The sales pitch is exciting, with splashy renderings, hype about what's to come and a "don't miss out on this" attitude.

You're in love with the proposed look of the condo, even before it comes out of the ground. Or the single-family neighborhood is in a fast-growing location, with potential for increased equity the moment you close. And you already have a feeling that those pre-construction prices won't be around for long.

Christopher Oquendo/Special (ENLARGE)

Dr. Thomas Edwards with his real estate agent Barbara Pryor in front of 1010 Midtown, his future home.

Christopher Oquendo/Special (ENLARGE)

David and Angela Brown with their daughters Nadia (left) and Adia in front of their home.

(ENLARGE)

David Brown tracked the building of his family's new home very closely. He visited weekly and took many photos of progress.

(ENLARGE)

Sketch of the proposed Trump Towers.

Before your emotions sway you to plunk down money on a new home essentially sight unseen — before construction gets under way or is completed — sales agents and buyers say there are a few steps to take and questions to ask.

Making an informed decision will protect you from being dissatisfied when you move in — or from losing earnest money if you want to back out.

Why buy early?

There are three important reasons for buying early: customizing, cost and preparation.

• If you're picky about the exact lot or floor on which you want your home to be and want to have control over finishes, fixtures and other details, buying pre-construction is a good route.

"The earlier you get in on the building, there are more options," said Rachel Dobbs, sales agent at Triumph Lofts, which has 30 units under construction on Memorial Drive and along the proposed Beltline. "All of these things are options only for pre-construction. After a certain point, those options are not available to you. It gives you the opportunity to customize your space."

Reid Freeman, president of Regent Partners, which is building Sovereign, a Buckhead high-rise with 82 units starting at $1 million, said pre-construction buyers often are people who don't want to compromise.

"They don't want to wait and have the unit they want be gone because they weren't willing to strike first," he said.

• Another advantage is financial. Pre-construction pricing typically is a better deal, agents say, with prices increasing as construction ends as more folks are interested in buying a completed product.

"We think the prices on our units are only going to go up," Freeman said.

In exchange, the developer is receiving a nonrefundable deposit — typically from 1 percent to 10 percent of the sales price. That provides some security to both parties that the unit will be held and bought.

"As a developer, we want those to be as large as possible to ensure closing," Freeman said. The deposit for Sovereign, which is expected to have condos ready next summer, is 10 percent when the home goes under contract and an additional 10 percent in January.

Also understand that many builders of large communities are required to have a certain percent of presales, often 25 percent to 30 percent, as a contingency for drawing the next round of their financing from lending institutions, said Sean Casey, a real estate agent with Kenny Cook Realty Metro Atlanta. So early in the game is when they will be willing to make deals.

• For buyers, purchasing early is a way to plan and prepare, especially if they are downsizing from a single-family home into a condo.

Jason Winburn, vice president of residential sales and marketing for 1010 Midtown, the first phase of the mixed-use 12th and Midtown project, said early buyers are getting in on the "ground floor," and have time to sell their existing home. 1010 Midtown, priced from the $200,000s to more than $1 million, is expected to have its first condos available next fall.

"A lot of our buyers are empty nesters, and they're moving from 7,500 square feet to 2,900 square feet. And it takes a little bit of time to plan and organize that," he said. "If they buy pre-construction, they've got time to sell their home and to decide how to downsize."

Step by step

Who: David and Angela Brown and daughters, Adia, 4, and Nadia, 3

Where: Providence Walk, Douglasville

When purchased: Aug. 27

The situation: For his first home, David Brown was deliberate. He measured the size of the lot he was considering in the community's second phase. At that time, about 25 homes were built in the first phase, but in the second half of the subdivision, "the very back half was completely undeveloped. It was just an open field, more or less."

His home: A five-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath Craftsman-style home with a front porch with columns and a two-car garage.

An all-important detail: Brown liked that his home had a 50-gallon water heater, instead of 40 gallons. "When you have three women running around the house, there's a lot of baths. All I take is a shower, and I hate taking a cold shower," he said.

How long he waited for it to be built: Three months.

What he did during that time: Followed almost every detail of the construction process. He tried to be there for every inspection. He stopped by at least once a week. He bought a level and hammer, just in case he wanted to make sure a piece of wood was secure. He would jump up and down on the floor to make sure it didn't squeak.

How he kept track: He took pictures at every stage — partly to make sure he would know where the electrical wiring and pipes were located when it came time to hang pictures and other details. "I have over 200 pictures on my digital camera of every wall," said Brown, an elevator constructor, adding that he took close-ups of items like pipes.

His advice: Put a lot of time and effort into choosing your lot. Ask about issues such as drainage. He asked for a layout of the entire subdivision, with the

Early bird buyer

Who: Dr. Thomas Edwards, Decatur eye surgeon

Where: 1010 Midtown, Atlanta

When purchased: Before the sales center opened in September

The situation: After living in a home in Buckhead for 12 years, he was ready to give up the time-consuming yardwork and expensive repairs that go along with owning a house. Edwards also wanted to be within walking distance of restaurants, entertainment, Piedmont Park and MARTA.

The appeal: He's watched Peachtree Street through Midtown gradually evolve since the 1996 Olympics. The 12th and Midtown project, with 1010 Midtown as the first phase, will be "the most significant leap forward for the area since the Olympics," he said.

The future value: Edwards said he was impressed that the developers created a plan for multiple city blocks that address a variety of different needs.

Those options — including a Loews hotel, apartments, office space and retail, in addition to the initial 443 condos at 1010 Midtown — will help his condo retain its value, he said.

How he's keeping track: He can watch every phase of construction via Web cam. square footage of every lot, to see how his stacked up.

BY THE NUMBERS

60 percent: Amount of the 110 units at Castleberry Point Lofts under contract by August, one month after breaking ground.

One-third: Amount of the 363 units at Trump Towers Atlanta under contract by July, with construction set to begin later this year.

44: Number of units, out of 50, purchased at Buckhead's St. Regis Residences in four months of word-of-mouth marketing, with construction scheduled to be complete in late 2008.

10 THINGS TO ASK AND INVESTIGATE

1. Location: How is the area expected to change in the next several years?

2. Timetable: Is it on schedule and when could you move in?

3. Developer: Who is it? What partners are participating and what are their reputations? Are they well-financed?

4. Samples: Can I see samples of construction materials and features? Dobbs said it's important for agents to be able to let you see everything from the insulation to the baseboards and more.

5. Examples: Are there other developments built by this builder that I can visit? That's a question Mark Bradley with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, who is selling homes in Douglasville's Providence Walk neighborhood, often hears. It gives you an idea of how successful they've been, in terms of how the communities look and how prices have increased.

6. Documents: Can I review the condo documents outlining what amenities will be provided and other important details? If the developer has to change those documents, Freeman said, a buyer could void a contract if not satisfied with those changes.

7. Handshake: Can I meet the developer or builders? Try to get to know the person who is in charge of the building process, Dobbs said.

8. Visits: How hands-on can I be during the construction? With single-family homes and townhomes, you'll likely have permission to visit the site. With a condo, an appointment may be required to go into the building, but there may be ways to follow the construction online.

9. Truth: Is the developer actually doing what it says it's going to do? You can see this in announcements, for example, about retailers who have signed onto a project if it's a development with several types of uses.

10. Comfort: Do you feel comfortable with the situation? Dobbs said the minute it starts feeling like questions are not being answered, or if you're not getting a real sense of the look of the space, you may want to look at other opportunities.