How Buying Off-Plan Works With Berkeley

Berkeley Group designs and builds high-quality new homes as part of carefully planned developments.

These are new neighbourhoods that often include green spaces, shops, cafés, schools and other community facilities – not just housing.

Some of our homes are already built and ready to move into right now. Others are still being planned or are under construction but can be sold before the homes are build-complete – known as buying off-plan. 

Why Buy Off-Plan?

Buying off-plan gives you the chance to choose your location early and be part of a growing community from the beginning. You may even have the opportunity to personalise certain features like flooring, kitchens or finishes – depending on the build stage.

This page explains what a ‘development’ is, how the buying journey works, and what makes a Berkeley home unique.

A development is more than just a group of homes – it’s a carefully planned new neighbourhood, designed to offer a great quality of life and a strong sense of place.

At Berkeley Group, developments often grow in phases, meaning new homes, parks and local facilities are built in stages. This allows communities to grow naturally over time – with early residents moving in while the next parts are still under way.

Developments vary in size and style. Some are small collections of family houses, while others are large-scale regeneration projects that include premium apartments, public squares, shops, schools and green spaces.

Whether it’s a riverside apartment in London or a new family home in green surroundings, every development is designed with long-term quality, sustainability and community in mind.

Search Our Developments

What’s Included in a Typical Development?

Though features vary for each development, many of our developments aim to build neighbourhoods with inbuilt community amenities, such as:

A brand-new Berkeley home comes with a range of advantages that you won’t always find when buying a second-hand property:

• Move-in ready – No need to renovate or update – everything’s brand new.
• Energy efficient – Modern insulation, heating and appliances help lower your bills.
• No onward chain – A simpler, quicker buying process.
• Modern layouts – Designed for the way people live today.
• 10-year warranty – Peace of mind with structural and aftercare cover.
• Personalise your home – Choose finishes when buying early – subject to cut-off dates.
• Part of a new community – Live somewhere designed to thrive for years to come.

See the benefits of buying new

Buying Off-Plan: Step-by-Step Process

Buying a new home with Berkeley Group is a little different from buying a second-hand property, especially if you're buying off-plan. Here’s what the typical journey looks like:

1. Explore Our Developments

Browse our website to find the development you are interested in. Use the 'Find a home' search to explore developments or homes in your desired area."

We use high-quality CGI imagery, floorplans and detailed brochures online to help you visualise the homes before they’re built. We also have interactive digital tools and sometimes scale models available at Sales & Marketing Suites to help you visualise the homes and neighbourhood.

Whether you’re buying a finished home or an off-plan one, you’ll have the reassurance of knowing the home is brand new, chain-free, and covered by a 10-year warranty.

View ready-to-move-in homes

2. Register Your Interest

Register your interest by filling out the form at the bottom of each of our development pages.

3. Visit the Development and Speak to Our Sales Team

In most locations, you can visit a Sales & Marketing Suite and Showhome to get a feel for the space and style and speak to a sales consultant in person. You can turn up in person or book a visit online using our get in touch form at the bottom of each development page.

4. Reserve Your Home

When you’ve found somewhere that you want to buy, you can secure your chosen home with the payment of a reservation fee and signing a reservation agreement. We will then take it off the market.

You will be able to manage everything using our MyHome Plus portal where we will keep you updated with how things are progressing. MyHome Plus provides an online toolkit collating all documentation regarding your new home in one place. Berkeley will support you throughout the buying process, ensuring everything runs smoothly.

5. Appoint Your Solicitor and Mortgage Advisor

This is the point you may want to appoint a solicitor to help you with the contract side of buying a home. If you need a mortgage, this is the point at which to appoint your mortgage advisor.

More information on these steps is available here:

• Mortgage Offer Required by Exchange of Contracts
• Mortgage Offer Required by Exchange of Contracts

6. Exchange Contracts

Your solicitor will review the contract and other related legal documents. Through your solicitor you will have the opportunity to ensure that you’re fully satisfied with everything. Once you are, they will invite you to sign your copy of the contract and put them in funds with your deposit for exchange of contracts. 

This important milestone usually happens within 28 days of reservation. At this point, the deposit is paid across to us, and you commit to the purchase. 

7. Your Home is Built

After exchange, our customer team will guide you through to legal completion.

At every stage in the build process you’ll receive updates, have the chance to choose finishes (if available), and prepare for your move.

You will need to finalise your mortgage, or other financing, and your solicitor will review the final paperwork with you.

8. Completion and Handover

When your house is legally complete, it’s all yours to move in. On handover you will be able to get your keys, your handover pack, and support from our Customer Care team.

Once you move in, we will help you get settled. We provide a full home demonstration to ensure you’re confident using all features of your new home.

9. Aftercare

Even after purchase you can use MyHome Plus for information about your home such as maintenance advice.

Why Buy From Berkeley?

Berkeley Group is an award-winning company, with a 50-year track record of delivering on our promise of building exceptional places for people to live, work and enjoy, with sustainability in mind.

When you buy a new home from Berkeley you can be safe in the knowledge that it is built to high standards of design and quality, has low environmental impact and that you will receive a professional, efficient and helpful service from us. We aim to establish beautiful, sustainable, places, offering lifestyles and communities that improve people’s lives.

We put as much attention into our service as we do detail into our finishes. You will receive tailored information relating to your purchase and have a dedicated person to guide you through your buying journey and beyond.

See our awards and recommendations.