Last updated: June 2026
Buying off-plan in Accra from abroad is safe when you check the right things in the right order: the developer’s delivery record and the land title first, then a building permit, then an agreement that stages payments against construction and pays into an escrow or law-firm account. The main risk off-plan is completion risk, which a developer with a track record sharply reduces. Hold your final payment until snagging is done.
Off-plan is how most diaspora buyers enter the Accra market, because it lets you buy at the launch price and pay in stages across the build. Done with discipline it is a strong play; done on trust alone it is a gamble. This checklist is the discipline. It builds on how to buy an apartment remotely and goes deeper on due diligence.
Start with completion risk
The defining risk off-plan is whether the building actually gets finished and handed over on time. So your first question is the developer’s record: which buildings have they completed and delivered, and did those land on or near the original dates? Everything else is secondary to this.
A developer with finished, occupied buildings behind it has shown it can take a project from a render to a set of keys. One with only renders and promises has not. Imaani Homes, for context, has delivered on a 100% on-time record across its developments, two of which are sold out. Our piece on off-plan completion risk goes further on this.
The checklist, in order
Work through six checks in sequence: developer track record, land title, building permit, the agreement, the payment schedule, and the payment route. Each one gates the next, and none of your money should move until the title search is back clean.
| Check | Why it matters | How to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Developer track record | Completion risk is the main risk off-plan | Ask which buildings they have finished and handed over, and when, against the original dates |
| Land title | A clean title is the foundation of the whole purchase | Your lawyer runs an official search at the Lands Commission before any payment |
| Building permit | An unpermitted build can be stopped | Confirm planning and building permits are in place for the development |
| The agreement | It defines your price, schedule and protections | Have your lawyer review the sales and purchase agreement before you sign |
| Payment schedule | Staged payments protect you against non-delivery | Check tranches are tied to construction stages, not the calendar |
| Payment route | Personal accounts are where money goes missing | Insist on a law-firm or escrow account, never a personal one |
The order matters as much as the list. Verifying the title after you have paid is no protection at all. Run the search first, read the agreement before you sign, and only then release funds, into an escrow or law-firm account.
Reading a developer quickly
You can size up a developer fast by what reassures and what should stop you. Finished buildings, verifiable title and permits, payments staged against construction and a written completion date are green flags. Pressure to pay a large sum upfront, or into a personal account, are red flags full stop.
| Green flags | Red flags |
|---|---|
| A record of finished, handed-over buildings | No completed projects to point to |
| Registered title and permits you can verify | Vague answers on title or permits |
| Payments staged against construction | Pressure for a large upfront payment |
| Payment into a law-firm or escrow account | A request to pay a personal account |
| A written completion date and specifications | Promises that are not in the agreement |
Trust the pattern, not the pitch. A confident, established developer will welcome your lawyer’s questions and your insistence on escrow. Reluctance on either is itself an answer.
Off-plan with the completion box ticked
Imaani sells off-plan against a 100% on-time delivery record, registered title and staged payments, so the biggest off-plan risk is already handled. See what is launching now.
View available apartmentsGet the agreement right
The sales and purchase agreement is where your protections live. It should state the price, the completion date, the specifications, and a payment schedule tied to construction milestones. Anything you were promised verbally but is not in the agreement does not really exist, so have your lawyer check it line by line.
Pay attention to what happens if the build runs late, what the specification actually includes, and how snagging is handled. For the detail on the contract itself, see the sales and purchase agreement in Ghana.
Manage payments and handover
Pay a reservation fee, a deposit of 10% to 30%, then the balance in milestones over 12 to 36 months, usually interest-free, always into an escrow or law-firm account. At completion, have your lawyer or a surveyor run the handover inspection on your behalf and hold the final payment until the snagging list is cleared.
This last step is your leverage. The final tranche is the strongest tool you have to get defects fixed, so do not release it early. For how the staged payments are structured across the build, see milestone payment plans for off-plan in Accra.
About Imaani Homes
Imaani Homes is an Accra-based luxury real estate developer, established in 2019, building investment-grade apartments in Ghana’s most prestigious addresses. Across four developments we have delivered every project on time, with two fully sold out: JAK Royale, our debut development, and The Ivy. Alexis Residence in Tesano is over 90% sold, and our flagship Regalia, in the Airport Residential Area, is open for reservations. Our standard is simple: the right property, in the right address, delivered exactly as promised.
Frequently asked questions
What does buying off-plan mean?
Buying off-plan means reserving and paying for a property before or during construction, rather than buying a finished unit. You typically pay a deposit and then milestone payments tied to the build, and take handover on completion.
Is buying off-plan in Accra safe for a diaspora buyer?
It is safe when you do the checks in the right order: verify the developer’s delivery record and the title first, then sign an agreement that stages payments against construction and uses an escrow or law-firm account. The biggest risk is completion risk, which a proven developer reduces.
What is the single most important check?
The developer’s track record. Off-plan success comes down to whether the building gets finished and handed over on time, so a developer that has delivered completed buildings before, on schedule, is the strongest signal you can get.
How should off-plan payments be structured?
As staged tranches tied to construction milestones, usually a reservation fee, a deposit of 10% to 30%, then the balance over 12 to 36 months, typically interest-free. Avoid arrangements that demand most of the money upfront.
How do I protect my money during the build?
Pay only into a law-firm or escrow account, keep the agreement’s completion date and specifications in writing, and hold your final payment until the handover inspection and snagging are complete.
Want this checklist run for you?
Send us the development you are considering and we will walk you through the title, the agreement and the payment plan, so nothing is left to trust.
Talk to our diaspora teamImportant notice. The figures in this article, including yields, prices, costs, tax rates, and timelines, are indicative estimates based on current market conditions and public sources, and are provided for general information only. They are not guarantees, forecasts, or financial, legal, or tax advice. Actual figures vary with circumstances and change over time. Before making any decision, seek independent professional advice. All purchases are governed solely by the terms of the relevant Sales and Purchase Agreement.