Write the brief before opening the listings
Start with three decisions: how you will use the home, who will stay there and the total amount you are prepared to spend. A place for occasional holidays may need a different layout from a year-round home with a workspace. Separate essentials from preferences. A lift may be essential; a gym may simply be a preference. Give Alperen the same brief for every property so the shortlist is consistent.
Compare like with like
A 1+1 generally describes one bedroom and a living room; it is not a measurement of usable space. Request a plan and ask whether the stated square metres are net, gross or another measure. Record the floor, bathrooms, balcony area and orientation alongside the price. If a listing provides only a project-wide range, request details for a named unit before comparing it with an individual resale apartment.
Look at the building as carefully as the apartment
An inspection should include the street entrance, lift, common corridors and shared facilities. Ask for the current service charge, what it covers and any known planned works. A pool in the photographs does not tell you its operating season or whether an exceptional contribution is due. For a furnished property, obtain an itemised inclusion list rather than assuming everything visible will remain.
Keep unknowns on the shortlist
Use one row per home and a separate column for unanswered questions. Noise, damp, internet availability, access and road conditions are matters to check, not attractive adjectives to infer. Remove a home that fails an essential requirement rather than allowing its photographs to change the brief. Before committing, arrange independent legal and physical checks; a marketing comparison is not a title or condition report.
General information, not a property-specific professional opinion. Verify current requirements with an appropriately qualified independent adviser before committing.