In short, use an experienced agent, one who has proven and is a quick turnaround for investor agents. Generally, it's about rapport and updates. Your agent, if a self-applicant, would be responsible from the outset to create an easy-to-read document with micro and macro presentation skills to showcase the incredible benefit of accepting you as an applicant to the Australian local community. Unfortunately, to give you advice based on a simple question would be negligent on my part and it is more responsible for us to work with you to achieve your results. You may also be past the point of initial application. Usually, officers, like most other humans, require strong rapport with the applicant (or agent) based on paper. These people succeed in quicker response time form the department. It follows that self-applicants don't have this opportunity as their names have been seen the first time in the office. Engaging an agent is a good opportunity for the agent to update the records and polish your application so that your application gets noticed. This may sometimes increase the odds. Of course, you would be wise to balance the choice of waiting or engaging someone to do what they do well for you (i.e., communicate with case officers).
