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Australia’s property management sector is entering a more brutal phase of competition, as agencies scramble to secure the one asset that cushions them from volatile sales cycles: the rent roll.
With transaction volumes fluctuating and margins under pressure, recurring rental income has become the cornerstone of agency valuations. The result is increasing competition for new rental properties, and a growing recognition that the influx of new buyer’s agents can be a tool for rent roll growth.
Experts are currently urging property managers and business development managers to form closer alliances with buyer’s agents to improve client delivery and, importantly, provide a stable long-term lead pipeline.
Speaking at last year's REB PMX Conference, InvestorKit founder and chief executive Arjun Paliwal said agencies that integrate buyer’s agents into their growth strategy will have a unique edge.
Now, he sits down with REB to unpack how property management professionals and buyer’s agents can work together in closer alignment.
“For property managers, working closely with buyer’s agents creates a high-quality, consistent pipeline of investment clients, often investors who are data-driven, long-term focused, and likely to continue building portfolios,” he recently told REB.
The logic is straightforward, according to the chief executive. Buyer’s agents sit upstream of the rental market, guiding investors through acquisition decisions that shape demand for property managers into the future.
“Ultimately, it’s about alignment. When property managers and buyer’s agents are aligned, the investor wins – and that’s what sustains long-term growth for both businesses,” Paliwal said.
Crucially, the buyer’s agent role does not end at settlement. Investors, he said, judge success by post-purchase performance, rental income, tenant stability and asset optimisation.
This means buyer’s agents have a unique demand for best-in-service property managers.
“Buyer’s agents are sourcing properties for investors and guiding them through a major financial decision. A crucial part of that journey doesn’t end at settlement; it’s what happens next. Investors want confidence that their asset will be well managed, tenants will be looked after, and performance will be optimised.”
For property managers, the benefits extend beyond volume.
Established buyer’s agent relationships also streamline leasing, improve compliance outcomes and generate repeat business as investors expand their portfolios.
Paliwal said the commercial impact is tangible: “When a buyer’s agent and property manager already have a working relationship, the handover at settlement is seamless – tenants, rents, compliance, and leasing are handled quickly and professionally,” he told REB.
“Happy investors often buy again. When the property manager performs well, the buyer’s agent is more likely to recommend them on future purchases, creating compounding business for both.”
This relationship also provides substantial downstream benefits for sales teams. Stronger ties between buyer’s agents and property management divisions translate into a steadier flow of qualified buyers, and, in time, future vendors.
For property management agencies looking to establish these relationships, Paliwal cautioned against leading with commission structures. The focus, he said, should be on shared outcomes rather than transactional referrals.
“Share local rental insights, vacancy trends, tenant demand, and leasing performance. Show that you understand investment property, not just property management,” he said.
Ongoing transparency matters just as much.
“Keep buyer’s agents informed about how their clients’ properties are performing. This builds trust and reinforces their decision to recommend you.”
From that base, referrals tend to follow through from the buyer’s agent without being forced. However, where referral fees exist, Paliwal said they must remain a secondary consideration and tightly governed.
“Referral fees can exist where they’re transparent, compliant, and secondary to client outcomes,” he said. “They should never compromise trust, quality, or investor interests.”
It’s clear to the property investing expert that agencies that treat collaboration as a strategy, rather than salesmanship, are better positioned to endure.
“When property managers and buyer’s agents collaborate properly, it’s not just a referral relationship, it’s a strategic partnership built around investor success,” Paliwal said. “That’s where the real leverage and longevity sit.”
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