What to be wary of when buying a house off the plans

Each week the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB's Cooking the Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it's what you need to check before signing a contract to buy a house off the plans. Hosted by Frances Cook.<br /><br />Buying a new house off the plans can be so dazzling, you forget to look at the fine print. <br /><br />And don't get me wrong, it's a great option for many people. <br /><br />They're often saving on building costs as they're done in batches, they're built to modern expectations of insulation and heating, and the architect's images often look stunning. <br /><br />But underneath all the dazzle and glamour, boy do you need to know what you're looking for. <br /><br />Hidden in the contracts can be a bunch of clauses that can cause you serious problems – including the possibility of losing your dream home altogether. <br /><br />For the latest Cooking the Books podcast I talked to Joanna Pidgeon from Pidgeon Law. <br /><br />We discussed common pitfalls including sunset clauses, what obligations a developer has to a buyer, and what protections a buyer has. <br /><br />If you have a question about this podcast, or question you'd like answered in the next one, come and talk to me about it. I'm on Facebook here <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookJournalist/" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/FrancesCookJournalist/</a> Instagram here <a href="https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz/" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/francescooknz/</a> and Twitter here <a href="https://twitter.com/FrancesCook" rel="noopener">https://twitter.com/FrancesCook</a>