We Got It Wrong — And Fixed It Fast
🧩 Key Takeaways
- A partner we trusted got a bit too aggressive with outreach. That’s on me.
- Users flagged it. Rightly so. They didn’t sign up to be chased.
- I replied publicly, explained the situation, and fixed it fast.
- Everyone gets full access, always — whether they opt in or out.
- Homebuyer Help’s mission hasn’t changed. But the systems have improved.
Owning Our Mistakes and Siding With Our Users to Create a Better Homebuyer Help
Hey, I'm Mat — I started Homebuyer Help a few years ago with one clear goal: help people across Australia buy or sell their homes without all the noise, pressure, or confusion. It’s a personal project. I’ve written every word, built every page, and answered more support emails than I can count.
So when someone posted on Reddit recently about getting unwanted calls after signing up — I felt it straight away. Because yeah, that isn't what this platform was meant to be.
What went wrong — and why it matters
Let’s get right to it.
- A user said they signed up as “just exploring”.
- Shortly after, they started receiving calls and emails.
- It felt spammy. They didn’t expect that. They were right to be upset.
Here's the thing: we had a conveyancing partner — someone I'd referred family to — who ended up passing contact outreach to a junior. That junior wasn’t briefed properly, and they started calling people directly. Fast.
That was never the intention. And it’s not okay.
My reply — and the community response
When I saw the post, I didn’t draft a PR statement or wait for things to blow over. I wrote back myself. Just me, speaking plainly. Here’s what I said, in short:
- I acknowledged the issue — no excuses.
- I explained what happened, and how I got it wrong.
- I committed to fixing it immediately.
The original thread had 58 upvotes. My comment ended up with 105. Not because it was clever — because it was honest. People appreciated that. And honestly, I appreciated them holding me to a standard I want to live up to.
What I changed, right away
Here’s exactly what’s different now:
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Opt-out was unclear | Now, clear instructions are given during sign up and there is an opt-out button located in your profile |
| One partner went off-script | I had a direct conversation with them — they’ve agreed to stick to our original hands-off approach |
| Lack of control | Now, when you opt out, it disconnects everything on the backend — instantly and cleanly |
And the best part? Even if you opt out of all partner contact, you still get complete, free access to the platform. No reduced features. No catches.
Why this hurt — and why I needed to own it
I’ve been on the other side of the table. The person trying to buy, feeling unsure, overwhelmed, and like everyone wants something from you.
That’s why I built this platform. To take the pressure out of the process. So when I saw that someone felt misled, I knew something had slipped. That’s not a small thing. Trust is everything.
I can’t undo what happened — but I can make sure it never happens again.
Where we go from here
Mistakes happen. Systems break. People overstep. But the way we respond to that matters more than pretending we’re perfect.
- I’ve rewritten the onboarding flow to be crystal clear about partners
- I’ve rebuilt the opt-out system myself to ensure it’s clean and instant
- I’ve talked to every single partner about the expectations going forward
- I’ll keep personally monitoring partner outreach (yes, still me — no outsourcing)
That’s not lip service. That’s just what’s needed.
Why I still believe in this project
This all started because I sold my own place and realised just how lonely and frustrating the process could be. I didn’t want to start another comparison site. I didn’t want to sell leads.
I wanted to build something that actually helped. That explained things clearly. That didn’t push. That respected people’s time and privacy.
Homebuyer Help has always been about giving Australians clarity and confidence around property. That hasn’t changed — but the systems now do a better job of living up to that.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by this process, I built this for you
This project means a lot to me. So does the feedback — even the tough stuff. Especially the tough stuff. If someone hadn’t posted on Reddit, this might have taken longer to catch. I’m grateful they did.
If you've had a bad experience, I want to hear about it. If you think something could be better, tell me. I genuinely read every message.
There’s no team of 40 people behind this. It’s just me, some collaborators I trust, and a few experts I’ve worked with over the years. If it breaks, I fix it. If it’s not clear, I rewrite it. If something feels off, I look into it.
That’s not going to change.
FAQs
Q: Do I have to accept partner contact to use Homebuyer Help?
No. It’s optional. You’ll always get full access, even if you opt out completely.
Q: How do I opt out of contact from partners?
You can do it in your profile settings. It’s connected to the backend and will stop all partner communication instantly.
Q: Was this a one-off?
Yes. We identified one conveyancer who overstepped. They’ve since agreed to follow the proper approach we originally set out.
Q: Is Homebuyer Help free?
Yes. The platform is, and always will be, completely free to use.
Q: Are you still working with partners?
Yes — but carefully. Only people I’ve personally worked with, and only when it makes sense to do so.
Q: Can I trust the info on the site?
I believe so. I write it myself, with help from licensed experts. There’s no hidden agenda. The goal is clarity.
If you want to see what Homebuyer Help is really about — without pressure, without spam, and with full control — I’d invite you to read why we built it. No hype. Just the why.
