7 ways to screw up when buying an apartment in a new building

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Or not screw it up if you know what to look for. Together with Avito - the largest * database of real estate ads in Russia - we have compiled a list of tips to help you buy an apartment without unnecessary headaches.

1. You have not checked the developer's conscientiousness

On July 1, 2019, amendments to the federal law "On participation in shared construction" were published, which increase the safety of buyers when concluding transactions. Now you can not give the money to the developer, but transfer it to the escrow account in the bank. The bank will transfer the required amount to the construction company after the house is put into operation.

If you are still worried about the pace and quality of construction, check the developer's reputation before making a deal. The history of his previous projects will help to understand whether the apartment will be ready on time.

What do we have to do

Check if the construction company has constituent documents, a certificate of state registration, a certificate of registration with the tax office, approved annual reports and audit reports.

Make sure the developer has received a building permit and title to the land. These documents can be found on the website of the construction company or at the sales office, they have no right to refuse you.

See the rating of the selected organization in. It can have a value from 0 to 5. The closer to the five, the more houses the developer handed over on time.

2. You have not studied all the offers that are currently on the market

And now you bite your elbows, because you could buy an apartment closer to the center or with a larger area for the same money. Exhale and take your time. An apartment is bought for at least several years, if not for a lifetime. Compare several options and choose the one that suits you, rather than settle for the first one, even if you are promised a discount.

What do we have to do

First, determine what parameters are important for you in the characteristics of the apartment. We are not talking about the price yet, we will deal with it at the next stage. Perhaps you don’t want to spend more than half an hour commuting to work, dream of an open-plan apartment, or don’t mind living on the ninth floor and watching the sunsets every day.

Explore the offers of developers and agencies. You can see which apartments are being sold in new buildings in your city on - this is more convenient than checking the available options on the websites of construction companies.

Using the filter, you can select the district, floor, number of rooms and housing area. When you already know exactly which area you want to settle in, it is convenient to look for apartments directly on the map.

If you are interested in a specific residential complex, see all available options in the project card. Here you can find information about a building permit, the planned date of commissioning and a description of the concept of the project, as well as find an apartment with a suitable area.

Add the options you like to "Favorites" in order to compare them later and determine the best one.

When an advertisement for the sale of an apartment similar to the ones you liked appears, Avito will inform you about it. If you are looking closely at a certain developer, subscribe to its updates: you will receive information about new proposals.

3. It turned out that the house is in an open field

Advertising brochures promise that there will be a modern playground in the yard, a school and a clinic next to the house, and the road from the city center to the new microdistrict will take 15–20 minutes. You buy an apartment, but in reality everything is different: the project is completed, and the promised infrastructure does not even smell. There are no shops or clinics around, and to the nearest stop you have to walk through the wasteland without a single lamp.

In fact, the likelihood of such an outcome can be predicted in advance. Only you need to believe not in advertising, but in documents and facts.

What do we have to do

Examine the project declaration. If the developer assures that he will arrange a parking lot, a playground and a place for sports in the yard, all this must be indicated in the declaration.

Find communities of residential complexes on social networks and read what new settlers write about the developer's ready-made projects. Perhaps, instead of a modern playground, there is a lonely sandpit and a slide in the courtyard, and they promise to build a school for a couple of years, but the matter does not go beyond words.

Finally, go to the construction site and check everything yourself: how long it will actually take to get to your future home, how far is it to the stop, whether minibuses go there at all, or will you have to get from work with transfers.

4. You were tempted by the low price

Even if you are promised a decent discount, do not rush to close the deal. It makes no sense for businesses to operate at a loss, so if housing is offered for a pittance, there must be a reason for it.

What do we have to do

Find out what exactly the discount is for. If the house has already been commissioned, you can inspect the apartment on the spot and see if this option suits you.

Sometimes apartments are sold at a discount that no one simply takes: for example, on the ground floor near the elevator and overlooking the parking lot. Yes, it will come out cheap, but all day the elevator rumbles behind the wall, and cars rustle under the window.

5. You signed the documents by viewing them diagonally

Buying an apartment is the case when it is worth finding fault with any letter in the contract. It's a shame to give away a few million and find out that in fact, a mortgage could have been taken on more favorable terms. It is even more offensive to find out that the customer has included a clause in the contract or additional agreement, according to which he can change the date of delivery of the house.

What do we have to do

To prevent buying an apartment from becoming one big problem, look in advance for a lawyer who specializes in real estate. He will take over all the support of the transaction: he will check the developer's documents, help to agree on the contract and register the ownership.

6. You focus on the area of the apartment, and not on the layout

As a result, it turns out that this area is of little use - it is impossible to use it rationally. For example, all the extra meters were spent on a long but useless corridor, and the pentagonal room turned out to be attractive only in the picture: it is simply impossible to arrange furniture in it normally.

What do we have to do

Choose an apartment for your lifestyle. If you often gather guests, look for an option without walk-through rooms so that gatherings do not interfere with other family members.

If you leave for work early, an apartment is suitable for you, where a corridor or an additional room separates the bedroom from the kitchen and bathroom. So at least do not wake up your family during the morning gathering.

The optimal shape of the room is a square or rectangle. When every meter counts, there is no point in buying an apartment with a non-standard geometry: it is more difficult to fully use the space here than in standard quadrangular rooms.

7. You accepted an apartment, although you did not really check anything

Then the fun begins. The area of the apartment suddenly turned out to be less than prescribed in the contract, the walls are crooked, there are cracks between the window and the wall, the risers are leaking, and because of poor sound insulation, you hear every sneeze from your neighbors.

By law, you can demand from the developer to eliminate the deficiencies or reimburse you for expenses if you decide to correct the deficiencies on your own. It is important to do this before you sign the deed of acceptance and transfer of the property.

What do we have to do

If you do not understand the intricacies of construction, find an apartment acceptance specialist and inspect the property with him. He will check how the doors and windows are installed, find out if everything is in order with heating, electricity and water supply, measure the area of the rooms.

After the examination, the specialist will help you fill out the acceptance certificate, taking into account all the deficiencies found. You return this document to the developer, and he must solve the problems listed in the act.

* According to a study conducted by OOO Foreitor for OOO KEH eKommerz in August 2019.