Questions to ask your agent when buying off plan

A display suite is the first step on your off-plan journey, and it gives you a good idea of what the end product is going to look like. But when you can't physically see the property and there are no building reports, you have to ask some different questions than you would ask at an open home.

To get the most out of your time there, here's what to ask the agent about the development.

1. Features

• How many apartments are in the complex?
• What is the starting price for a one-bedroom or a two-bedroom unit, and how do the prices vary?
• What’s happening around the development? Is there other building work scheduled nearby?
• What’s happening in the surrounding area? Are there infrastructure or development projects planned?

2. Incentives

• Sometimes the development may offer incentives, like gift cards, furniture packages or appliance packages. Ask your agent if any apply.
• You should also ask if the development is eligible for government grants like HomeBuilder. This will depend on the cost of the unit and the proposed timeline for the development to be completed.

3. Timelines

• Ask when construction is starting, and when it is scheduled to finish. This will help you know what your budget is and how long you have to save a deposit.
• At the beginning of a development, the timeline might still be quite rough. Think in terms of ‘early in the year’ vs ‘late in the year’, or ‘in the second quarter’. Later on in the process you can narrow the completion date down to a particular month.

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