Most agents chase whichever lead type is easiest to generate. That's usually buyers — and it's usually why the pipeline feels busy but the bank account doesn't.
The honest comparison
Buyer leads
- Cheap and abundant — people browse property for entertainment.
- Long timelines and high drop-off.
- Excellent for building an audience and staying visible.
Seller leads
- Far more expensive per lead and much lower volume.
- A single mandate can be worth months of buyer work.
- Trust-heavy: they choose the agent they already believe in.
How to split your effort
A workable rule for most independent agents: put the majority of paid budget behind seller and valuation offers, and let organic content and retargeting carry the buyer side. Buyers cost you time; sellers cost you money — spend the resource you have less of wisely.
What actually converts a seller
A free, specific valuation offer tied to their suburb, followed by fast contact and a genuinely useful conversation. Sellers are not comparing lead forms — they're comparing how you made them feel in the first ten minutes.
If you are unsure which side your market rewards right now, that's a good first question for a discovery call.