of the room.
So, what should you expect to pay?
If you want the blunt version.
- If you want advice only, you will likely pay a few thousand pounds.
- If you want someone to actually find, assess, and negotiate a property, you will likely pay somewhere in the five figures.
- If you want ongoing support, expect a retainer or membership style cost.
- If it looks free, you’re paying in another way, and you need to understand that way.
That’s the reality of what investment property advisors charge in Australia. It is not always cheap, and it is not always transparent, but it is knowable once you force the numbers onto the table.
A quick wrap up
Pricing in this industry is all over the place because “advisor” can mean five different things, and the incentives change depending on who is writing the cheque.
If you take nothing else from this, take this. When comparing what investment property advisers charge in Australia, ignore the headline fee at first. Ask how they get paid, what they do for it, and what conflicts sit underneath it. Then decide if that trade-off is worth it for you.
Because the cost is one thing.
The cost of buying the wrong property is the real one.
Learn more How to Build a Property Portfolio in Australia from Scratch