NovInteractive property buyer checklist
A step-by-step checklist for buying an off-plan unit in Cambodia — from vetting the developer and booking to signing the SPA, payments, handover and title. Tick off what's done: your progress is saved in your browser and stays on the next visit.
This is an educational framework, not a legal opinion. Reviewing the contract and documents is done by an independent lawyer for the specific transaction. Ticks are stored only in your browser and are not sent to the server.
Use one checklist for one identified transaction
Give the checklist an immutable transaction ID and show its version, last-updated date, reviewer and working or frozen status. When another unit is considered, copy a blank template rather than completed ticks so two alternatives cannot merge into one record.
Keep an impact log for every change: what changed, which items reopened, who will re-check them and by when. A price change may affect only the calculation, while a new seller, unit or buyer structure can reopen almost every legal and payment gate.
Completion percentage is not a readiness percentage
The number of ticks records activities completed, not the quality of the decision. An unverified seller, an unfunded final balance, an unclear ownership route or a non-refundable reservation without due diligence are independent blockers and cannot be offset by other completed items.
UK Government Analysis Function guidance on multi-criteria analysis warns that good performance on some criteria can inappropriately compensate for failure on another. The interface should therefore display critical blockers and stage states—started, under review, confirmed or blocked—separately from the overall progress count.
Tick a verifiable outcome, not an activity
For every item, define what completion means and the evidence supporting it. Opening a developer page is not verification of the legal seller; receiving an SPA is not the same as a reviewed and executed contract set; sending funds is not proof that they were credited to the selected unit.
Useful states include requested, received, under review, confirmed, needs refresh and blocked. A confirmed item should retain a date, source or document and the person who performed the check. An unknown item must not become complete simply because the user advances to the next section.
The reservation gate
Before the first irreversible payment, identify the exact unit, price and specification, seller and payee, exclusivity period, treatment of the booking fee against the price and refund or retention terms. The reservation agreement should leave enough time to receive the draft SPA and complete the critical checks.
Close the stage only with a signed document, verified payment details and a receipt connecting the funds to the unit. Where refund depends on due diligence, the agreement needs a review period, scope, notice process and consequence of an unresolved issue rather than the word refundable alone.
The SPA signing gate
Before signing, there should be one agreed SPA version with every plan, specification and payment schedule. Independent counsel should document the materials checked, conflicts found, open issues, consequences and conditions to complete before signing or another payment.
Article 531 of Cambodia's Civil Code obliges the seller to transfer the right being sold. Review should therefore connect the exact legal entity, its authority and the project's rights to the selected unit and the right promised to the buyer rather than end with the generic statement that a lawyer looked at the contract.
0/61. Before buying
0/42. Booking
0/43. The SPA
0/34. Payments
The gate before every later payment
Close a payment gate only when five separate items are evidenced: the SPA trigger, proof that the milestone occurred, amount and currency, verified payee and account details, and reconciliation of the previous credit and remaining balance. A blank field means not ready, not check after transfer.
Record the funding source, availability date and bank constraints separately. Expected rent, a quick resale or an unapproved loan is not confirmed funding, and an approaching contractual due date does not cure an unverified milestone or a sudden account change.
Handover closes more than the defect list
Split handover into four independent outcomes: conformity of the unit with the contract; the defect list and remedy dates; keys, meters and inventory delivered; and the building and management document set. Every open item should have an ID, photograph, responsible party, deadline and closure evidence.
State what the signature on the handover record actually means: receipt of access only, conditional acceptance with listed reservations, or confirmation of full performance. Any waiver, completeness statement or service-charge trigger must be reviewed before signature; missing documents are not cured by releasing the keys.
Keys, registration and the owner file are three outcomes
Use three separate rows with separate evidence: access — the handover record and key set; registered right — the official result of the applicable procedure; owner file — a checked complete archive. None of those rows closes either of the others.
The final stage should separately track preparation and filing, evidenced fees, completed registration, receipt and verification of the certificate, and creation of the owner file. The archive includes the contract set, payments, handover, defects, warranties, ownership documents and future tax, service-charge and warranty dates.
0/35. Handover
0/36. Title and documents
Need help with a specific item? Send the project and your question to us — we'll go through what to check in the contract, payments or at handover before any money moves.
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Is my checklist progress saved?
Yes, your ticks are saved locally in your browser and remain on the next visit from the same device. They are not sent to the server or to us.
Does this checklist replace a lawyer?
No. It is an educational list of steps that helps you not miss anything. Reviewing the contract, title and documents is done by an independent lawyer for the specific transaction.
Does the checklist fit any project?
It is a general framework for buying an off-plan unit in Cambodia. The exact steps, payment shares and timelines depend on the project and unit and are confirmed by the contract.
Sources
The framework is built from NovAsia guide sections (booking, SPA, payments, delay and cancellation, defects, title, buyer document pack) · checked July 2026. A universal mandatory buying checklist for Cambodia was not confirmed by sources — steps are adapted to the specific transaction. This information is for general orientation and is not legal advice.