Off-The-Plan Buying in Australia: Why You Need Specialist Conveyancing in 2025
Off-the-plan purchases are booming again, but the contracts are longer, trickier, and more one-sided than ever. One small oversight can lock you in for years or cost you your deposit.
Warning: Most standard conveyancers openly admit they do not specialise in off-the-plan contracts. Using the wrong lawyer is the #1 reason buyers lose deposits or end up with defective apartments.
Biggest Off-The-Plan Traps in 2025
- Sunset clauses that let the developer cancel and keep your deposit if delayed
- Material change clauses allowing smaller rooms, cheaper finishes or views
- Hidden body corporate levies revealed only at settlement
- Defect liability periods as short as 6–12 months
- Bank valuation shortfalls when the finished product is worth less than you agreed to pay
Specialist off-the-plan conveyancers negotiate stronger protections before you sign, including tighter sunset dates, defect rectification clauses, and price adjustment mechanisms if the market falls.
Firms with dedicated off-the-plan teams, such as First Class Legal, review hundreds of these contracts every year and know exactly which clauses to amend or reject.
Never sign an off-the-plan contract without a 2025-specialist review — your 10% deposit and future financial security depend on it.
Published December 11, 2025