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Buying off-plan in Honduras: 10 questions to ask the developer before you sign

Buying a condo before it is built usually gets you a lower price and the pick of the units. It also means paying for something that does not exist yet. These ten questions separate a serious developer from a risky one, and every answer should be backed by a document, not a promise.

By the Hogarli team · · 3 min read

Key takeaways

  • Check that the land is titled to the developer or the project company, free of liens, before you pay anything.
  • Tie each payment to a construction milestone you can see, and keep deposits in escrow where possible.
  • Get the finishes, the delivery date and the penalty for delay written into the contract.
  • Ask how and when you will receive your own registered title, not just the keys.

Why off-plan, and why be careful

Developers in Roatán, San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa often sell the first units of a project at launch prices, before construction starts, to fund the build. Early buyers get the best views and floors at the lowest price. The trade-off is that your money goes into a project that can be delayed, changed or, in the worst case, never finished.

Honduras has no national deposit-protection scheme for off-plan buyers, so your protection is the contract and the checks you run before signing. Browse current projects on Hogarli developments, where each project shows its construction progress, documents and sales office.

Questions about the developer and the land

  • 1. What have you built before? Ask for addresses of finished projects and visit one. Talk to owners there about build quality, delays and how the homeowners’ association is run.
  • 2. Who owns the land? The land should be registered to the developer or the project company at the Instituto de la Propiedad, free of mortgages and liens. Your attorney pulls the certificate; see how to check a land title.
  • 3. Which permits do you have? A municipal building permit is the minimum. On the Bay Islands, construction also needs ZOLITUR approval and an environmental licence. Ask for copies, not a verbal yes.

Questions about money

  • 4. What is the payment schedule? A fair schedule ties instalments to milestones you can verify, such as foundations, structure, roof and handover, rather than to calendar dates alone.
  • 5. Where does my deposit go? Ask whether deposits are held in escrow or a separate project account. Paying straight into a personal account is a red flag.
  • 6. What happens if the project is delayed or cancelled? The contract should name a delivery date, a grace period, a penalty for late delivery and a refund if the project does not go ahead.

Ask the developer for the draft contract before you pay a reservation fee, and have your own attorney, not the developer’s, read it.

Questions about the unit and the building

  • 7. What exactly am I buying? The contract should attach the floor plan, the area in square metres, the parking space and a schedule of finishes: floors, kitchen, windows, air conditioning. “Similar quality” is not a specification.
  • 8. What will the HOA fees be? Ask for the estimated monthly fee, what it covers and who runs the association. On the islands, a backup generator and water storage are worth paying for.
  • 9. Can I rent the unit out? If you plan to earn rental income, check that the building rules allow short-term rentals and whether the developer runs a rental programme.

The question most buyers forget

10. How and when do I get my title? Keys are not ownership. Ask when the building will be registered as a condominium, when your unit gets its own entry at the property registry, and who pays for the deed and registration. Closing costs are explained in Roatán closing costs.

A good developer answers all ten questions without hesitation and puts the answers in writing. If you get vague replies, pressure to pay a deposit today or a contract that you cannot take to your own lawyer, walk away. There will be another launch.

Important

This article is general information, not legal, tax or engineering advice. Confirm every step with a Honduran attorney and, for buildings, a qualified engineer before you pay a deposit.

Sources

  1. The LatInvestor: Risks and pitfalls of buying on Roatán
  2. Global Property Guide: Honduras buying guide: transaction costs and restrictions

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