Well you asked, but being a BA myself you have to take what I say as containing the bias that it obviously must.
Contacted couple of BAs, they will go to source IPs where they are told.
You are the client. If you want an IP in suburb "X" then a BA will look in suburb "X" for you.
Don't offer much insights which suburbs offer the best value & growth,
Ah well did you ask them for such? If so then my only comment would be that in any profession you get 80% average to hopeless and 20% good. Of the 20% good you get a small % that are really really good. The trick of course is finding the really really good ones. I'm quite happy as a BA to recommend suburbs for past histories of CG or high rental yield if that is what people ask for - and many do. Otherwise I do as instructed.
there is no mentioning of buying below market value etc etc.
Again did you ask? Bear in mind that if it is Melbourne you are looking in, then it, like Sydney, is in a boom. Although you may get a good property, it will not always be possible to buy below market when the market is a "seller's market".
Feel like I will just hand over a large sum of money (> tens of thousands)
Wow - I'm moving to Melbourne. Perhaps get a fixed price quote? How much $'s are you looking to spend on an IP?
which I could have easily done myself and hassle free. Your thoughts.
Well at the risk of repeating myself, I've said on previous occassions:
I will be the first to admit that Buyers’ Agents are not for everybody.
If you:
• have the time and patience to go looking for a property or properties, attending ‘open-for-inspections’ and auctions,
• know what price you should be paying for a particular property,
• get calls from Real Estate Agents when good value properties are about to come onto the market (before they are advertised),
• are confident putting in offers, negotiating and dealing with Real Estate Agents and the games they play,
then you probably don’t need a Buyers Agent.