How Buying an Off-Plan Property Can Help You Lock in Capital

10 March 2026

Toby Patrick

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Finding new ways to get ahead in the property market can be crucial for generating a profit and making your investment worthwhile. One of the most effective strategies for this might be one you’ve never heard of before. Off-plan properties have the potential to help you lock in capital before a build is even complete, as you purchase it during its construction stage and make profits on it once the final touches have been made.

Floor plan pinned to a whiteboard with red magnets, on a blue wall background. Rooms labeled, showing dimensions and layout details.

This strategy acts as protection against rising property prices, as the initial price is fixed at the point of exchange, but the property's value often increases during the 12–36 month construction period. When you do this, you’re allowing yourself to escape the high costs that usually come with real estate investments, increasing your chances of making money.

This guide will outline how buying an off-plan property can help you lock in capital before it’s even completed. Continue reading to learn more.

What is an Off-Plan Property?

An off-plan property is one that can be purchased during the planning or construction phase, and this type of investment is rising rapidly in the UK. There is a growing demand for properties within the real estate market, which has made securing a property prior to completion a great move for improving returns. It’s previously been found that around 40% of new home purchases are made during the planning or construction phase, and this has been increasing year-on-year.

Developers use computer-generated images (CGIs) to show what the finished property will look like, helping attract potential buyers. This makes it easier for them to visualise, so they can plan ahead with their investment and get it signed and sealed before the property has completed its development.

How Buying Off-Plan Helps Lock in Capital

Price Lock-In

When the exchange of contracts happens early in the construction process, you are agreeing to a purchase price based on current market rates. Your agreed price will stay the same, even if the value increases dramatically while the construction phase is still active. You can then gain higher returns upon completion, as the property value should see an increase once it’s been completed.

Built-in Equity

Developers tend to offer lower prices in the early stages of the construction process to secure funding, meaning the property will already be worth more than the purchase price by the time it’s finished. This can give investors instant equity, as they can make much quicker profits than they would by purchasing a property that has already been constructed.

Low Initial Payments

Off-plan purchases typically only require a 10–20% deposit, with the final balance not due until completion. This allows you to secure a high-value asset without needing the full amount upfront. This type of investment, it gives you a longer amount of time to get the full payment completed, making everything more affordable.

Staged Payments

Payments are often broken down into stages with an off-plan investment. This includes the reservation fee, exchange and completion, which all allow investors to manage their cash flow easily compared to traditional property purchases. They will know when they will need the money available for each stage, making it easier to figure out all the ins and outs when it comes to your money.

Deposit Interest

Some developers allow you to earn interest on your deposit while the property is being built, which can be deducted from the final payment so you will be paying less for it overall. This can be great for boosting your returns when you eventually sell the property after its completion, as you’ll have already earned a chunk of your initial investment back.

Stamp Duty Payments

In the UK, you generally pay stamp duty based on the purchase price at the time of exchange. If the property rises in value by £50,000 during construction, you do not pay extra stamp duty on that increase, so you will effectively be saving money and getting more out of your investment.

Low Maintenance Costs

As a brand-new build, there are rarely immediate repair costs if the construction process goes well, protecting your capital from unexpected expenses. The last thing you want is to purchase a property and then be met with maintenance costs from issues that you didn’t know existed. This can happen when purchasing already built properties without knowing what happened to it during the construction process.

When you invest with an off-plan strategy plan, investors can effectively lock in a lower price and leverage the 1-3 year construction period to generate capital growth. This has turned it into a popular choice for long-term portfolio growth that outperforms traditional real estate investments in most cases. It gives you a chance to see the entire process of the construction, giving you multiple benefits like lower prices, higher profits and lower maintenance costs to improve the success of your portfolio.

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Journalism on the Frontline: The Life and Death of Victoria Roshchyna

Paul Francis
May 6, 2025
3 min read

In an age where truth is often a casualty of war, Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna stood as a defiant exception. A fearless voice amidst chaos, her commitment to reporting from the frontlines of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cost her everything—including, ultimately, her life.

Back view of a person wearing a "PRESS" vest walking through rubble in a war-torn city, with a somber, tense mood. — AI image of Press officer in a Warzone

A Promising Voice from Zaporizhzhia

Born in 1996 in the industrial city of Zaporizhzhia, Victoria Roshchyna began her journalistic career young, covering courts and crime as a teenager. But it was the seismic shock of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 that reshaped her path—and gave rise to some of the most courageous journalism of the war.

Working with outlets such as Hromadske, Ukrainska Pravda, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Roshchyna became known for going where few dared. She reported from the besieged city of Mariupol, from occupied territories, and from communities terrorised by Russian shelling. Her focus wasn’t just on bombs and battle lines, but on the people living through them.

Victoria Roshchyna First Detention - and Defiant Return

In March 2022, Roshchyna was detained by Russian forces while reporting in Berdiansk, southeastern Ukraine. She was held for 10 days, subjected to interrogation, and coerced into recording a video thanking her captors. The experience would shake many—but not Victoria.

She published her harrowing account of that detention, then returned to the front. Later that year, she was awarded the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Award—an honour she declined to collect in person, choosing instead to continue her work in the field.

Disappearance in Occupied Territory

On August 3, 2023, Roshchyna vanished while investigating alleged secret detention facilities near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant—an area under Russian control. For months, her family and colleagues pleaded for answers. Russian authorities refused to confirm her whereabouts until April 2024.

By then, it was too late.

Torture and Tragedy

According to official statements, Roshchyna died on September 19, 2024, during a transfer to Moscow, allegedly as part of a prisoner exchange. But the circumstances of her death—and the condition of her body—told a far more disturbing story.

Her remains were returned to Ukraine months later, mislabelled as those of an “unidentified male.” Forensic experts discovered her body bore signs of extreme torture: broken bones, electrocution marks, and the removal of her eyes, brain, and larynx—presumably to hide evidence of how she died.

She had been held in Penal Colony No. 77 in Berdiansk, and later transferred to SIZO-2, the notorious pre-trial detention centre in Taganrog. Investigations by human rights groups have linked both sites to systemic torture, starvation, and abuse of Ukrainian detainees.

A Chilling Pattern

Roshchyna’s death fits a grim pattern of violence against journalists in occupied Ukraine. Her case is a searing indictment of how the Kremlin seeks not only to suppress information—but to punish those brave enough to uncover it.

Her story also speaks to a broader crisis: the dangers facing reporters who challenge authoritarian narratives, especially women. Despite the personal risk, Roshchyna refused to be silenced. And for that, she paid the ultimate price.

Remembering Victoria

Tributes have poured in from around the world, honouring Roshchyna as a symbol of fearless journalism. But perhaps the most enduring tribute is the legacy of her reporting—accounts that give voice to civilians under occupation, to families ripped apart, and to lives lived under threat.

Her colleagues remember her as warm, sharp-witted, and deeply committed to the truth. “She wanted to show the human face of war,” one wrote. “And she never stopped trying.”

In remembering Victoria Roshchyna, we are reminded of the essential—and dangerous—role of journalism in conflict. Her story must not be forgotten. Her work must continue.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/c699a1_9bbc309466e844239282cf3ab2c18cbb/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Citations and Sources

The Guardian – ‘Numerous signs of torture’: a Ukrainian journalist's detention and death in Russian prisonhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/29/viktoriia-roshchyna-ukrainian-journalist-death-russian-prison
The Washington Post – Russia’s detention of civilians: secret prisons and torturehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2025/russia-detention-ukraine-civilians-occupation
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) – Ukrainian Journalist Missing In Russian-Occupied Area Has Been Detained, Relatives Sayhttps://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian-journalist-roshchyna-missing-russia-detention/
Hromadske International – Victoria Roshchyna’s First-Person Account of Her 2022 Detentionhttps://en.hromadske.ua/posts/journalist-victoria-roshchyna-released-from-captivity
International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) – Courage in Journalism Award: Victoria Roshchyna (2022)https://www.iwmf.org/community/victoria-roshchyna/
New York Post – Body of Ukrainian journalist returned with signs of torturehttps://nypost.com/2025/04/29/world-news/body-of-ukrainian-journalist-kidnapped-by-russia-returned-with-eyes-brain-removed-likely-to-hide-signs-of-torture-report