Who Do You Take Your Real Estate Advice From?

Property decisions are some of the biggest financial calls most Australians make—yet our advice sources are a mixed bag. Friends. TikTok. Media headlines. A mate who “did well in 2017”. So, who should you actually listen to when you’re buying, selling or investing?

Who do you usually turn to first when you’re weighing up a property decision—family, friends, or a professional?

Below, we break down how Australians really get their property advice, what each generation tends to trust, and a practical checklist to separate solid guidance from well-meaning but unhelpful advice.

How Australians get advice today (and what’s changing)

Social media is now a real influence—especially for younger Australians. Multiple Australian surveys show around one-third of people tap social media for money guidance, with usage highest among 18–24s and still notable among 55+ Australians.

Among under-35s, social media is often the second most common place to seek advice after family and friends.

Family and friends remain the first port of call. Younger Australians are far more likely than older cohorts to consult parents, relatives and peers before professionals.

Government sources are widely used and trusted for basics. ASIC’s Moneysmart attracts ~10 million Australians a year for independent guidance and tools.

Buyers and sellers are researching more, for longer. REA Group’s realestate.com.au large consumer studies show property seekers want clearer pricing and do deeper research before acting, buyers say transparency boosts confidence to make offers or bid.

Investors care about qualifications. In PIPA’s national investor survey, 90% believe anyone giving property investment advice should have formal training; three-quarters said a QPIA® qualification would influence who they work with.

Generational Patterns in Property Advice

Gen Z & Millennials (18–44): Rely heavily on family, friends, and social media when starting out. Great for quick ideas, but risky when untested tips replace professional guidance.
Gen X (45–59): More balanced—often using peer recommendations but cross-checking with local agents and data sources before acting.
Baby Boomers (60+): Draw on personal experience and trusted advisers. But strategies from decades ago may not suit today’s lending rules, tax settings, or property market conditions.

Across every generation, Australians are spending more time researching. Online tools, market reports and price transparency are shaping how buyers and sellers make decisions.

Why source quality matters (especially now)

Affordability is tight and renting remains costly, so timing, suburb selection and negotiation can make five-figure differences. Recent CoreLogic and PropTrack reporting shows affordability strains and shifting market conditions—another reason to rely on current, local data (not outdated anecdotes).

Trends like “rentvesting” (buying where it’s affordable and renting where you want to live) are more common among younger buyers and new investors—useful for strategy, but the details (tax, cashflow, vacancy risk) matter.

How to Check if Advice is Reliable

Confirm licences. Verify your agent is registered through the Queensland Office of Fair Trading licence search:
https://www.qld.gov.au/law/fair-trading/licensing/registers
Ask for data. Genuine advice is backed by comparable sales and suburb reports, local demand insights, and independent sources like:
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-research/
https://www.corelogic.com.au/
https://www.proptrack.com.au/
Understand incentives. Be cautious if someone stands to profit by pushing a particular property or developer—ASIC publishes investor warnings here:
https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/news-items/
Look for local proof. Ask your agent to show recent campaigns, price guides, and results in your area. You can also explore suburb-level insights here:
https://www.realestate.com.au/neighbourhoods

Why Local Knowledge Wins

Each suburb has its own rhythm—buyer demand, days on market, rental yields, and growth potential. That’s why relying on national headlines or general “property tips” can be misleading. Local, evidence-based insight is the most valuable real estate advice you can access.

RealWay: Advice You Can Trust

At RealWay, we combine local expertise with hard data. Our offices across Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Brisbane, Ipswich, Greater Springfield, Mt Gravatt and Toowoomba are deeply connected to their communities. We track suburb-by-suburb sales results, buyer behaviour, and rental demand—bringing clear, reliable guidance to every client.

Our approach isn’t hype. It’s help—grounded in experience, research and results.

Learn generational patterns and how to choose reliable guidance for buying, selling or investing.

You might also be interested in

Navigating the Skilled Trades Shortage: Rising Costs and Construction Delays in 2024

Affordability and the intergenerational puzzle