When buying or selling property in Australia, two professionals often come up in the same conversation: a property advisor and a mortgage broker. Many buyers assume they are the same thing, or that one replaces the other. They do not. They serve completely different purposes — and understanding the difference could save you thousands.
What Does a Mortgage Broker Do?
A mortgage broker helps you find and secure a home loan. They compare products from a panel of lenders, manage your application, and earn a commission from the lender when your loan settles. A good mortgage broker saves you time and can access rates and products you cannot find yourself.
What a mortgage broker does not do: assess whether the property is worth buying, advise on negotiation strategy, tell you what to offer, or help you understand whether the asking price reflects fair market value.
What Does a Property Advisor Do?
A Collings Property Advisor works on the property itself — not the financing. For a fixed fee of $4,500 + GST, a property advisor provides:
- Independent property assessment and market value analysis
- Comparable sales review so you know what the property is actually worth
- Negotiation strategy and offer preparation
- Agent negotiation on your behalf
- Contract guidance and settlement support
- Investment analysis if you are buying for rental return
A property advisor is not involved in your loan — that is your mortgage broker’s job. But they work alongside your broker to make sure you do not overpay for the asset your broker is financing.
Do I Need Both?
In most cases, yes. They cover different parts of the same transaction. Your mortgage broker handles the money side. Your property advisor handles the property side. Together they give you full coverage on both the financing and the asset.
Many buyers use a mortgage broker but have no independent advice on the property itself — they rely entirely on the selling agent, who is legally obligated to act in the vendor’s interest, not yours.
Common Mistakes Buyers Make
- Assuming their mortgage broker can tell them if a property is worth the asking price — they cannot
- Relying on the selling agent for negotiation guidance
- Paying full buyers advocacy fees when they only needed a property advisor
- Skipping independent advice entirely and overpaying by $20k-$80k
How Much Does Each Cost?
| Professional | What They Do | How They Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Mortgage Broker | Finds and secures your home loan | Commission from lender (free to you) |
| Property Advisor (Collings) | Property assessment, negotiation, contract support | Fixed fee $4,500 + GST |
| Buyers Advocate | Full property search + negotiation + settlement | 2-3% of purchase price ($20k-$40k on a $1M property) |
Why Collings Property Advisory?
Collings Property Advisory fills the gap between DIY property buying and full-service buyers advocacy. If you have already found your property, you do not need a buyers advocate to search for one. You need an expert to assess it, value it, and negotiate it for you — at a fraction of the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my mortgage broker advise me on whether to buy a property?
No. Mortgage brokers are licensed to advise on home loans, not property values or negotiation strategy. They are a separate profession to property advisors.
Can I use a property advisor without a mortgage broker?
Yes. If you are a cash buyer or already have finance arranged, you can engage a Collings Property Advisor for the property side only.
Does Collings offer both services?
Collings Property Advisory covers the property side. We recommend working with an independent mortgage broker for your finance — we can refer you to a trusted broker if needed.
Ready to get independent advice on the property you have found? Book a Collings Property Advisory consultation for $4,500 + GST. Visit collings.com.au/portal to get started.
Find your next property with Collings
Track suburbs, get matched to on-market and off-market listings, and manage your whole property search in one place. Access the Collings property portal.
