Off-plan can mean better pricing and flexible payment plans — but only if you know what to check before you sign. Here's our advisors' checklist. Off-plan property — buying a home before it's built — has become one of the fastest ways to enter a growth market at a lower price point. It also comes with real risk if you don't know what to check first. Why buyers choose off-plan Developers typically price off-plan units below projected completion value, and spread payments across the construction timeline instead of asking for the full amount up front. For buyers comfortable waiting two to four years, that gap between entry price and market value at handover is the whole appeal. What to verify before you reserve a unit Start with the developer's track record: how many prior projects have they delivered, and were they on schedule? Ask for the escrow account details required by law in most markets — your payments should sit in a regulated account tied to construction milestones, not the developer's general funds. Read the payment plan closely for what happens if handover slips. A good contract caps the delay penalty and gives you an exit if the project is delayed beyond a defined window. Our advisors' rule of thumb We only bring clients into off-plan developments from partners we've worked with before, with a public delivery history we can point to. If we haven't seen a developer hand over a comparable project on time, we say so plainly before you commit a deposit.