In any new apartment development, there may be dozens to choose from, all with their own pro's and con's. So how do you secure the best apartment in the block?

With a bit of insider knowledge, says Leonard Teplin, director at leading sales and project marketing agency Marshall White Projects.

Here are his four tips for getting the best apartment in a new development. 

1. Know what you want 

Mr Teplin says you need to have a very clear idea of what you want before you start apartment hunting. 

Think about the extent of your budget, the location you want to live, and the amenities you want to be near. 

185-rosslyn-street-west-melbourne-2-072c4b18-d342-4aff-8628-42bdef7243d9.jpg

Pictured: 185 Rosslyn Street. For sale by Kierra Hagedorn and Nathan Aron of Marshall White Projects as seen on Luxury List. 

"Once you have a general idea of your location and price range, make a list of features that are ‘non-negotiables’ and another list of ‘nice to have’. These could include anything from your orientation to the sun, city views, large outdoor space, a second car space, abundant closet space," he said.

Having a list will narrow down your search field and help you compare places more easily depending on how many boxes they tick.

"As a guide, seven out of ten means it's worth further consideration," he added.

2. Be proactive 

With competition fierce for apartments, it simply isn't enough to scroll through the listings online and wait until the apartment of your dreams magically appears.

"Off-the-plan purchasers need to be especially savvy and proactive," Mr Teplin said.

"The best way to do this is to be on a real estate agency database so you can be alerted when projects become available prior to their public launch. At Marshall White, almost all our projects are at least 40 to 50 per cent sold before they are open to the general public. The early buyers are those who are in our private database who can access our new projects before we release them to the wider market. 

"This means those in our database can select the very best apartments in the block with the best views, orientation and size or proportion, often before the signage for the project even goes up."

3. Maintain a relationship with your agent 

Mr Teplin says maintaining a relationship with your agent will do wonders for your house hunting efforts.

"An agent will have background knowledge of what you’re looking for, so they can do a lot of the field work for you and narrow down the options before they present you with potential residences. 

"Buyers with a dedicated agent are often the first to know of new projects and can secure an early position prior to a project’s launch."

4. Be prepared 

The very worst mistake you could make? Following the above steps, scoring your dream apartment - and then not being able to complete the application or put forth a deposit in time,

"If you’re unable to sign the contract, provide supporting documentation and hand over a deposit shortly after securing the apartment, it will typically be forfeited to someone else," Mr Teplin warns.

Before you even begin house hunting, make sure you know how much lending you're eligible for from the bank, have your deposit in an easily accessible place, and have all the supporting documentation ready to submit. 

Related reading:

Off-the-plan apartment price hike in Brisbane

Brisbane one bedder sells for $2.6m

Buying an off-the-plan apartment: is it worth the risk?