Look beyond the starting price.

Start with the same question.

Two homes with similar advertised prices can suit very different plans. Before comparing them, write down why you are buying, when you need the home and how much cash you can commit at each stage. Use the same brief for both projects.

Compare the actual home.

Ask for a unit-specific floor plan. Separate internal space from balconies, and compare the orientation, storage, circulation and usable room dimensions. A project brochure helps you understand the development; it does not replace the details of the particular home.

• Exact tower, floor and unit number
• Internal area and balcony area shown separately
• Orientation, outlook and adjacent development
• Parking, storage and unit-specific exclusions

Put the payments on a calendar.

Compare the booking amount, each dated or construction-linked payment and the balance due at completion. Include a separate allowance for additional costs. An attractive percentage split is not enough to establish whether the schedule works for you.

Give uncertainty a place in the comparison.

Keep developer-stated expectations separate from confirmed facts. Ask when construction progress was last checked, what evidence supports it and which details still need clarification. Do not turn a target completion date into a guaranteed move-in date.

Request a shortlist you can interrogate.

A useful shortlist should tell you why each home fits your brief, where it falls short and what remains to be confirmed. Ask for the source and date of every price, payment schedule and availability statement.