Illustrative photography · Unsplash. Not a client property or transaction.
Prepare a brief before the visit
Write down your preferred unit size, bedroom needs, budget boundary, and timing. Add the everyday activities the layout must support: working at home, cooking, storage, caring for family, or accommodating visitors. This brief gives you a consistent way to compare projects when the presentation and atmosphere of each showflat are different.
Identify what belongs to the purchase
Ask which finishes, appliances, fittings, and other features are included in the specific unit. Check the plans and specification documents rather than relying on the appearance of a styled room. Record the answer and the supporting document so you can revisit it calmly after leaving the viewing.
Test the layout against real furniture
Bring the approximate dimensions of furniture you expect to keep. Think about a dining chair being pulled out, a wardrobe door opening, and two people moving through the kitchen. These are practical prompts for comparing plans, not a substitute for checking the unit dimensions and documents with the sales team.
Ask about the particular stack
Clarify orientation, nearby uses, outlook, access routes, and the information available about surrounding development. Separate existing conditions from proposed or anticipated changes. Where a feature matters to your decision, find the relevant official plan or project document instead of treating a verbal description as a guarantee.
Take the same notes every time
Photograph or retain materials only where permitted and record unresolved questions before the next visit. Compare the options later against your original brief. A useful showflat visit should improve your decision file; it should not make you feel that you must decide before you have understood the commitment.
Go to the source
URA · Home Buyers’ Guide for uncompleted private property ↗CEA · Buying or selling: agreements and consumer checklists ↗General planning information, prepared on 30 October 2026. Rules and individual circumstances can change. Verify current requirements with the relevant authority and your lender before making commitments.