Buying off-plan, explained plainly
What happens between reserving a home on a drawing and getting the keys: the steps, the payments, the costs and the questions buyers ask us most.
Download the guide (PDF)Four steps from drawing to keys
Reserve
Choose a home and hold it with a refundable $10K deposit. Prices are fixed from this moment.
Contract
Your lawyer reviews the purchase agreement. Sign within 30 days and pay 10%.
Build
Monthly photo updates, two hard-hat tours and a finishes appointment with our design team.
Handover
Walk-through, snag list and keys. The balance is paid at closing, often with a mortgage.
Most of the price is paid at the keys
Deposits sit in an escrow account with a Texas title company until closing. You pay 20% during construction and the rest when the home is finished.
The costs beyond the price
Figures are typical for Travis County and shown for guidance only. Your lawyer will confirm them.
Title insurance, escrow fees and recording fees, paid at closing.
A month for a two-bedroom. Covers landscaping, shared spaces and insurance of common areas.
Of the assessed value each year, set by Travis County. Homestead exemption may apply.
What buyers ask us most
What happens if construction is delayed?
Your contract sets an outside completion date. If we miss it, you can cancel and receive your deposits back from escrow in full. In 12 years we have delivered 310 homes in Austin.
Can I visit before the building is finished?
Yes. We run two hard-hat tours during construction and a finishes appointment with our design team, and the sales gallery is open daily.
Can I choose my finishes?
Each home comes with two palettes to choose from at your finishes appointment, with further upgrades available before the fit-out stage.
Can I sell my contract before completion?
Assignments are permitted once the building has topped out, subject to our approval and a transfer fee set out in your contract.
What is included in the HOA fee?
Landscaping, shared spaces, insurance of common areas, reserves and routine maintenance. Utilities inside your home are billed separately.
Do I need a lawyer to buy off-plan?
We strongly recommend it. Your lawyer reviews the purchase agreement during the 30-day reservation period and acts for you at closing.
Questions before you decide? Talk to Luis
(512) 555-0142 · luis@tallowandstone.example · Viewings daily, 10am to 6pm