Getting to Know … Nick Viner of Buyers Domain

Nick Viner is a licensed buyer’s agent and expert in Sydney real estate, and the owner of Buyers Domain. While working as a property solicitor ten years ago, he identified an increasing need to assist busy professionals and families to find their ideal properties. In 2009 he became a buyer’s agent, covering both residential and commercial property and specialising in the Inner West. Since that time Buyers Domain has expanded to include a property management and leasing division, which is managed by Nick’s wife, Tanya Viner. Nick and Tanya live and work in the vibrant suburb of Leichhardt.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I have been an Inner West resident since 2006 and am the father of three young children. I am married to Tanya Viner. We live in Leichhardt and my office is based in the Italian Forum, also in Leichhardt. I love living and working in the Inner West.
I became a buyer’s agent ten years ago when I established Buyers Domain to assist busy professionals and families with their property purchases. Tanya now runs our leasing division as we also look after the long-term property management of an increasing number of investor clients.

Why did you decide to go into property?
Growing up as a child in England, we used to holiday in France. My parents would drag me around the open homes of run-down country barns and medieval village houses with secret rooms and fascinating stories to tell. That’s where I got the property bug.
Originally trained as a lawyer, I worked as a property solicitor for many years both in London and Sydney before I became a buyer’s agent.

When and why did you set up Buyers Domain?
When I was working as a property solicitor in Sydney, friends and colleagues kept coming to me with numerous questions about their own property purchases. They recognised my legal knowledge as well as my genuine interest and enthusiasm to help them with anything property-related.
One day, I found a property in Annandale that one of my best friends was interested in buying. After I negotiated the price with the agent, the penny dropped: I could actually quit the day job and help people buy property for a living. I had never even heard of a buyer’s agent at that point so fell into it almost by accident. I became a buyer’s agent in 2009.

What services does Buyers Domain offer?
As a buyer’s agent, I help people find and buy their ideal homes and investment properties. The main service I offer is the Full Search Service which also includes managing and conducting the due diligence process (or research process) before negotiating and/or bidding at auction.
I specialise in the Inner West but cover all areas within a radius of approximately 20 kilometres from the CBD. My clients are typically time-poor professionals and families looking for a larger home or a suitable investment property. I cover both residential and commercial properties.
Providing a one-stop shop for property investors, Tanya manages our leasing and property management division so our clients can feel confident that their asset is going to be taken care of and continues to perform as a solid investment long after I have found the property.

What can clients expect from you?
Dedication and commitment to exceeding my clients’ expectations. A lot of my clients come to me after they have been struggling to find a suitable property for a while. I genuinely relish every new challenge and my clients often say that they cannot believe how I found and secured such a good property in so little time.
As a former lawyer, my clients also value my honesty, transparency and integrity in a real estate environment which can often be murky and cut-throat.

What do you enjoy most about working with your clients?
I find the entire process of defining my clients’ criteria and ultimately securing a suitable property extremely rewarding. Buying a property is a huge investment and it can be such a daunting and emotionally draining experience. Through my knowledge and expertise, I gain satisfaction from the fact I can make such a positive impact upon people’s lives.

Best piece of advice you can offer to someone who is wanting to buy right now?
Don’t worry about what everyone else is saying or doing when it comes to buying property. The most important questions you need to be asking yourself are: Does this property purchase fit into my life’s plans, and can I afford it? There is always too much emphasis on whether or not it is the right time to buy a property. As ABC journalist, Michael Janda recently put it, ‘One cannot live one’s life based on the whims and vagaries of international markets.’ Of course, there are risks associated with buying property, but if you take a long-term view and buy a quality property, it will increase in value by the time you sell. So, if it makes sense for you to buy, just get on with it.

As a dad yourself, do you have any advice for new dads?
Roll up your sleeves and get stuck in! As a career-driven dad myself, I know well that it is all too easy to make excuses and get sucked into long days at the office. By the time you get home, the kids are already in bed and your wife is exhausted! Your children will grow up so quickly that if you are not involved from the beginning, before you know it, you will have missed some of the most formative years of your children’s lives. And your wife won’t be thrilled with you either!

Which book has inspired you recently?
I’m currently reading Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher and William L. Ury. It is a seminal book about principled negotiation or ‘non-adversarial bargaining’. I cannot stop myself from reading books or watching TV shows from Australia and around the world that enhance my property knowledge. I’m a property tragic!

Favourite places in the Inner West?
King Street, Newtown for the eclectic shops and atmosphere. Pasticceria, Haberfield for their baked ricotta cheesecake. Kollector Cars for their unique warehouse and collection of vintage cars. Birchgrove Park to hang out by the water’s edge and take in the views. Balmain East for catching a ferry to Circular Quay. The Bay Run for a Sunday afternoon stroll with the family. Palace Cinema, Leichhardt for a good old-fashioned movie experience!

Getting to Know … back articles
You can find all our past Getting to Know … pieces here.

Articles by Nick Viner:
Why We Love the Inner West
Why I Upgraded in the Inner West
The Smart Way to Upsize in the Inner West
Should I Buy a Weatherboard?