The mystery of buying off plan - solved

19th April 2016

We hear a lot about buying property off plan, but what does it really mean?

Andrew Biggs Land & New Homes Manager for Marchand Petit, with many years’ experience within the development market, explains.

Fundamentally, buying property off plan means buying before the development has really started, and where the house builder has not yet completed a show home or sales office to enable the buyer to get a feel for the design and quality of the finished home.

This might sound risky, but the benefits far outweigh the risks; generally, this allows you to choose the pick of the available plots from, for example, the plot with the best views, best position for getting the sun, the most private plot or perhaps one with a good garage and driveway. All these considerations are important and buying off plan allows you to choose the best options for you. 

Other early choices you can make relate to available kitchens, flooring and tiles or any other options that might be on offer, which vary from housebuilder to housebuilder. Furthermore, it can be the case that the first releases on any development are set at a very good price as these tend to increase as the development moves on, for instance if you buy a plot now that is not ready until say the end of the year, there is a good chance that the price will be different by the time the property is ready, that is of course assuming someone hasn’t purchased the plot you want, off plan beforehand!

Buying off plan also offers an engaging experience with your future home from choosing your plot, deciding on finishes and watching as it develops from a hole in the ground, up through the foundations to the roof going on and the final fitting of your choices of kitchen and bathroom.

Buying off plan is not only restricted to larger housebuilders, at Marchand Petit we have a number of developments where this option is available; from the Cavanna Homes scheme in Stoke Fleming to Bloor Homes at Meadowside close to Dartington or the Cavanna Homes development in South Brent or indeed to the smaller house builder, there is the choice of plots available with options on internal fittings, such as at The Mill in Harbertonford. So grab your wellies, make your appointment and be off to visit a plot now.

Offshore by Cavanna Homes in Stoke Fleming where two properties have already been reserved off plan, prices range from £270,000 to £425,000. Further details are available from Marchand Petit Dartmouth 01803 839190.

Plots at Meadowside by Bloor Homes close to Dartington and just outside Totnes start from £280,950 to £295,950. Details are available from Marchand Petit Totnes 01803 847979.

Details of Cavanna Homes Palstone Meadow at South Brent are also available from Marchand Petit Totnes on 01803 847979.

We are expecting that a number of our new developments due to launch this year, will release off plan and to be kept up to date with future sites please contact Andrew Biggs on 01548 233100.