If you are buying an office, shop, warehouse or medical suite in Melbourne, a commercial buyers agent can save you money on the price and protect you from a bad lease. The first question most buyers ask is what it costs. This guide sets out how commercial buyers agent fees work, what the market charges in 2026, and the other costs you need to budget for.
The short answer
Most commercial buyers agents in Melbourne charge between 1 and 2 per cent of the purchase price for a full-service engagement, either as a percentage or as a fixed fee in that range. Negotiation-only services, where you have already found the property, usually cost less, often under 1 per cent. Fees are generally quoted plus GST.
At LP Advisory, our commercial fees typically sit between 1 and 2 per cent of the purchase price, depending on the budget and the brief. We work on either a fixed fee or a percentage, agreed in writing before we start.
How commercial buyers agent fees are structured
Percentage of the purchase price
The fee is a set percentage of what you pay. It is simple and scales with the size of the purchase. The catch is that the fee rises as the price rises, so it is worth asking how the agent keeps their interests aligned with yours at the negotiating table.
Fixed fee
The fee is agreed upfront, based on your budget and how much work the brief involves. You know the cost before anything starts, and the agent gains nothing if you end up paying more.
Engagement fee plus success fee
Many firms take an engagement fee when you sign, commonly a few thousand dollars, with the balance due when you buy. Ask whether the engagement fee comes off the final fee, and what happens to it if no purchase goes ahead.
Minimum fees
A commercial purchase needs the same lease and tenant due diligence whether the building costs $800,000 or $3 million. For that reason some agents set a minimum fee, which means a smaller purchase can cost more than the percentage alone suggests.
Is commercial more expensive than residential?
In percentage terms, published commercial fees sit in a similar range to residential. In dollar terms, commercial usually costs more, because prices are higher and the work is different. Buying commercial means assessing the lease, the tenant’s covenant, how outgoings are recovered, and the zoning and permitted use, on top of negotiating the price. Our guide to the types of commercial property explains how those factors differ across office, retail, industrial and medical assets.
For a comparison with home buying, see our guide to buyers agent fees in Melbourne.
What drives the fee
- Price point. Higher-value assets usually mean a higher dollar fee, even where the percentage is lower.
- Asset type. A single-tenant industrial unit on a long lease is simpler to assess than a multi-tenant retail strip or a mixed-use building.
- Lease and tenant complexity. Several tenancies, short leases or a vacant building all need more work.
- Search or negotiate only. Finding the right property, particularly off-market, takes far more time than negotiating on one you have already found.
- SMSF purchases. Buying through a self-managed super fund adds coordination with your accountant, lender and legal adviser. Our guide to buying commercial property through your SMSF covers the rules.
What a full-service fee should include
- A clear brief covering budget, yield or use, location and hold period
- Searching on and off-market
- Assessing yield, lease terms, tenant covenant, outgoings and zoning
- Negotiating the price, or bidding for you at auction
- Coordinating due diligence with your solicitor, lender and accountant
- Managing the purchase through to settlement
Get the scope in writing before you commit, along with the fee, when it is payable and whether it includes GST.
Costs on top of the buyers agent fee
- Stamp duty or CIPT. Under Victoria’s commercial and industrial property tax reform, a qualifying property pays stamp duty on its first sale on or after 1 July 2024. It then moves to an annual tax of 1 per cent of the land value 10 years later, and later sales pay no duty. Check which applies to the property you are buying.
- Legal and conveyancing costs, including a proper review of the lease.
- Building and condition reports.
- An independent valuation, which most lenders will require.
- Loan establishment costs, if you are borrowing.
- GST. Commercial sales can involve GST, and whether a sale is treated as a going concern changes how it applies. Your accountant should look at this before you sign.
Is a commercial buyers agent worth the fee?
The fee is easy to see. The value is less obvious. On a $2 million asset, a 1.5 per cent fee is $30,000. Negotiating 3 per cent off the price saves $60,000. Over a 10-year hold, avoiding a weak tenant, a lease about to expire or an outgoings clause that erodes your yield can be worth far more than either figure.
The value comes from independent advice. A selling agent is paid by the vendor. A buyers agent works only for you, and their job is to find the problems before you own them. Our guide to buying commercial property in Melbourne walks through where buyers most often get caught.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is the fee fixed or a percentage, and does it include GST?
- Is there an engagement fee, and is it credited against the final fee?
- What happens to the fee if we do not buy?
- Do you receive any fee, commission or referral payment from the vendor or selling agent?
- How many commercial purchases have you handled in the last 12 months, and in which asset types?
If you are weighing up a commercial purchase in inner Melbourne, our commercial buyers agent service sets out how we work, and we are happy to talk through your brief.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial buyers agent cost in Melbourne?
Most commercial buyers agents in Melbourne charge between 1 and 2 per cent of the purchase price for a full-service engagement, either as a percentage or as a fixed fee in that range. Negotiation-only services are usually cheaper. Fees are generally quoted plus GST.
Is a fixed fee or a percentage better?
A fixed fee gives you certainty and means the agent gains nothing if you pay more. A percentage is simple and scales with the size of the purchase. What matters most is that the fee, what it covers and when it is payable are agreed in writing before any work starts.
Do commercial buyers agents charge GST?
Most do. Buyers agent fees in Australia are usually quoted plus GST, so check whether any figure you are given includes it.
Is a commercial buyers agent fee tax deductible?
A fee paid to acquire a property is generally treated as part of the cost of buying it rather than an immediate deduction. How it is treated depends on your structure, so confirm with your accountant.
Can I use a buyers agent to buy commercial property through my SMSF?
Yes. A buyers agent handles the property side of the purchase and works alongside your accountant, lender and legal adviser, who handle the fund and tax side.
This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are current at the time of writing and can change. Speak to a licensed adviser about your own situation.
