Sshhhh! How celebrities keep property deals private
If Byron has reached peak cool (and price point), just down the coast, along the Northern Rivers and snuggled into the hinterland, there are more celebrity housing hotspots popping up and high net worth clients are eager to get in on the action before the secret is out.
And we all know one thing about the rich and famous - they have teams of people on speed dial to do the heavy lifting when it comes to real estate.
You certainly won't spot a Hemsworth at an Open For Inspection!
Chris Hemsworth enjoying a surf at his local beach in Byron Bay via Instagram @chrishemsworth
As prestige buyers seek lifestyle, anonymity and high-touch service, buyers' agents are proving to be the quiet force behind some of the country's most exclusive real estate deals.
That's where Compass, a leading buyers' advocacy firm specialising in the Northern Rivers, Byron Bay and Tweed Coast, comes in.
Nick Goldsbrough-Reardon, Director and Buyers Advocate at Compass said: "Many of our clients are public figures or ultra-high-net-worth individuals. They don't want to be recognised at open homes or have their name linked to a property. We act as their proxy throughout."
The firm often represents celebrity clients anonymously during the buying process, coordinating private viewings and conducting pre-inspections on their behalf.
They often work under non-disclosure agreements (NDA's), taking full ownership of client confidentiality, ensuring sensitive details remain protected from listing agents, vendors, or third parties.
"Working under a non-disclosure agreement means we take full ownership of the process."
More than 70 percent of the firm's transactions are now off-market, a strategy that offers exclusivity, speed, and above all, confidentiality.
In some cases, lack of anonymity has directly impacted outcomes.
"We once saw a vendor increase the asking price after learning who the buyer was. We restructured the deal discreetly and ended up securing the home at a fairer market value."
On another occasion, Compass arranged a late-night private inspection for a high-profile celebrity client.
That client made a pre-market offer and closed the deal without attracting any public attention, a perfect outcome in an era of digital leaks and social media scrutiny.
Behind the scenes, buyers' advocates juggle far more than just property searches and A-List demands.
Goldsbrough-Reardon recalled the complexity of managing a cross-continental purchase for an overseas celebrity couple.
"One was in Austria with family. The other was on a remote island in Hawaii with barely any phone reception," he said.
"We were taking calls at 5am and midnight to make it work. They were buying the home sight unseen, so we conducted virtual inspections, brought in trades to assess the property and even navigated a regional cyclone that left us without power for five days."
Despite the cyclone, Goldsbrough-Reardon secured the deal.
"By the time they arrived in Australia three months later, the property was fully set up. We coordinated shipping of their furniture from overseas, organised all the logistics and had everything move-in ready. It's a full property concierge experience."
For high-net-worth clients, the key to a seamless transaction lies in more than just market knowledge.
Goldsbrough-Reardon says. "A good advocate also brings emotional intelligence, someone who can act as a trusted buffer and advisor across the entire buying journey."
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