What to check before buying an off-plan apartment

An off-plan purchase calls for careful checks of the developer, land, permit, apartment specification, payment plan and contract. The checklist below helps you ask concrete questions before signing.

Project and legal documents

• Who owns the land and what rights does the developer hold?
• Is there an effective building permit?
• What is the current construction stage?
• Which plans and specifications define the apartment you will receive?

Price and financing

• Is VAT included in the price?
• How are usable area and shared parts calculated?
• Are parking, storage and finishing work priced separately?
• When are installments due, and can mortgage funding meet those dates?

Contract and handover

• What deadlines and remedies are written into the contract?
• How can the project or apartment specification change?
• When does ownership transfer?
• How will defects be recorded and resolved at handover?

This general checklist does not replace legal or financial advice on a specific transaction.