What does sustainable growth actually look like for a buyer's agency?
Claire Corby, founder of a deliberately small and highly targeted buyer's agency in Canberra, shares how she found her niche, built a powerful referral engine and learned that bigger isn't necessarily better.
Claire takes us through the evolution of her business, from initially targeting investors and development opportunities to becoming known for helping interstate, overseas, military and diplomatic families find the right home and neighbourhood in Canberra. She also shares what she learned from hiring too soon, growing a team, managing conflict of interest and stepping back into client work.
For buyer's agents thinking about their next stage of growth, this episode is a reminder to define what success actually means to you — then build the business around it.
Episode Highlights
01:21 – Claire Corby: Growth Without Chasing Scale
11:00 – Why Claire Doesn’t Pay Referral Fees
16:51 – Why Canberra Uses 99-Year Leasehold
19:52 – How Claire Found Her Real Niche
22:08 – Why Claire Stopped Hiding That She Was A Mum
26:32 – How Claire Finds The Right Suburb Fit
30:27 – Why Claire Chose A Deliberately Small Team
35:13 – When Bigger Growth Stopped Feeling Right
41:21 – How Claire Built A Referral Machine
47:28 – Why Canberra Isn’t Recession-Proof
49:17 – Canberra’s Boom-Bust Business Cycles
51:06 – What Makes A Buyer’s Agency Sustainable?
55:52 – Find Your Tribe And Lean On Others
59:31 – Final Wrap: Building A Business That Fits
About the Guest
Claire Corby is a third-generation Canberran and the founder of a highly targeted buyer’s agency built on deep local knowledge and a clearly defined niche.
Before becoming a buyer’s agent, Claire worked in tax advisory and built extensive experience as a property investor, exploring strategies including buy-and-hold, vendor finance, rent-to-own, renovations, relocations and small developments.
Her move into buyer’s agency began through a Canberra property meetup she founded, where investors and professionals gathered to discuss projects and feasibility. As attendees started seeking her help, her advisory work naturally evolved.
Over time, Claire discovered her strongest niche wasn’t investors and developers, but interstate, overseas, military and diplomatic families relocating to Canberra and needing guidance on neighbourhoods, schools and communities.
Claire has also served as the Canberra representative for the Real Estate Buyer's Agents Association and values the support of her professional network and “tribe.”
Connect with Claire
Build a profitable buyers agency - at every stage of the journey
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