Published by PropApp on · Updated
What is a buyer brief?
A buyer brief is a written description of the home a buyer wants: where, what kind, how much and when. On PropApp, a buyer brief is free to publish and is the one record PropApp uses to match the buyer with homes and to show local agents that a serious buyer is looking in their area.
The idea is older than any app. Buyers have long told agents what they are after so the agent can call when something suitable comes up. Buyer's agents start every engagement with a brief. PropApp turns that conversation into a structured record that matching and agents can both read.
A buyer can have more than one brief over time, but only one is current. When a buyer edits a brief, PropApp saves a new version and marks it current rather than overwriting the old one.
What does a PropApp buyer brief ask for?
A PropApp buyer brief has five steps: location, home, budget, funding and details. Location can be a pin and radius, areas drawn on a map or a list of suburbs. Home covers type, bedrooms, bathrooms and features. Budget sets a price range, and details record timing and how agents can reach you.
Location is the most important step because matching starts there. A buyer can drop a pin and set a radius, draw up to five areas on the map, or pick suburbs from a list.
The home step records property type, bedrooms, bathrooms and the features that matter. The budget step sets a price range and asks about finance pre-approval. The funding step records how the purchase will be paid for, and the details step covers timeframe, the type of buyer and when the buyer is happy to be contacted.
While a buyer fills in the brief, PropApp shows a live estimate of how many homes currently match, so it is easy to see when a search is too narrow.
How does PropApp match homes to a brief?
PropApp matches a home to a brief by checking it against the brief's location first, then its home type, size and budget. Homes inside the buyer's radius, drawn areas or chosen suburbs that fit the other criteria appear in the buyer's matches, and the list is recalculated each time the buyer looks.
For a pin and radius, PropApp measures the distance from the pin to each home. For drawn areas and suburbs, it checks whether the home falls inside the shape. Homes that pass the location check are then filtered by the brief's other requirements.
Matches are worked out fresh each time, not frozen when the brief was saved. If a new home comes onto PropApp, or the buyer changes the brief, the next look at the matches reflects it.
Matching is a starting point. It narrows the field so the buyer and agents can spend their time on homes that actually fit.
What can agents see about a buyer brief?
Agents who use PropApp see buyer demand for their area, such as the locality, state and search radius of a brief, but never the buyer's exact map pin. Buyer contact details are not published on public pages, and the buyer can withdraw consent to agent outreach from their account at any time.
Agents use PropApp to see live buyer demand by suburb. That view is built from briefs, with the precise location masked to the locality so a buyer's home address or favourite street is never exposed.
Consent to agent outreach is a standing setting the buyer controls from their account, separate from any single brief, and the buyer can withdraw it at any time.
PropApp also gives each buyer a brief strength score that shows how complete the brief is. That score is for the buyer only and is never shown to agents.
How do you write a brief that gets good matches?
Be specific about the things you will not compromise on and flexible about the rest. Choose the suburbs or radius you would genuinely live in, set a realistic price range, and keep the brief current when your plans change. A clear, honest brief helps agents decide quickly whether a home suits you.
A brief that asks for everything everywhere is hard for an agent to act on. One that names three suburbs, a property type, a bedroom count and a real budget tells the agent exactly when to call.
Back the brief with preparation. NSW Fair Trading suggests buyers have finance pre-approved before making an offer, and research recent comparable sales rather than relying on a price guide. Consumer Affairs Victoria makes the same point about treating advertised prices as a guide only.
Revisit the brief when something changes, whether that is your budget, your timing or the areas you are considering. An out-of-date brief leads to matches you no longer want.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules differ between states and change over time.