Selling your home is too important to leave to chance.
Toby Primrose handles the agent selection, oversees your sale campaign, and protects your interests throughout — at no direct cost to you.
Most vendors choose an agent based on the agency they work for, their popularity in the area, and the valuation they put on the home — usually three appraisals and a gut feeling. That approach costs money. The wrong agent — whether through poor positioning, weak negotiation, or an under-cooked campaign — can cost tens of thousands at settlement.
Someone in your corner, from listing to settlement.
A vendor advocate manages the selling process on your behalf. We're not the selling agent — we appoint them, brief them, and hold them accountable.
Our role is to ensure you select the right agent for your property and your market, that your campaign is positioned correctly from day one, and that your interests are protected at every step of the negotiation.
Think of us as a trusted advisor who knows the inner-east market intimately, knows which agents repeatedly get the results and in which suburbs, and has no incentive to rush your sale or reduce your price.
Who works with a vendor advocate?
The common thread: You want an expert in your corner who isn't trying to win your listing — they're trying to protect your outcome.
You're unsure which agent to choose and don't have a trusted recommendation
You've been given wildly different appraisals and can't evaluate them
You want someone to manage the campaign process so you don't have to
You're selling a premium property and want to be sure you're getting the best result
You're overseas, interstate, or simply time-poor during the sale period
You want independent advice on whether to sell now, or wait
What Primrose does for vendor clients
We assess the field and recommend the right selling agent for your property — based on their track record in your specific suburb, their method of sale expertise, the one you relate to best, and their current market activity. Not who has the flashiest brochure or the biggest name behind them.
We review the marketing strategy, pricing, and campaign timeline before it launches. We stay across the campaign as it runs — attending opens, monitoring feedback, and advising on adjustments.
When offers arrive, we're there. We advise on strategy, assess buyer motivation, and make sure your interests are represented in every conversation.
We stay across the process through to settlement — coordinating between your solicitor, the selling agent, and the buyer's representatives.
How vendor advocacy works, from first call to settlement
We start with a conversation about your property, your timeline, and your goals. No obligation to proceed. This is where we sit down and assess together whether vendor advocacy is the right fit for your situation.
We review your property — its condition, position in the market, likely method of sale, and realistic price range. We'll give you our honest view before any agent has influenced the conversation.
We identify and evaluate the agents best placed to sell your property. We look at recent results, suburb expertise, and campaign approach — not just the appraisal they give you.
We manage the agent selection process and handle the appointment. You meet the agents we recommend, but we advise on who to choose and negotiate the selling agreement on your behalf — including the commission rate.
We brief the selling agent, review the marketing strategy, and attend key milestones throughout the campaign. You stay informed without needing to manage every detail.
When offers arrive, we assess the buyer's position and advise on strategy. We don't let your agent run the negotiation without oversight.
We coordinate through to settlement and make sure everything proceeds smoothly.
Our fee model is different. You pay nothing directly.
Vendor advocacy is paid for by the selling agent — not by you. When we appoint an agent, Primrose receives a referral and management fee from that agent's sales commission. There is no separate charge to the vendor.
This matters for two reasons. First, it means you can access expert representation at no additional cost. Second, our incentive is always aligned with yours — we select agents based on who will get the best result, not who pays us the most.
We're transparent about this arrangement. You'll understand exactly how we're paid before you engage us.
Why choose Primrose for vendor advocacy?
We've spent 30 years working alongside the agents who operate in Stonnington and Boroondara. We know their strengths, their track records, and which ones to trust with a premium property.
We don't have a selling division. We're not trying to win your listing and hand you to one of our own agents. We choose the right agent for your property. Full stop.
We work exclusively in Melbourne's inner east and Bayside. That means we know the market dynamics, the buyer pools, and the timing considerations that affect a sale in Toorak versus Hawthorn versus Brighton.
Victorian Vendor Advocate of the Year 2024. This is what independent recognition of results looks like.
Victorian Vendor Advocate of the Year 2024, and Victorian Buyers Agent of the Year 2024 & 2025
What we've helped clients secure
We bought her home, sold her investment, then found her next one — Hawthorn East
A door knock secured an off-market period home — Malvern East
In their words
“Toby has extensive real estate experience and knowledge”
“Toby has extensive real estate experience and knowledge. He is a professional, pro-active and has the ability to match and consider a vendor's criteria with a property's potential. He is also able to provide a selection of property comparisons, if required. Last but not least, Toby is very easy to work with and I find him very helpful.”
“Toby approached the owner on our behalf”
"We tried contacting the owner directly on multiple occasions, without success… Toby approached the owner on our behalf and we purchased the property off market."
“He never gave up”
"Toby Primrose is an absolute gun, an honest old school operator… When we engaged Toby he never gave up and after 12 months he found the perfect property for our family."
Common questions about vendor advocacy.
Thinking of selling?
Let's talk first.
A free conversation with Toby is the right first step — before you call the first agent. We'll tell you what the market looks like, what your property is realistically worth, and what a well-run sale campaign should look like. We'll also explain what we expect from the appointed agent, and why the biggest name in the area isn't always the best choice.
