Property investors have long been buying off plan – that is buying a property before it has even been built.

At the initial stage of a development project properties are sold at heavily reduced prices, far below market value, to attract early buyers. Developers use this income to help finance the project and as extra assurance to their creditors.

Investors stand to make a killing by reselling completed properties at market value, while others buy to rent, settle down or to use the property as a holiday home.

Depending on the purpose of the investment, buyers need to take into consideration a number of factors. While an investor buying to resell will benefit from a low price, ensuring a certain quality standard is essential so as to make the finished property attractive to the end buyer, typically private people seeking a holiday home or a place to settle down.

When buying to rent, price is key to achieving the highest yearly return with quality much less important as rental properties tend to get damaged much quicker than private properties.

When intending to live in the specific property, buying without having seen a finished property in the development can be a risky venture as dimensions and the look and feel of a property are hard to gauge from a piece of paper. To avoid disappointment, it may viable to buy at a later stage and slightly increased cost when a sample property in the actual development can be viewed. Infrastructure and utility issues should also be taken into consideration.

Regardless of the purpose of an off plan purchase, buyers should always carefully assess the market and country in which they are planning on buying.

Popular markets include Brazil, France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Brazil and Argentina. Turkey looks to be one of the most promising markets with Turkish banks eager to provide mortgages and property prices said to have hit rock bottom and expected to quickly start recovering.

Whether buying to resell, to rent, settle down or to have a holiday home, off plan property investment seems a great opportunity as long as the project is careful planned and researched.