Ten questions to ask any developer at a property expo

PIPEX Dubai opens tomorrow, and the Pakistan Property Expo in Karachi follows on 28 and 29 November. If you are visiting either, a short list of questions will serve you better than any brochure. These ten work for any developer, including us. The ten questions 1. Is the scheme approved, and can I see the approval? Ask for the document and confirm it with the authority. New Airport City is NOC Approved. Our post on what NOC Approved means explains what to check. 2. Where exactly is it? Ask for a map and the road access. Ours is on M-14 CPEC, near New Islamabad International Airport, Fateh Jang. 3. Who planned it? A master plan should come from a named planner. Ours is by world-renowned town planner Meinhardt. 4. What is there on the ground today? Separate what exists from what is planned. Our site has green spaces and lakes; development is not complete. 5. Which plot would be mine, and how do I verify it? Ask for the plot number and the plan that shows it. 6. Where do payments go? Only to the official company account, never a personal one. Ask for the account title in writing. 7. What does the payment schedule say? Ask for it in writing and read it closely; see how to read a payment schedule. 8. What happens if I want to transfer or stop? Ask for the policy before you commit. 9. What will I receive in writing? Receipts, allotment papers and the schedule should all be documented. 10. Can I visit the site first? A confident developer says yes. Why these ten Each question is aimed at one risk. Questions 1 to 3 test whether the project is what it claims to be: approved, located where it says and planned by someone accountable. Questions 4 and 5 separate what exists today from what is only drawn on a plan. Questions 6 to 9 are about money and paperwork, where most problems begin. Question 10 is the simplest test of all: a developer who is confident about the project will be glad to show it to you. How to hear the answers Listen for specifics. "It is all approved" is not an answer; "here is the approval, and here is the authority that issued it" is. A good answer names a document, a place, a person or a date, and is willing to be checked. If the answer is vague, ask a second time, politely. If it is still vague, write that down too. Ask for the same documents from every developer, and ask for copies or clear photographs rather than a verbal summary. Keep the answers together, one page per developer, so you can compare them calmly at home instead of from memory. Answers that should worry you - Guaranteed returns or fixed possession dates. - Pressure to pay today. - Requests to pay a person rather than the company. - Reluctance to show documents. - Answers that change between one team member and another. - A refusal to put anything in writing. How to use the list Write the ten questions in your phone and ask each developer the same ones. Note their answers. Differences become obvious when you compare side by side. If you are speaking to several developers in one day, take a quick photo of each stand and note the name of the person you spoke to. Within a day or two, send each developer a short message with the points you want confirmed in writing. Do not try to ask all ten at once if the stand is busy. Start with the first three, which tell you quickly whether the conversation is worth continuing. If the answers are clear, go on to the payment and transfer questions. What about us? We will answer these questions at our stands, but we do not publish prices or payment plans in blog posts; terms are shared by the team and paid to the official company account. We do not promise returns or possession dates. See it first, then decide. Images are for illustrative purposes. Frequently asked questions Do I need all ten? Even three or four of them give you a clearer picture. What if a developer cannot answer? Ask them to follow up in writing, and give them a fair chance. Can I use the list for a site visit? Yes. Questions 4, 5 and 10 work especially well on site, where you can see what exists and ask to be shown your plot on the plan. Visit or contact us PIPEX Dubai: 7-8 November, 11 AM to 8 PM, Crowne Plaza Deira, Dubai (Platinum stall, first on the right at the entrance). Pakistan Property Expo: 28-29 November, Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi. More at newairportcityislamabad.com. Head Office: M14 CPEC, Near New Islamabad International Airport, Fateh Jang, Girja Link Road.