What exactly does a home buyer advocate do?

A home buyer advocate represents the buyer throughout the property search and purchase process. At LP Advisory, this can include clarifying your brief, sourcing suitable properties, accessing off-market and pre-market opportunities, inspecting homes, reviewing comparable sales, coordinating due diligence, negotiating with selling agents and supporting you through to settlement.

How is a home buyer's agent different from a real estate agent?

A real estate agent is engaged by the seller to achieve the best result for the vendor. A buyer's agent represents the buyer. Our role is to protect your interests, assess the property from a buyer's perspective and help you make an informed decision before you offer, negotiate or bid.

Why should I use a home buyers advocate instead of doing it myself?

Buying property in Melbourne can be time-consuming and competitive, especially in tightly held suburbs. A buyer advocate gives you strategy, market insight, access to more opportunities and support during due diligence and negotiation. This helps reduce risk and gives you more confidence before committing to a property.

Can you help with both buying and selling property?

Yes. LP Advisory provides buyer advocacy, negotiation-only support, auction bidding and vendor advocacy. If you are buying and also need to sell, we can help you select the right selling agent, manage the process and protect your position on both sides of the transaction.

Do I need a buyer's agent if I've already found a property?

Yes, if you want support with pricing, due diligence and negotiation. Our negotiation-only service is designed for buyers who have already found a property but want professional guidance before making an offer or bidding at auction.

Do you help with off-market properties?

Yes. LP Advisory regularly sources off-market and pre-market properties through agent relationships and direct outreach. This can give buyers access to opportunities that may not appear on the major property portals.

Which Melbourne areas do you service?

LP Advisory assists buyers across Melbourne, with a strong focus on inner and established suburbs including Port Phillip, Bayside, Stonnington, Boroondara, the inner north and inner west. We tailor the search area to the client's budget, lifestyle, property goals and long-term plans.

Full-Service Buyers Advocacy · Melbourne

Your buyers agent, from first search to settlement

Independent, end-to-end representation for Melbourne home buyers. We source, assess and negotiate the right property, including homes that never reach the market.

Book a free strategy call Or call 03 9498 3131 See recent purchases

50%

Off-market

Days avg.

4.9★

Excellent · Google

50+

Years combined

By Alana Prideaux, Co-Founder and Licensed Estate Agent
Updated 12 October 2026

Why use a buyers advocate

The market is built for the seller. We even the odds.

Every selling agent in a negotiation works for the vendor. Walk in unrepresented and you are negotiating against a professional whose job is to get the highest price from you.

As licensed estate agents who have sat on the selling side of hundreds of campaigns, we know exactly how that game is played, and we play it for you instead.

1 in 2

homes we secure are never publicly listed

Through relationships with hundreds of Melbourne agents, we reach pre-market and off-market opportunities most buyers never see, often with less competition and a stronger negotiating position.

Explore off-market access

What full service includes

End-to-end, nothing left to chance

One engagement covers the entire purchase, from brief to keys in hand.

Not sure this is the right fit? See who we help, from first home buyers through to downsizers, prestige and interstate buyers.

Strategy & brief

We define your goals, budget, suburbs and non-negotiables, then build the search around them.

Sourcing & shortlisting

On-market and off-market properties, filtered to only those genuinely worth your time.

Due diligence

Inspections, comparable sales, pricing analysis and risk checks before you commit a dollar.

Negotiation

Private treaty handled by licensed agents who know the other side's playbook.

Auction bidding

Professional bidding strategy and representation, removing emotion and guesswork.

Through to settlement

Support through contracts, building and pest, and settlement, all the way to handover.

Inner Melbourne, known street by street.

Why choose LP Advisory

Senior representation, start to finish

Extensive industry experience

Over 50 years combined across residential sales, development and negotiation, on both sides of the table.

Deep Melbourne network

Long-standing agent relationships that unlock off-market access and early intelligence on listings.

Everything under one roof

Search, due diligence, negotiation and auction in one engagement, led personally by a director.

Independent, always

We represent buyers only. No conflicts, no kickbacks, just advice aligned to your interests.

How it works

A clear path to the right property

Discovery call

An initial conversation about your goals, budget and brief.

Search & assess

We source, inspect and shortlist, on and off market.

Negotiate / bid

We secure the property at the right price and terms.

Settle

We guide you through to settlement and handover.

★★★★★

"They made the entire buying process stress-free, one of the best decisions we ever made."

LP Advisory client · Rated Excellent on Google

Google reviews

What our clients say

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 78 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Federica Caldaroni 
 7 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I was flat out with work and had neither the time nor the resources to house hunt, and not being local made the Melbourne market hard to understand. Lou and Alana were incredibly professional and took care of every single detail, making the whole process smooth and stress-free. They found my home in just 11 days! I'd wholeheartedly recommend LP Advisory to friends and family who want to actually enjoy finding their perfect place.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Jac Bowie 
 10 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I can’t recommend Lou and Alana from LP Advisory highly enough! They helped me secure my dream Melbourne apartment and, along the way, educated me on the property market, Melbourne suburbs and making smart investment decisions. Their knowledge, professionalism and genuine care made the entire experience fantastic. I’ll absolutely be using them for future purchases and recommending them to everyone I know. Couldn’t be happier!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Connie Caligiuri 
 38 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Lou was extremely helpful, professional, personable and knowledgeable from the get go. He was responsive throughout the process and gave us the confidence we needed to make informed decisions. My partner and I can’t recommend Lou’s services enough! Thank you Lou!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Stephanie Evans 
 39 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Have dealt with LP Advisory on many occasion being a real estate agent in the Port Phillip area. I have to say Lou is always extremely easy and no fuss to deal with, always having the best intentions for their clients. Lou recently purchased a property through us pre market in South Melbourne. Within 48 hours, his client had viewed, a building inspection had been conducted and we had negotiated with the owner and come to an agreeable price. Happy clients all round so thank you.
Steph Evans - Marshall White.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Kirrily Graham 
 40 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The team at LP Advisory are an absolute delight to work with. They have incredible experience, local knowledge and expansive network in the industry.
They provide an impeccable service and I was so impressed with their promptness and level of communication.
Thanks Lou and Alana, it is a pleasure to work with you!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Tashi Dorjee 
 41 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Genuine, easy to trust , real world market advice. Can't recommend him enough
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Hayley Vo 
 46 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lou on a number of property matters, and one thing that really stands out is the level of care and attention to detail he puts into the property search for his clients.
Lou is extremely knowledgeable. He is always asking questions, clarifying details and making sure he has a thorough understanding of the property so he can properly guide and assist his clients.
From a conveyancer’s perspective, it’s really lovely to see the amount of care he takes behind the scenes to ensure his clients are making informed decisions and purchasing the right property for them.
I would happily recommend him to anyone looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and genuinely caring buyer’s advocate.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Dominic Monaco 
 79 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Lou and Alana from LP Advisory and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

They genuinely put their clients first and are committed to helping buyers make informed property decisions. Their knowledge of the Melbourne market, professionalism and attention to detail are evident in everything they do.

They're approachable, honest, responsive and clearly passionate about achieving the best possible outcome for their clients. I have every confidence recommending LP Advisory to anyone looking for a trusted buyer's advocate.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   James Miller 
 85 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. There are not enough superlatives for what a wonderful job Lou and Alana have done. Looking for a home is stressful enough, especially when you add in the fact I am move interstate, however the LP Advisory team took all the difficult work out of it. I am extremely happy with the service and care I have received, which obviously ranged from sourcing appropriate inspections based on my preferences, then through going to them, giving me amazing advice and suggestions. They are both very professional, very kind and very efficient.

Thank you both so very much. I am beyond appreciative and I could not recommend their services enough. If anyone is looking, please look into Lou and Alana.

Thanks :)
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Erin Richardson 
 85 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I could not recommend Lou, Alana and the LP Advisory Team more highly. They are absolutely the real deal in terms of their local knowledge, price guidance and relationships - it is almost an unfair advantage if you have them on your team. I recently was able to purchase a home far better than anything I would have dreamed of due to the strength of their relationships and negotiating advice. At no point did I ever feel pressured to look at  homes which I felt were off brief - they would send me video tours of homes before I even stepped in to make sure that it was only for the highest and best potential homes that I was investing my time. I wasn't fighting with the regular weekend crowds but had the opportunity to view when it suited me. And more than that, I was able to be candid and open in my feedback which was clearly taken back on board and reflected back in the shortlist that was presented back to me. As a business owner making a significant purchase, their commercial nous was unbelievable as was their integrity (they earned their fee four times over) and I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with them. I was actually recommended them by one of the local Port Melbourne/Albert Park agents who probably regrets introducing us now!

Recent purchases

How this has worked for our clients

Middle Park $5.025m Secured Off-Market for a Repeat ClientA repeat client came back to upgrade her own home after we bought for her parents. We ran the full search and secured Middle Park off-market at $5.025m.Read the case study Port Melbourne $1.735m: Inspections and Negotiation Handled on Her BehalfShe knew the suburb, the property and her budget. We attended inspections with her and handled the negotiation, securing Port Melbourne at $1.735m.Read the case study Brighton $7.2m: Off-Market Site Secured From Two Vendors in Four WeeksOur clients searched Brighton for twelve months on their own. We found the site in three weeks and secured it from two owners within four, at $7.2m.Read the case study

See all recent purchases

Your questions answered

What does a full-service buyers agent actually do?+

We manage the entire purchase: strategy, sourcing on and off market, due diligence, pricing analysis, and negotiation or auction bidding, through to settlement, working only in your interests.

How much of your buying is off-market?+

Around half of the properties we secure for clients are never publicly listed, sourced through our agent relationships before or instead of a public campaign.

What does it cost?+

Fees are tailored to your brief and search. We provide a clear, fixed quote up front so you know exactly what is included from day one.

How long does it take?+

On average, 47 days from engagement to a successful purchase, though this varies with your brief and market conditions.

Which areas do you cover?+

Melbourne's inner north, inner east, inner south and bayside, including South Yarra, Toorak, Hawthorn, Brighton, Richmond, Fitzroy, Brunswick, Armadale, Malvern and Camberwell.

By appointment

Ready to buy with someone in your corner?

We take on a limited number of clients at a time, so every brief gets a director's full attention.

Book a free strategy call Or call 03 9498 3131

Not ready to book? Send us a question.

Tell us what you're looking for and we'll come back to you within one business day.

For every client we take through to settlement, we fund five nights of accommodation for someone experiencing homelessness through our charity partner We Are Mobilise. Read more about our charity partnership.

Your buyers agent, from first search to settlement

The market is built for the seller. We even the odds.

homes we secure are never publicly listed