Buying Off-Plan

Developers often sell properties before they have been built, sometimes with exchange of contracts taking place before building even begins - this is called buying off-plan. When buying off plan, you may only have the architect's plans, specifications and drawings to help you to visualise your new house; however, many developers may have a show house that you can inspect on-site.

In a rising market it's possible to make a good profit by buying off plan and selling before completion (termed back-to-back sales), thus making a profit without actually buying the property.

Before You Commit

If you're looking at buying off-plan, there are a few things you should do before you commit yourself:

• When looking round the show home, note whether artificial light is used during the day. Has the furniture been scaled down to make the rooms look bigger? Have the internal doors been removed to save space?
• To help you imagine the space offered in the new property, check the internal and external measurements on the plan against the measurements of your current home.
• Examine all the finishes in the showhome in detail to find out the type of quality you should expect to see in your new home. Check the paint for smoothness of finish and thorough coverage, and look carefully at all edges and joins.
• Check the small print of the reservation agreement to make sure that the property you are reserving has the same specifications as the show home or the property in the plans.

Ask the developer the following questions:

• What fixtures, fittings and finishes are included in the total price? Are any of these to be paid for as they are installed? Some developers include decorating, carpets and curtains in their price.
• Has final planning permission been granted or are some aspects of the development still pending?
• Are there are penalty clauses if the developer misleads you or is late completing?

Signing the Reservation Papers

If you are happy with the plans and specifications, you will need to sign reservation papers to reserve your new home. However, before you sign, you should make sure there are no unreasonable restrictions on your visiting the site.

The contract will contain the timetable for the property's completion, payment dates, the completion date and penalties for non-completion, guarantees for building work and a copy of the plans and drawings. Don't put your own house on the market or give notice on a rented home until you've been given an absolute date of completion of building works.

At this point you will normally be asked to put down at least 10% of the price as a deposit and pay an amount in legal fees to exchange contracts; this legally obliges you to go through with the purchase.

As the Work Progresses

The remaining payments are usually spread over the period of construction, with payments made in stages as building work progresses. You may be able to choose your bathroom, kitchen, wallpaper, paint, tiles and carpets, some (or all) of which may be included in the price. You may also be able to alter the interior room layout, although this will usually increase the price.

It's worth paying regular visits to the site to make sure everything is going to plan; regular site visits during the build will solve the major problems. Check boundaries and measurements against the plan as soon as possible. If in doubt about the developer's intentions, contact the local planning department to check if specifications have changed. Check the build quality as it progresses; make check measurements, inspect joints, make suggestions, and make sure that the site manager knows that you won't settle for second best.