Testimonials
Andree - Carlton
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"Lachlan assisted my husband and I to buy a property in Melbourne. We live in a regional area, so without his dedication and expertise this would not have been possible. From the first point of contact, Lachlan was reliable and very passionate about us finding the right property for us. He was very quick and responsive with calls and messages, and constantly kept us updated. His background as a carpenter and site supervisor added an extra layer of confidence with our decision, as he was able to provide advice on some of the older properties we were interested in. We would have no hesitation in recommending Lachlan and his team to any friends or family. Highly recommended. Thank you again, Lachlan."
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Mark & Marg - Ballarat
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"We contacted Lachie at OBA for direction and advice before putting our house on the market. Lachie did a lot of research for us about house sales in our area and recommended selling agents with good sales results. Lachie gave us excellent advice on how to market our house, including timing to put it on the market. Lachie's advice helped us go to the market well prepared, which we feel helped us get our super fast sale at the top end of our asking price. We would highly recommend sellers to engage with OBA, Lachie's knowledge and passion for real estate helped us go into our house sale with a lot of confidence.”
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Mayraj - Melton
"I'm thrilled to say that Faz successfully helped me find my dream home! His dedication, hard work, and expertise were instrumental in making this a smooth and successful experience. As a first-time homebuyer, I was a bit nervous and unsure navigating the real estate market. However, Faz quickly put me at ease with their professionalism, enthusiasm, and knowledge. Faz was proactive in finding properties that matched my criteria and always made himself available for showings, discussing pros & cons of numerous properties, valuation, offering figures, property/ area comparison, discussion with the real estate agent, negotiation and connecting me with the best solicitor for Conveyancing. Although it was a difficult journey to choose the right house ticking boxes with all my criteria in a stipulated budget and selective pockets but he went above and beyond to answer my questions promptly and thoroughly, even on weekends and evenings out of regular business hours. From the very beginning, Faz took the time to understand my needs and preferences. He was patient and explained things clearly, which was incredibly helpful considering my lack of experience. His market insights, mature and practical approach, value for money analysis, prompt response, positive attitude and genuine excitement made the entire process much more enjoyable than I anticipated.
If you're looking for a reliable, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic buyer's agent, look no further than Faz! I have no doubt he have a bright future ahead and will continue to excel in this field."
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Elliot -Townsville
“I had a fantastic experience working with Lachie at O’Connell Buyers Advocate. His expertise and guidance made purchasing an investment property outside of Victoria a breeze. From start to finish, he provided exceptional service, helping me navigate the whole process with ease. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a reliable buyers agency. Thanks Lach for making my investment journey a smooth one.”
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Robbie -Townsville
“This is the second time I have used Lachlan at OBA, I couldn’t recommend him anymore highly. My second purchase was in Townsville QLD. Lachlans passion, knowledge of the area and contacts on the ground in Townsville made the entire process from start to finish completely stress free. Whether that being brokers, agents in QLD or the extensive building and pest report Lachlan sourced for my property, I felt completely at ease and trusted Lachlan's advice and recommendations. His use of data which backs his decisions was extremely impressive, I will certainly be using Lachlan again and have recommended him to many friends and family. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without OBA and Lachlan. Thank you Lachlan for a amazing job”
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Ruby -Townsville
“Lachlan assisted my partner and I to purchase our first investment property together, in Townsville. With no prior knowledge of Townsville, we were sceptical about the process of purchasing a house without seeing it ourselves. However, Lachie was excellent in instilling confidence in us. We instantly felt as though we were in the right hands, with ongoing support and options from start to finish, while feeling no pressure or time frames on our decisions. There was no stress involved as we purchased the house we were looking for at an ideal price, something we would not have otherwise been able to do while working busy jobs. His expertise in the field and contacts made the process so smooth in such a competitive market, putting us in touch with all the best services to make our investment property a breeze in the future. We couldn’t recommend Lachie more with his personable yet proficient service as we felt valued and heard through the entire purchase! Thanks again!”
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Liam - Bohle Plains
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"This was my first time using a buyers agent and I couldn’t be more happier with my decision to use Lachy. He took all stress and hassle out of purchasing an investment property. His dedication and professionalism to get the best result for me was second to none. I highly recommend him and I will certainly use Lachy for future endeavours.”
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Nick - Townsville
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"I recently had the pleasure of working with Lachlan O'Connell on a property transaction, and I must say, his professionalism and communication skills are unparalleled. Lachlan is an exceptional advocate for his clients, consistently going above and beyond to ensure their needs are met with the utmost satisfaction. His dedication and passion for his work are evident in every interaction. Working with Lachlan has been an absolute delight, and I eagerly look forward to the opportunity to do business with him again. If you're seeking a reliable and skilled professional in the real estate sector, Lachlan O'Connell comes highly recommended. 5 stars!”
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Marina - Townsville
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"Having utilized O’Connell Buyers Advocate for the second time, this time for purchasing an investment property interstate, we are once again impressed by their exceptional service and expertise. Their ability to seamlessly navigate the complexities of buying property in a different state reaffirms my trust in their capabilities.
From the start, they demonstrated a deep understanding of the interstate market dynamics, providing valuable insights and guidance tailored to our investment goals.
Communication remained exemplary throughout the entire process, with Lachlan keeping us informed at every stage and addressing any concerns promptly. His transparent and collaborative approach fostered a sense of confidence and peace of mind.
Highly recommend using their services, once again.”
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Maria - Ballarat Central
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"We were delighted with the assistance of Lachy on our search for our new home. Lachy's industry and carpentry knowledge proved to be a significant asset, as he expertly identified potential issues and offered us solutions. We are absolutely thrilled with our new property, and this wouldn't have been possible without the guidance of OBA”
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Earl & Jo - Hawthorn East
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"Jo and I are immensely grateful for the help Lachie gave us in the purchase of our first home, a wonderful flat in Hawthorn East. Both of us work and Lachie was able to visit potential places and give us his opinion of them in respect of the criteria we had worked out with him. When he visited places with us, his industry and carpentry knowledge was invaluable. He pointed out issues we would not have noticed and advised us on small renovations that might make the place fit our needs better. He came up with a number of possible properties and his professional knowledge, presence and attitude were invaluable during the negotiation processes. Lachie has also been helping us with ideas and his tradie connections for the small changes we need to make to our new home. We have no hesitation in recommending Lachie as a buyer advocate for anyone wishing to purchase their next home."
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Bernie and Kerrie - Elwood
We are now the proud owners of an apartment in Elwood and wouldn’t have managed this without Lachie’s help. We live in Ballarat and didn’t have the knowledge required to guarantee a good purchase. Nor did we have the time required to view properties, liaise with real estate agents, and seek the information required to make a wise purchase.
Lachie was recommended to us, and we immediately felt at ease. He took the time to understand our needs and get a sense of what we were after. He also guided our thinking with sound advice based on his knowledge of the Melbourne market and his background in building. He was patient throughout the process and was keen for us to get the right property and at the right price.
Lachie viewed a number of properties for us and sent videos, photos and his thoughts on the pros and cons of each. He found the relevant information for properties of interest and liaised with real estate agents. He did the bidding for us at an auction and ultimately did the negotiating on the property we purchased. Lachie also attended a final inspection of the property on our behalf prior to settlement and recommended a conveyancer who has done an excellent job.
Throughout, Lachie was available and communicated thoroughly and with transparency. This included working together to decide on an approach to any negotiations.
Overall, we are very happy with the service Lachie provided and recommend him highly to others.
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Rob and Kyla - Ballarat North
"Lachie got us our dream home! And it was within a few days of hiring him as our buyers advocate.
During inspections, Lachie’s trade knowledge was invaluable as he could rule out structurally unsound buildings or ones that needed too much work.
His local relationships with agents were also essential, as we faced a competitive negotiations process and couldn’t have secured our home without him.
After our purchase Lachie continues to help us by referring to his network of local tradies as well. 10/10 — I’m not sure how you could buy in Ballarat without him!"
Cal - Ballarat
"When buying my first home I was unsure of what I needed to have organized in order to purchase the property. O’Connell BA was able to take all the stress out of the direct communication between myself and all the different buying parties. Including the real estate agent, the solicitor, and tradesmen to come and inspect the property. Loch was thorough and did his own research on the house and the area to ensure the price guide was correct. Loch always made him self available to contact via the phone, and continuously provided me with advice and updates."
Ambrose - Ballarat
“Lach’s in depth knowledge of the current housing market in Ballarat made the process of buying my investment property enjoyable and stress free. He was able to provide valuable data and statistics around recently sold properties in my areas of interests and was very prompt in giving potential options relating to the preferences we outlined at the beginning. Lach was an absolute pleasure to work with and never failed to keep me updated with the whole process. I would highly recommend OBA to anyone who is new to the housing market or looking to expand their portfolio.”
Tom - Geelong
I was going through the process of purchasing my first home and I wasn’t really sure how to go about it, however I did have a vision of what I was after. Engaging Lachie was a game changing decision. He listened to my vision and was then able to harness that and guide me in a direction which led me to my first home, which I could not be happier with.
He was super professional but most of all his intricate knowledge and thorough investigation of potential properties and issues to be aware of for the now and issues that may arise down the future was the biggest thing. This allowed me to pursue properties that were suitable for my situation but also properties that weren’t going to give me headaches down the track.
He also had a very sound knowledge of the market which was critical in ensuring I was getting value for money – which was really hard and delicate to navigate given the soaring market in and around Geelong. He was able to handle negotiations really well and we were able to get in before the dated auction.
Overall the decision to go with Lachie was the best decision I made throughout the whole process and this took a lot of the stress off me as I was able to just voice to Lachie if the potential properties fitted my appetite and he handled the rest from there.
Kylie and Leyton
We were very grateful for Lachie’s help with the purchase of our family home. We were moving from Melbourne to Ballarat and have small children. Lachie saved us from having to go to several inspections as he viewed the properties before us and was able to rule them out. For the days we did inspections Lachie had everything booked efficiently. We only ended up needing three days of inspections.
Lachie was able to save us money on building inspections. He also saved us money when we found a place we loved but that needed a renovation. He had a look in the roof and was able to see that the renovation would be difficult. In the end, we found a place we loved that needed very little work.
Lachie was most helpful in negotiating with the real estate agent. We were not confident at valuing houses. With Lachie we felt much more comfortable putting in an offer, knowing we were paying a good price. Lachie also arranged a very diligent conveyancer for us. Very pleased with our decision to use OBA, it made the purchasing process smooth and easy.
Thanks for your help with the purchase.
Jarrod and Jess - Melbourne
OBA provided invaluable advice when buying our new home. The full suite of services Lachy at OBA can provide, not only in the real estate market but due to his extensive experience in construction, was instrumental in our final decision. We would recommend OBA to anyone looking for a new home in Melbourne.
Nick - Soldiers Hill
Lachie provided some really helpful advice in helping us purchase our first home. Lachie is a very professional and responsive operator. His experience in the building industry was particularly valuable in getting a realistic steer on the fair value of some of the properties we were looking at, and allowed us to quickly rule out places that required a lot of work. When we found a suitable place we wanted to buy, Lachie guided us through the entire bidding and purchasing process, resolving issues as they inevitably arose and providing really useful connections with local tradies to help us fix up a few items on the house after settlement. Lachie sees the job through to the end and continues to offer valuable advice on potential improvements to our new house.
Jen - Ballarat
We have been keen to buy an investment property for a few years now, but with our busy lifestyles and not enough time to commit to regularly attending inspections, researching and negotiating, we procrastinated for far too long. We decided it was time to engage the services of a Buyers Advocate. We approached Lach and immediately knew he was the right person for the job. His friendly nature, honesty and professionalism was second to none.
Lach made a point of listening to what we wanted to gain out of buying an investment, and within a short time, was able to negotiate and secure the perfect property for us.
In addition to his excellent knowledge of the housing market, Lach's experience as a qualified Builder was also most valuable, providing us with an insight on which properties may need work done; something our untrained eye would not have been able to see.
We could not be more thankful for the wonderful service Lach provided, and would absolutely recommend his services in a heartbeat.
Thanks Lach, our only regret is not getting you to look after this for us a long time ago!
Trevor - Sydney based investor
" As an interstate investor I engaged OBA to assist in the search of my first property in Victoria and from the outset Lachie was patient in getting me up to speed quickly on the potential areas to invest in and around Ballarat, sharing his intimate knowledge of the region and the types of properties to look out for based on my specifications. Lachie was great in short listing potential properties and attended all inspections on my behalf, along the way pointing out potential repairs I needed to factor into my purchase and utilizing his network of trades for a quick turnaround on cost. Lachie guided me throughout the whole process and ultimately helped me secure a property that I am happy with. Based interstate, without Lachie I would not have had the confidence to purchase a property in Ballarat and I would recommend Lachie and OBA for anyone in a similar situation.”
Kate - Geelong
Lach provided invaluable advice prior to the purchase of our new house.
His background in construction together with his knowledge of the market made us feel comfortable and confident about bidding on the property.
In addition to his expertise, Lach was also extremely prompt in a time sensitive situation. Would highly recommend his services!
Michael - Ballarat
I was looking to buy my first home and I wasn’t unsure on how to go about it. I decided to get the help of Lachie at OBA. I found a few houses that I liked and Lachie came with me to inspect the properties.
He was very thorough when looking through the houses, looking under the floor and in the ceiling to make sure everything was structurally sound and highlighting any issues. Once I decided on the house I wanted to buy Lachie took care of all the negotiations with all the other parties which was peace of mind for me as I wasn’t sure how to go about this.
The result was purchasing within my budget with a settlement that was suitable for me. I would highly recommended using OBA when looking to buy a house. You won’t be disappointed.
Sharon - Geelong
Super happy to have engaged in the services of OBA-Lachlan O’Connell to help assist me in securing an investment property. From the very first moment I met Lachie I knew I was on a winner.
His professionalism, knowledge and personable nature gave me great confidence, that what can often be a stressful process was in fact going to be the opposite. Lachie delivered in spades!
First class service leaving no stone unturned always with a smile, we were very quickly able to find that property. Can’t thank you enough Lachie, Would absolutely recommend anyone who like me has no knowledge or time to find that' little gem' to engage the services of OBA.
I promise you will not be disappointed. Thanks again!
Nick and Monique - Ballarat
We couldn't speak more highly of OBA after we engaged them to find us an investment property in Ballarat. From the outset, Lach's professionalism, intimate knowledge of the area, and his ability to provide insightful commentary on each property was evident.
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The main reasons we used OBA were to remove the inconvenience of looking at real estate apps every day, avoid conversing with real estate agents, and ultimately having to travel from Melbourne to Ballarat for inspections. Lach made those processes seamless and gave us the confidence that we could bid with conviction given he is a qualified builder who could immediately identify issues with structural integrity and provide ballpark renovation/cosmetic change costs.
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He would have attended 25+ inspections on our behalf and was extremely helpful when deciding which houses were worth bidding on. He was honest and upfront about his views and helped gauge bid ranges and maximum amounts to offer. His down to earth personality, attention to detail and willingness to work extremely hard on our behalf meant we could not have been happier with our decision to engage OBA. Without them, we have no doubt we would not have secured such an amazing investment.
Shayden - Melbourne
For three years I have been so hot and cold as to whether I should purchase a home. I was very indecisive about where I wanted to buy and what sort of home I was looking for. I finally took the step and hired Lachie after some high recommendations from others that had used him in the past.
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Straight away, Lachie was able to clearly drill into what my goals were when buying a property and he didn’t seem to stop in the pursuit of finding the perfect property for my future.
Lachie was incredibly patient and understanding of my needs and took the time to scope out each property, provide extensive suburb reports and go above and beyond the call of duty. His knowledge is absolutely second to none in this space and he made the experience not only easier but also sends me into the future with a great knowledge myself of what to look for when finding that perfect property.
He tasks time to not only understand the market and the properties themselves but also to understand the person he is working with to find the best property that suits their lifestyle and also their future goals.
I think the biggest thing that separates Lachie from other buyers advocates is his extensive background knowledge of construction, too often people are making the mistake of rushing into buying properties that look from the outside good to go, and then finding structural issues later. Lachie does not allow this to happen, he scouts the property top to bottom and provides feedback on any structural issues that may appear now or into the future. This is what makes Lachie the best.
I could not recommend OBA enough, from the start to the finish, the process was informative and easy. I also can’t thank Lachie enough for the time he provided me with in finding my perfect first home. Can’t wait to start looking for the second with him.
Joe - Wendouree (Video Testimonial)
Max - Ballarat
"After much hesitation trying to find the right investment property, gaining the assistance of Lachie at OBA was absolutely essential in finding the perfect asset.
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I work very long hours with little spare time, it was a no-brainer that I needed help from a professional like Lachie and I couldn't be happier with the results of that decision.
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From the initial consultation, Lachies extensive knowledge of the specific area was outstanding, adding to his invaluable carpentry background, he was able to provide me with an unbiased approach as to how different types of properties would be best suited to my unique circumstance and tie in with my plans to travel.
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Not only does Lachie make sure the asset itself is the right fit, he gets an understanding of what your short term and long term plans are to make sure going ahead with the purchase will be favourable and not cause any inconvenience. Some of the properties I really liked needed major renovations that would have delayed my plans up to 12 months plus.
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This resulted in purchasing a property that not only ticked all the boxes for me, but we were also able to get it at a fair price due to Lachies advice on negotiation after uncovering some minor defects.
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I am super excited about the direction he has guided me towards and would hate to think where I would be without Lachies help. I can't recommend OBA enough to anyone in any circumstance, I will definitely be using him for my next investment!"
Ash - Ballarat
“I was very indecisive about whether I wanted to buy a block and build (due to additional 25k government grant for first home buyers) or buy an existing property. Lachie was super patient, offering various scenarios as I changed my mind multiple times about which avenue was best for me to pursue, guiding me through the pros and cons of each option.
The clear and concise financial analysis and quality property options he provided, were extremely helpful in enabling me to make an educated decision.
Lachie's extensive knowledge around construction was of great benefit to me and will be to anyone in my position. Hence, he was able to advise against a couple of properties which were not structurally sound – without this advice I may have progressed with a purchase and had major issues down the track.
I would highly recommend seeking the assistance of OBA for anyone looking to buy to ensure you too can make an educated decision. Being the most important investment decision I’ve ever made, Lachie gave me the confidence necessary to purchase the right property!
I will definitely be using Lachie next time around!!”
Robbie - Toorak
“Being a first home buyer was a very scary and daunting process initially. After not knowing where to start and not feeling confident about being able to do this on my own, I was relieved to have the assistance of Lachie. He was extremely knowledgeable and up to date with everything and made the entire process so much easier to understand.
From locating a block of land through to his referrals of brokers and solicitors as well as his extensive building knowledge Lachie was the complete package. A clear standout was his passion to help and communicate everything clearly. I would highly recommend using OBA if you were a first-time buyer or a well experienced property owner. I look forward to working with Lachie in the future”
