Buying a home off plan

What does "buying off plan" mean?

New homes are often reserved and bought by purchasers before their construction is complete, sometimes several months before they are built and finished. This is called "buying off plan."

  • All of our new homes are made available for sale several months before they are finished. This gives you a chance to pick the home you love and reserve it off plan.
  • Reserving a new home off plan means that you commit to buying a home that is still being constructed. You may, or may not, have an opportunity to view inside it before your commitment to buy it becomes a legal obligation.
  • A show apartment or show house is sometimes available to view; this may not be exactly the same as the home you would like to buy but it will give you an idea about style, specification and finishes. By visiting the show home, you will have opportunity to meet us face to face and to ask any questions you have. You can also explore the local neighbourhood and carry out your own research into things like public transport connections, schools, etc.

How does buying off plan work?

New homes that are available to reserve off plan are listed on our website as “coming soon” and you can add them to your account area by liking them. You can also apply now if you have found your perfect home and want to get started straight away!

We are ready to take reservations off plan as soon as prices are released. We will contact you to let you know this and ask you to complete your application form (if you haven’t already done so) and ask you to pick your favourite home(s). We will probably ask you to do this by a specific date so you don’t miss out on the home that you want to buy.

We will let you know as soon as possible if we are able to offer you the home that you want to buy.

What do I need to do?

If you are offered the home you want to buy, you will need to speak to the panel mortgage advisor. They will carry out a financial assessment to see what share you can afford to buy and they will help you get all the documentation we need to confirm your reservation.

You will then pay a £500 reservation fee to Moat and at this point, the price you pay for the home is fixed and this will remain so with an expectation that you will exchange contracts within 34 days. The reservation fee (£500) will be deducted from the purchase price on completion. You will then need to instruct a solicitor to act on your behalf for all legal matters to do with buying your home.

Buying a home off plan: What to expect

When you reserve a home that’s still being built (known as buying off plan), there are a few things to be aware of:

Progress and Timescales

  • We’ll keep you updated on the build progress.

  • You’ll receive an estimated season for completion (e.g. spring 2026).

  • If there are likely to be any delays, we’ll inform you and your solicitor as soon as possible.

  • Construction delays can happen, so you may need to make backup plans—especially if your tenancy is ending or you’re relocating.

Mortgage Offer Validity

  • Most mortgage offers are valid for around six months.

  • If your home won’t be ready in that time, or if there are delays, your lender may need to extend your mortgage offer.

  • We’ll let you know if this applies to you, so you’re aware of any extra steps or costs.

Viewing Your Home

  • Where possible, we’ll try to give you safe access to your future home or a similar property on the development.

  • This usually happens after reservation and closer to completion.

  • Due to health and safety restrictions, it may not be possible to view the home before exchange of contracts.

  • You may be expected to exchange based on floorplans and marketing materials, without having seen the finished property in person. We cannot delay exchange until you have seen your new home.

We understand that buying off plan is a big decision. Why not read our customer story of buying her new shared ownership home off plan?

Our Sales Executives are also here to help—please get in touch if you have any questions.

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