How to Get Priority Access to London New Homes
In London’s new build market, the most desirable homes are rarely sold publicly. Priority access — also known as pre-launch, soft-launch, or quiet-launch access — is how serious buyers secure first choice, best-positioned units, and favourable pricing before wider marketing begins.
Across London — particularly in areas such as Nine Elms, Battersea, Canary Wharf, Marylebone, and Chelsea — developers routinely allocate units privately long before public launches.
Here is how priority access actually works, and how buyers can position themselves to receive it.
1. Register Directly with Developer Private Sales Teams
Developers maintain internal priority buyer lists that sit above public marketing channels. These lists typically include:
previous buyers,
repeat investors,
UHNW private clients,
referred buyers from trusted agents.
How to qualify
Register early, often months before launch.
Submit clear buying criteria (budget range, unit size, aspect, floor preference).
Demonstrate purchasing capability through proof of funds or funding clarity.
Being on a developer’s private list often means first refusal on units before they are circulated to agents or the wider market.
2. Work with New-Build Specialist Agents (Not Generalists)
Priority access is relationship-led. Developers only release early stock to agents with strong completion records.
Specialist new-build agents:
attend pre-launch briefings,
receive early unit schedules,
are trusted to place stock quietly and efficiently.
When your agent has priority access, you inherit that position.
General estate agents rarely receive early allocations.
3. Use Buyer Representation or Property Finders
Buyer-side representation is one of the most effective ways to access priority stock.
Experienced buyer agents:
source off-market and pre-launch units,
know which developments are quietly releasing homes,
position buyers as credible and low-risk.
Many priority allocations occur before any public sales team is appointed. Buyer representation often provides access that individual enquiries cannot.
4. Be Exceptionally Clear and Decisive
Developers prioritise buyers who are easy to place.
Priority buyers define:
exact unit types (corner units, river views, higher floors),
acceptable floor ranges,
budget flexibility.
When the right unit becomes available, speed matters more than marginal price negotiation. Hesitation frequently results in losing priority altogether.
5. Demonstrate Low Transaction Risk
In early release phases, certainty is more valuable than the highest offer.
Buyers gain priority by:
having proof of funds ready,
appointing solicitors early,
confirming exchange timelines,
avoiding conditional offers.
Developers often prefer a slightly lower offer from a clean, credible buyer over a higher but uncertain one.
6. Build Long-Term Relationships (Before You Buy)
Priority access is cumulative.
Buyers who:
remain engaged with agents and developers,
express interest across multiple schemes,
complete transactions smoothly,
are remembered and prioritised for future launches.
Repeat buyers consistently see better units earlier.
7. Understand How Developers Allocate Units
Most new homes are released in this order:
internal developer allocation,
private client and investor lists,
trusted specialist agents,
offshore distribution,
public marketing.
If you are waiting for portals or show apartments, you are already at stage five.
Priority buyers operate in stages one to three.
8. Be Flexible on Structure, Not Quality
Developers often favour buyers who can:
align with construction timelines,
accept phased payments,
exchange early with later completion.
Flexibility on deal structure — not on unit quality — frequently unlocks access to better apartments.
9. Engage Early in Regeneration and Masterplan Areas
Priority access is most common in locations with:
phased development,
multiple release stages,
long-term regeneration strategies.
These include Nine Elms, Battersea, City Road, Canary Wharf, and Stratford.
Early engagement often results in first choice on later phases.
Final Perspective
Priority access to London new homes is not accidental. It is earned through:
preparation,
clarity,
credibility,
relationships,
decisive action.
The buyers who consistently secure the best new builds:
see stock before marketing begins,
move quickly with confidence,
reduce risk for developers,
operate quietly rather than competitively.
In London’s new build market, the best homes are allocated — not advertised.
Priority access is how serious buyers stay ahead.
Sources referenced (no external links):
London new build market briefings
Developer allocation frameworks
Private agent and buyer-side transaction analysis
Prime and regeneration-zone sales intelligence