Gribbons Group

Buying off the plans? Here’s how to do it without getting burnt.

Signing for a home before it’s built can feel like a leap of faith. It doesn’t have to be. When you understand what each step is actually doing for you, off the plans becomes one of the smartest ways to buy.

Swipe through the four things that protect you:

1. The Sale & Purchase agreement. One document locks in your price, your spec, and the sunset clause. Know what every part is doing before you sign.
2. The due diligence window. A set number of working days to check finance, title, the developer, and the contract, while you can still walk away.
3. What your deposit secures. Usually 10%, held in trust, not handed to the developer. It locks your price and takes the home off the market.
4. Settlement day. Title issues, you do a pre-settlement inspection, pay the balance, and the keys are yours.

The golden rule: never sign anything without your lawyer reading it first.

Thinking about buying off the plans? Send us a DM and we’ll walk you through every step.

What does “freehold” actually mean? 🏡

It’s one of the most common words in a property listing, and one of the most misunderstood.

Freehold means you own the land *and* the building outright. No ground rent. No landlord. No lease quietly ticking down in the background. Just your home, on your dirt, indefinitely.

Why does it matter? When it comes time to sell, freehold opens you up to a bigger pool of buyers, avoids the shrinking-lease problem, and makes for a cleaner, simpler sale.

Swipe through for the plain-English breakdown, including the myths people still get wrong about freehold.

Got a property question? Drop it in the comments or send us a DM. We’ll break it down, no jargon.

Hamilton PropertyTips GribbonsGroup NewBuild HomeOwnership

Site update from 120 Malfroy Rd, Rotorua 🙌
Nine homes coming along nicely. Roofs on, scaffold up, framing locked in. Cladding and windows next.

Next up: 68 Storey Ave, Forest Lake. 8 freehold townhouses, 2-3 bed, from $599k. Selling now.

DM us or hit the link in bio for the info pack 👇

What does $599k actually get you in Hamilton?

10 freehold townhouses at 30 De Vere in Chartwell - all sold.

Here’s what was inside the price tag:
→ Freehold title. No body corp, no shared ownership headaches
→ Prime Panels Charred Walnut cabinetry, Calacatta Gold benchtops, Fisher & Paykel appliance package
→ Tiled bathrooms, frameless showers, heated towel rails
→ Godfrey Hirst Detroit carpet, Jacobsen Aspecta Aaria Venti hard flooring
→ Double glazing, heat pump, Healthy Homes compliant from day one
→ 10-year build warranty

60 seconds from Chartwell Shopping Centre.
Indicative rents sitting at $580–$650/week, gross yields around 5–5.6%.

If you missed out here, our next project is starting at 68 Storey Ave in Forest Lake.
8 freehold townhouses, 2–3 bed, from $599k. DM us for the info pack 🙌

Slabs are down at 30 De Vere 🙌
Ten townhouses in Chartwell, all sold before we’d even poured the concrete.
Massive thanks to the buyers who backed us early.
Stage 2 of 8 ticked off — foundations in, framing’s next, and we’re aiming to hand over keys in Q4 this year.

We have another one kicking off too — 68 Storey Ave in Forest Lake. 8 freehold townhouses, 2–3 bed, from $599k. Same approach, same spec sheet, no surprises.
Send us a DM for the info pack, or stick around and watch this one come out of the ground.

NewBuildNZ

From the ground up!

Swipe to see the transformation at 6 Vardon Road, Hamilton. The finish line is in sight, with completion set for later this winter. Epic job from everybody involved.

Behind the scenes as the frames go up at our 208 Bankwood Road site in Hamilton.

Solid progress already this year, and we are already looking forward to seeing the next stage come together.

30 De Vere Crescent, Hamilton ✔️
100% SOLD

Great to see another project fully snapped up. That’s now 4 out of our 5 current developments sold out. Check out our website to view our remaining available project!