Will Hosking recently joined Chris Bates on the Street Secrets podcast to talk property, the Northern Beaches and what really matters when buying a home here. It was a good chance to step back and reflect on why PMC exists, how we work and what we see buyers get right and wrong in this market every day.
Here are a few key takeaways from the conversation.
Why we focus so heavily on the Northern Beaches
While PMC now operates up and down the east coast including Sydney, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Newcastle, our Sydney team is very deliberately focused on the Northern Beaches and Lower North Shore.
Early on, like many buyer’s agents, we tried to cover too much ground. The reality is that unless you know an area inside out, it’s hard to add genuine value. You end up facilitating transactions instead of truly advising your clients.
The Northern Beaches is also far too large for one or two people to cover properly. That’s why at PMC Property Buyers, we break it down into smaller patches. Southern Beaches, Mid Beaches, Upper Beaches and the Forest. Each Senior Buyer’s Agent and their Associate specialises in one area only.
Knowing every street, every sale, the good and bad sides of the road and the selling agents behind those deals makes a huge difference for our clients. It’s also what helps us gain access to off market and pre market opportunities and importantly negotiate with confidence.
What buyers new to the Beaches often underestimate
A lot of buyers coming to the Northern Beaches haven’t grown up here. Many are moving from the eastern suburbs, lower north shore or overseas, drawn by the amazing lifestyle the Beaches has to offer.
What often catches them out is transport.
The Beaches has incredible lifestyle appeal, but limited transport options. Outside of Manly’s ferry, it’s buses and three primary arterial roads that service the beaches. For buyers who need to commute to the CBD five days a week, that matters, particularly once you move further north.
Our role is to understand how buyers actually live and work, then guide them to the parts of the Beaches that genuinely suit their needs and budget.
It’s rarely about bad suburbs, it’s more about poor buying choices
The Northern Beaches doesn’t really have suburbs you should avoid. Instead, the risks are usually at a more granular level.
Flood prone pockets around Manly Creek or Narrabeen Lake, properties backing on to national parks or reserves with potential bushfire risk, steep topography with landslip risk, poor walkability or public transport options – all can impact both liveability and long term performance.
Our job isn’t to tell people what they should or shouldn’t buy. It’s to make sure they understand the risks. Different buyers have different risk tolerances and different desires. Our job is to ensure they make informed buying decisions.
Development, density and what’s changing
The Beaches has historically been protected from large scale density, mainly due to infrastructure and transport constraints.
Large projects like the proposed Warringah Mall redevelopment in Brookvale are something we watch closely. Changes like this can impact traffic, amenity and future supply, and buyers need to be aware of what’s happening beyond the property they’re standing in.
Local knowledge isn’t just about today’s market. It’s about what’s coming next and keeping our finger on the pulse at all times.
Our approach to agents and negotiations
Strong relationships with selling agents are critical, but our approach is simple. Negotiate firm but fair.
Often we are happy to pay fair market value, but we don’t exist to help deals happen for the sake of it. Too often the real estate world is too focused on doing a “deal”. Our sole responsibility is to our clients and this holds us in good stead for repeat business and word of mouth support from our past clients.
Over the past five years, we’ve helped 10 local selling agents buy their own homes, of which six out of the 10 are principals of agencies. That trust doesn’t come from being easy to deal with or easy to get a deal done with. It comes from being consistent, diligent, honest and always striving to achieve the best outcomes for our clients.
The biggest mistake buyers make
More often than not, the biggest mistake we see buyers make is when they have a lack of clarity around their brief.
Unclear or unrealistic briefs can lead to burnout, missed opportunities and rash emotional decisions. We spend a lot of time upfront helping clients get clear, not just on what they want, but on what’s actually achievable in the current market within their budget.
Once they get clear on what property they are after and where, the buying journey ahead suddenly becomes less daunting.
Buying for your stage of life
One point Will touched on that really reflects how we work is buying for the life you’re living now.
For young families, convenience matters. Off street parking, easy access, safe yards and practical layouts. For older families or downsizers they can open up their minds and briefs to an outlook, elevation and views may become more important, even if the block is less practical.
Why this work matters to us
The best part of our job isn’t necessarily about saving time, saving money or finding off market properties. It’s when a client provides us with feedback and tells us that we have made a genuine impact on their life – a life changing event.
Buying property is one of the biggest decisions people make. Being trusted to guide someone through that is something we don’t take lightly.
If you’d like to listen to Will’s full conversation with Chris Bates, you can find the episode on the Street Secrets podcast below.
Looking to buy property in NSW?
Our team of buyers agents are based in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and Lower North Shore, as well as Newcastle and carry out thorough due diligence, helping you navigate the market and secure the right place.