I Have a Lawyer, I Don't Need a Buyer's Agent

Do you want someone whose job starts after you choose a property? Or someone who ensures you choose the right property, at the right price, with the best strategy, before a lawyer ever steps in?

Many buyers confidently say, “I already have a lawyer, I don’t need a buyer’s agent.”

On the surface, that sounds logical. A lawyer protects you legally, reviews contracts and ensures everything is compliant. But the reality is this: by the time a lawyer gets involved, most of the crucial decisions, and most of the financial risk, has already happened.

A buyer’s agent and a lawyer do not do the same job.

They work at different moments of the purchase process and solve very different problems. Understanding this distinction is essential if you want to buy well, buy safely and avoid overpaying.

In practice, when a lawyer enters the picture, the property has already been chosen, the price has often been agreed and the emotional commitment is already there. At that point, options are limited. The lawyer can confirm whether the purchase is legally possible, but they cannot rewind the process and assess whether it was the right property, the right location or the right price in the first place.

This is where a buyer’s agent adds value; long before contracts, deposits or legal checks begin.

A buyer’s agent starts at the very beginning, by understanding your needs in detail. Are you buying a home or an investment? Is capital appreciation important? Rental yield? Lifestyle? Exit strategy? Budget discipline? These questions define not just what you should buy, but very much what you should avoid.

From there, properties are sourced strategically, sometimes beyond what appears on the main portals. The goal is not volume, but relevance. Every property considered is filtered against your criteria and the realities of the local market.

Before you ever step inside a property, a series of pre-visit checks takes place. This includes analysing the building, the street, the micro-location, comparable properties in the area and recent sales data. What has sold recently? At what price? How long did it sit on the market? Was it renovated or original? The condition of the building ? These details matter enormously when determining whether an asking price makes sense or whether there is room to negotiate...and always remember the selling agent is not looking out for you; they are looking out for the seller and their commission!

This stage alone saves buyers significant money and time. Many properties are eliminated before viewings because the numbers do not work, the positioning is weak, their are hidden costs, or the property simply does not align with the buyer’s objectives.

A lawyer does not do this analysis as it's not a legal function. Yet it is one of the most decisive parts of a successful purchase.

During and after viewings, further checks take place. Property details are examined closely, not just from a legal perspective, but from a commercial and practical one. Orientation, layout efficiency, renovation potential, building condition, community fees, future risks and resale appeal are all assessed. Small details uncovered at this stage often become powerful negotiation tools later.

Negotiation is another area where the difference between a lawyer and a buyer’s agent is clear. Negotiation is not simply about offering less. It is about understanding market value, seller motivation, timing and leverage. By running detailed reports on comparable sales and identifying weaknesses or mismatches in pricing, a buyer’s agent can structure an offer that is both credible and advantageous. This is often where the largest financial savings are made - well before any contract reaches a lawyer’s desk.

Only once the right property has been selected and the right terms have been agreed does the lawyer step in. At that point, their role is critical. They carry out legal due diligence, review ownership, licences, debts, encumbrances and contracts, and ensure that everything is legally sound before legally binding contracts are signed. This is exactly how it should be.

From that moment on, the buyer’s agent and the lawyer work together, each in their own area of expertise. One protects your legal position, the other continues to protect your interests, timelines and overall purchase strategy through to completion at the notary.

A lawyer ensures you can buy. A buyer’s agent ensures you should buy.

If you wait until the legal stage to ask the right questions, it is often too late. The best purchases are made when the groundwork is done properly from the very beginning, before emotions take over, before prices are agreed and before contracts exist.

Ready to buy with clarity, strategy and confidence?

If you want someone involved before emotions, pricing pressure and contracts take over; someone whose role is to protect your interests from the very first step, then working with a buyer’s agent is not an extra, it is essential.

At VL Buyers Agent, I work selectively with buyers who want to make informed decisions, negotiate from a position of strength and secure the right property at the right price. My role begins long before a lawyer reviews a contract, and continues all the way to the notary in close collaboration with my legal team.

To understand exactly how and why this approach protects you as a buyer, read more here:

Why work with a buyer’s agent: https://www.vlbuyersagent.com/why-work-with-a-buyers-agent

If this way of buying resonates with you, the next step is a conversation — not a viewing!