A buyer's checklist for prime apartments

Buying a prime apartment is as much about the building and its paperwork as it is about the home itself. These are the questions we encourage every buyer to work through before making an offer.

1. The title and the land

Ask to see the full chain of title for the land the building stands on, and make sure the developer's agreement with the landowner is in order. A property lawyer should review these documents before any money changes hands. If an apartment is being resold, check that the seller's own purchase was properly registered.

2. Approvals and completion

Confirm that the building's plans were approved, that the building as constructed matches them, and whether an occupancy certificate has been issued. Extra floors or changes of use that were not approved can create problems later.

3. The building's services

In practice, day-to-day comfort depends on services that are easy to overlook on a viewing:

• Generator capacity — does it carry the full load, including lifts and air conditioning?
• Water — the source, storage capacity and any treatment.
• Lifts — their age, maintenance contract and backup power.
• Parking — whether spaces are allocated in the title or simply by custom.

4. Management and running costs

Ask who manages the building, how service charges are set, and whether there is a reserve fund for major repairs. Minutes from recent owners' meetings are often revealing.

5. Costs beyond the price

Registration, stamp duty and associated fees and taxes add meaningfully to the cost of a purchase. Rates change, so ask your lawyer for a current estimate early, and budget for legal fees and any fit-out you plan.

Taking the next step

None of this needs to slow a good purchase down. Gathering documents in parallel with viewings means that when you find the right home, you can move with confidence.