Guide
The Pre-Construction Buying Process, Step by Step
What happens between first visiting a presentation centre and taking keys on a pre-construction home, in the order it actually happens.
Written for: A buyer who has decided on pre-construction and wants to know what comes next. · Reviewed 2026-10-30
1. Registration and release
Homes are released in phases rather than all at once. Registering puts you on a builder's list for a coming release, which is how you hear about availability before it is public.
2. Selection and signing
You choose a model, an elevation and a lot, and sign a purchase agreement. This is the commitment point. Everything after it is execution.
Any statutory review period that applies starts here, and it is the window in which a lawyer should read the document.
3. Deposits
Deposit instalments are paid on the schedule in the agreement. Diarise every date the day you sign rather than relying on being reminded.
4. Decor and finish selections
You attend an appointment to select finishes. There is usually a decision deadline, and upgrades carry additional cost that is payable on the builder's terms rather than financed with the mortgage.
Decide in advance which upgrades genuinely matter to you. This appointment is where budgets move most.
5. Construction
The build proceeds. Occupancy dates can be revised during this period, within what the agreement permits. Expect updates rather than silence, and ask how they will reach you.
6. Pre-delivery inspection
You walk the finished home with the builder and record anything incomplete or deficient. Take the time it deserves. Items recorded here are the ones that get addressed under warranty without argument.
7. Closing
Your lawyer completes the transaction, your mortgage funds, adjustments and closing costs are settled, and you take keys.
Closing costs on a new home are not the same as on a resale purchase. Ask your lawyer for an itemised estimate well before the date rather than the week of.