Reserving a flat that does not exist yet takes trust — and a few checks. Here is how an off-plan purchase runs, from the reservation contract to the keys.
01 Reserving means choosing a lot and a schedule
The reservation fixes the lot — floor, orientation, area —, its price and the payment plan, and a deposit is paid at signature. Take time to compare schedules: some load the payments towards the end of the build, others give a discount for a faster pace.
02 Paying at the pace of the build
After the reservation, each funds call matches a step actually reached: foundations, structure, weathertight shell, finishing, handover. A call comes with photographs of the step; if the step is not validated, nothing is called.
03 Check before you sign
Ask for the building permit, the guarantee in case the developer fails, the contractual handover date and what happens if it slips. A visit to the site, even at the foundations stage, says a lot about a developer.
04 Choose your finishes in time
Tiles, kitchen, bathroom: options are chosen up to a deadline, often during the structural works. After that, the standard finish goes in. Note the date when you reserve.
05 Handover and snags
At handover you walk the home room by room and write down the defects — the snag list. The developer commits to fixing them within an agreed time. Do not sign the handover without listing them.
An article by a fictional agency: general, indicative information.
