Meet Judith Treanor Buyer’s Agent
Meet Judith Treanor
The Inner West buyer’s agent and property insider who sees potential where others see issues
With a background in interior design, a flair for renovations, and over 30 years of hands-on experience in Sydney’s real estate market, Judith Treanor has become the go-to buyer’s agent for Inner West families. Known for her deep local knowledge, off-market access, and thoughtful, lifestyle-first approach, Judith brings both expertise and empathy to every property search. Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, or just feeling overwhelmed by Sydney’s competitive market, her mission is simple: to help you find – and secure – the home that truly fits.
Read on to discover how Judith helps busy families navigate the Inner West property market, what trends she’s seeing in 2025, and why her clients say they couldn’t have found their new home without her.
“She took all the angst out of it completely.”
🏠 Tell us about your background and what led you to become a buyer’s agent?
I’m originally from the UK and moved to Sydney in 1997. My journey into real estate began back in London in 1992 when I purchased a one-bedroom apartment for £62,000. By the time I was ready to buy a home in Sydney, that apartment had doubled in value, enabling me to purchase a three-bedroom apartment in Rozelle.
I’ve always been obsessed with property, avidly following shows like Selling Houses and Location, Location, Location. I see myself as Sydney’s answer to Kirstie Allsopp!
With over 30 years of experience in interior design and property experience in Sydney, I have purchased and renovated several properties, each project doubling its value. This success led me to found Inspired Property Designs, an award-winning renovation company specialising in everything from simple makeovers to full-scale renovations.
One memorable project involved transforming a semi in Leichhardt in just eight weeks, an experience reminiscent of “The Block!”
I later transitioned to a role as a relocation consultant, helping new families and individuals arriving in Sydney navigate the city’s challenging rentals market. With a 100% success rate in securing rental properties for my corporate clients, the next logical step was to become a licensed buyer’s agent. It’s the role I was born to do! I draw upon my extensive background in design and real estate to help clients secure their ideal properties.
On the personal side I’m a mum to a 20-year-old uni student and an 11-year-old Kelpie/Spaniel X and I believe Sydney’s food scene is one of the best in the world which is why I’m also making foodie content for IWMs.
🏠 With over 30 years in Sydney real estate, how has your experience shaped your approach to assisting clients?
I focus on helping owner-occupiers, primarily families and downsizers. I understand the life stages families go through which means I can foresee needs that might not yet be apparent to them, such as a requirement for additional space for growing families, or proximity to sports fields and schools.
My successful personal and professional property transactions have taught me what to look for in terms of location and potential. In many ways, the role of a buyer’s agent is akin to that of a counsellor or therapist — blending life experience, wisdom and foresight to guide clients through one of the biggest decisions they’ll ever make, if not the most expensive.
🏠 You offer a unique mix of property expertise and design insight, how does this benefit your clients?
My unique combination of property and design expertise offers significant advantages to my clients. Put simply, I see potential where others might not. Having managed multiple property renovations, I get genuinely excited by the potential to modernise dated kitchens or bathrooms.
I can visualise and propose enhancements that can significantly increase a property’s value. This foresight not only helps in finding homes with untapped potential but also in avoiding properties where the building shows up too many red flags.
🏠 How do you tailor your services to meet the specific needs of families in the Inner West community?
Living in the Inner West for two decades— specifically Glebe, Rozelle, and Drummoyne — I understand how every suburb has its unique vibe and community. I am entrenched in the community – very rarely can I walk down Darling Street and not see someone I know. Wherever your kids went to school, that’s where your community roots remain.
I’m also very familiar with the style of homes and where the hidden potential lies in each suburb. In several suburbs I know most of the street names and where the best parking is – and we all know how important parking can be in the Inner West!
Crucially I forge relationships with local agents. I inspect properties mid-week when it’s quieter so I have time to ask the right questions without the Saturday crowds around. It’s this kind of on-the-ground expertise that’s priceless when it comes to meeting the specific needs of Inner West families.
Local knowledge is key, as is a deep understanding of the lifestyle my clients are aspiring to with their move. It’s vital to remember clients’ non-negotiables. One property may be similar to another on the face of it but might not work for a particular family because of their non- negotiables. Recent examples include a family who needed a specific sized double garage for the dad’s ute, and a family whose downsizing grandparents needed level access to public transport i.e no hils or stairs (a hard ask in the Inner West!).
🏠 What trends are you observing in the Inner West property market that mums and families should be aware of?
The Inner West saw a jump in house prices of 2.7% since February ‘s rate cut. I’ve noticed the increases on the ground just in the past few short months. In short, the Inner West real estate market shows no signs of slowing down so if you are thinking of buying, don’t delay as prices will continue to rise, especially if we see more rate cuts.
A renovated house close to shops, cafes and public transport will always attract competition and often achieve a sale price significantly higher than the price guide. For apartments and single level homes, be aware that you will be competing with downsizers, grandparents moving to be near to their families, and they are likely to be cashed up.
Additionally, recent NSW government regulations encouraging duplex developments are changing the landscape in certain suburbs. Offering more internal space than traditional Inner West terraces or semis, as many now come with work from home spaces and extra accommodation for grandparents, these properties are in demand.However, being new builds, due diligence from your buyer’s agent and conveyancer is vital before pursuing one. It is worth remembering that a brand new property doesn’t stay new for long. Also if you pursue a brand new property you will be seeing strong competition from foreign investors whose choices to buy are now limited as a result of stringent new laws affecting non-permanent residents.
The location of future metro stations, for example in suburbs like Five Dock and Burwood, will have a significant effect on demand for properties and values in those areas.
🏠 For busy mums juggling family and work commitments, how does engaging a buyer’s agent like yourself streamline the home-buying process?
Engaging a buyer’s agent is the same as engaging any professional – be it a lawyer, dentist or accountant. We have the expertise because we live and breathe real estate every day.
For busy parents, the home search can be overwhelming. If you’re working all week, your Saturdays are precious. Bringing a sleeping baby or an active toddler to an open inspections can be challenging, not to mention shuttling school aged kids between sports games and birthday parties and fitting in inspections. Add to this that most of the properties you view may not work for your family anyway, or they’ve sold for well over your budget.
This is where a buyer’s agent steps in. Firstly, I don’t leave any stone unturned in the search for a clients’ new home. Whilst I can’t share the trade secrets of how I achieve that, it’s a lot more than scrolling through Domain and Real Estate!
Secondly, I attend inspections on your behalf, shortlisting properties that align specifically with your brief and keeping in mind the non-negotiables. We schedule private viewings for the contender properties, giving you more time to inspect them in detail.
In addition, buyer’s agents manage the entire property buying process. We coordinate with conveyancers to ensure contracts and necessary reports are thoroughly reviewed, liaise with real estate agents, speak with building inspectors, strata managers and communicate with mortgage brokers. Essentially, we negotiate the best price and terms for you and simplify your journey to finding your ideal home.
🏠 You have access to off-market and pre-market properties. How do these opportunities give your clients an advantage in the competitive Sydney real estate market?
To me, this is the number one benefit of engaging a buyer’s agent – being in a position to get ahead of the competition by previewing a property that the other property buyers don’t know about yet, or perhaps never will.
As buyer’s agents, the relationships we forge with selling agents means being in the know about their ‘silent’ listings – the properties they show to a select few before they go on the open market. With an off-market, it’s possible to inspect, negotiate and secure a property in a matter of days. Also, it means avoiding the stress of an auction!
🏠 How do your negotiation skills contribute to securing favourable terms and prices for your clients?
I like to think that it’s my friendly personality that is the main contributor to successful negotiations. Transparency is central to my approach — I believe in being straightforward with selling agents and avoiding games. This fosters mutual transparency and results in the sharing of information such as vendors’ expectations, how realistic a price guide is and where other parties are at in terms of offers. Additionally, I conduct thorough due diligence on each property, analysing recent sales of comparable properties to ensure we’re making well-informed offers.
🏠 How does investing in a buyer’s agent result in overall savings and value for homebuyers?
The right buyer’s agent should deliver value that far outweighs the cost. You should see the fee as an investment not an expense. With access to hidden gems, knowledge of a property’s value and the right negotiation techniques, we should be saving clients more than our fee. And as the saying goes “time is money” and we’ll save you that in spades.
🏠 What advice would you give to mums in the Inner West who are considering buying a property but feel overwhelmed by the process?
Before you call a buyer’s agent, think about what you want from your next home, think about your negotiables and non-negotiables, engage a mortgage broker to work out your borrowing capacity, and unless you’re buying just for yourself, make sure you’re on the same page as your partner/family members.
Then call a buyer’s agent. From there on in we’ll do the rest!
Keen to explore your property options with Judith Treanor?
Judith Treanor, Buyer’s Agent
☎️ 0438 523 064
https://keystosydney.com.au/
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