Updated
GL-D-07
01 / In 30 seconds
The short answer
- Who it is
- A company that builds and sells real estate
- Master developer
- A large developer that develops an entire district with infrastructure
- What to check
- Completed projects, meeting deadlines, financial position, reputation
- The main risk
- Delayed completion or construction stopping
- How to reduce the risk
- Checking the track record of projects and a protected payment arrangement
02 / In plain words
What Developer / Master developer means
A developer is a company that carries out a construction project: it acquires the land, obtains permits, builds and sells the properties. A master developer is a larger player: it develops an entire district or a large area, creates the infrastructure and sets the standards, while individual projects within it may be run by other developers.
For the buyer of a property under construction, the developer is the main risk of the deal. Even a flawless contract will not help if the company fails to finish the property or misses deadlines by years. That is why it is not the presentation that is checked but the facts: how many projects have been completed, whether on time, to what quality, how the company behaved when problems arose, and what its financial position is.
The second layer of protection is the payment arrangement. Where money goes through escrow or a dedicated account and is released as construction progresses, the buyer’s position is fundamentally better than with direct transfers to the developer. A reliable developer combined with a protected payment arrangement covers most of the risks.
A case from practice
A client was choosing between two projects at a similar price. One developer had a record of completing properties on time, the other a history of delays on previous projects. The price difference turned out to be out of all proportion to the difference in risk.
When it matters
- Buying off-plan
- Choosing between projects
- An investment for a Golden Visa
- Buying in a new district
- Assessing completion dates
- Reselling before completion
03 / What it covers
What is checked about the developer
Experience
- Completed projects
- Years on the market
- Scale of operations
Reputation
- Meeting deadlines
- Quality of properties
- Buyer reviews
Finance
- Financial position
- Sources of financing
- Litigation
Project
- Rights to the land
- Building permits
- Payment arrangement
04 / How it works
How to check a developer
Study completed projects
Check the permits and rights to the land
Assess the financial position
Review the payment arrangement
Make a decision on the project
05 / Key facts
What you need to know
01
The track record of completed projects outweighs the presentation
02
A master developer develops a district, not a single building
03
Delays are the most common risk
04
Payment through escrow protects the buyer
05
Rights to the land and permits are checked separately
Common mistakes
- Choosing a project on renders and promises
- Not checking the track record of completed properties
- Accepting direct payments without protection
- Ignoring the company’s litigation
- Believing promised deadlines without a margin
06 / Expert advice
How to prepare in advance
Before any money is paid, the developer’s portfolio is studied: what has been completed, on what timelines, to what quality, and whether there have been conflicts with buyers. The rights to the land and the permits for the particular project are checked separately. And a margin is built into the timeline: completion of properties under construction is regularly delayed, and planning a move right up against the promised date is unwise.
What we do for you. We check not only the property but also who is building it: the track record of projects, meeting deadlines, the payment arrangement. For programmes with an investment in real estate this is critical — your immigration timeline also depends on the completion date.
Igor VentsHead of real estate, Title Deed and property checks
07 / Questions
Frequently asked questions
A company that carries out a construction project: it buys the land, obtains permits, builds and sells the properties.
It develops an entire district or a large area with infrastructure, while individual projects within it may be run by other developers.
The track record of completed projects and meeting deadlines, the company’s financial position, and the rights to the land and permits for the particular project.
With a payment arrangement through escrow or a dedicated account, where funds are released as construction progresses rather than transferred directly in advance.
Construction delays happen regularly. Planning a move or filing documents right up against the promised date is unwise.
Yes, indirectly: the completion date and the correctness of the documents determine when you can evidence the investment under the programme.
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