Northern Beaches · Manly and the harbour end
Manly buyers agent
Apartments and houses between the harbour and the ocean, a short walk from our office. We help you buy here with evidence.
About the suburb
Manly at a glance
Manly sits about 17 kilometres north-east of the city, in Northern Beaches Council, with the postcode 2095. Captain Arthur Phillip named Manly Cove after the Aboriginal men of the Gayemaygal people he met there, writing that their 'confidence and manly behaviour' gave the place its name. We're a Northern Beaches buyers agent based on North Fort Road, so Manly is the market we walk through every week.
Apartments far outnumber houses, and just under half of homes are lived in by their owners. Childless couples are the largest household group, and the most common age group is 30 to 39.
Manly grew from Henry Gilbert Smith's plan for a seaside resort, beginning with a harbour-side wharf finished in 1855. In 1902 William Gocher swam at midday, against the bathing rules of the time, and the surf club formed on the beach in 1904 was one of the first in the world. The ocean beach runs from Queenscliff to South Steyne and on to Fairy Bower and Shelly Beach, with North Head and its heritage-listed Quarantine Station to the south.
The Corso runs from Manly Wharf on the harbour to the beach on the ocean, with shops and outdoor dining along the way. The Manly ferry reaches Circular Quay in about 20 minutes, the Manly Fast Ferry a little faster, and buses run across the Beaches and to the city. Manly Village Public School is a street from the beach, and St Paul's College is the local secondary school.
The trade-offs are worth saying plainly. In a suburb of apartments, the building is the decision: strata records, levies, defects and planned works all need checking before you bid. Streets near the Corso and the beachfront are lively, with crowds on summer weekends and tight parking. Older buildings close to the water also need a hard look at salt damage and maintenance.
How we work
How we help you buy in Manly
In a suburb of apartments, the work is choosing the right building as much as the right home, then judging it on evidence. On average, a search with us looks like this.
Director-led, start to finish
We are an independent Northern Beaches buyers agent, based in Manly. You deal with Sarah and Mike directly. No juniors, no hand-offs. Over 75% of the homes we buy are secured off-market.
A fixed fee, agreed upfront
Our fee is set before we start and is not a percentage of the price, so we are never better off when you pay more.
We will tell you when to walk away
We are as proud of the houses we talk clients out of as the ones we buy. If a Manly apartment or house does not stack up, you will hear it from us first.
Thinking about Manly?
Tell us what you are looking for. In half an hour we can tell you honestly what Manly offers, which buildings and streets to look at first, and whether a nearby suburb might suit you better.
Prefer to write? Send us your brief and we will get back to you. Not ready yet? Join our newsletter.
Nearby: Fairlight · Queenscliff · Balgowlah · Northern Beaches suburbs and property market: all 42 suburbs
Questions buyers ask
Buying in Manly: your questions answered
Is a buyers agent the same as a real estate agent?
No. A real estate agent is paid by the seller, and their job is to get the seller the highest price. We are paid only by you, and our job is to help you buy the right Manly home at the right price, or to tell you plainly to walk away.
Can you tell us what a Manly property is worth before we bid?
Yes. For every home on your shortlist we prepare a price assessment from recent comparable sales in the same building, street or pocket, so you bid against evidence rather than the agent's guide. It is our advice as your buyers agent, not a formal valuation, and we will tell you plainly when a guide looks out of line.
Can you find Manly homes before they are advertised?
Often, yes. Over 75% of the homes we buy are secured off-market, through our relationships with selling agents across the Northern Beaches. Being based in Manly helps: we hear about homes here early, and we can inspect at short notice.
We are overseas or interstate. Can you buy in Manly for us?
Yes. We regularly buy for expat, overseas and interstate clients, sometimes sight unseen. We inspect and film each home for you, run the checks, and negotiate or bid on your behalf. If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, get advice on the foreign investment rules first; we can point you to it.
What does it cost, and how long does it take?
A $5,500 engagement fee (including GST) and a fixed success fee, both agreed in writing before we start, so there is never a percentage tied to the price you pay. You get at least 100 hours of director time, and a search takes 6 to 8 weeks on average. The detail is on our services and fees page.
Is Manly right for us, or should we look next door?
Sometimes the better answer is Fairlight, Queenscliff or Balgowlah. In the first call we test your brief against Manly and its neighbours and tell you honestly where it fits best.
Who you will work with
Sarah and Mike, from first call to settlement
Our office is on North Fort Road in Manly, so this is the market we know street by street. You will deal with the two of us directly, never a junior.
Sarah Kaye
Founder
Sarah was a top-tier selling agent before she crossed to the buyer's side. She knows how a campaign is run, what a guide is really telling you, and where an agent has room to move.
Mike Kaye
Co-founder and director
A former Accenture global partner and Australian Army officer, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mike studied surveying, town planning, valuation and land law, and leads the research behind every price we put to you.