Can understand your apprehension, but so far you’ve not entered into any binding contract to complete the purchase the property. One of the problems in buying off the plan which you have now realised is that you don’t have any track record of this particular developer. There is some good general advice on the Fair trading website about buying off the plan, paying deposits and exchanging contracts, and the cooling off provisions after exchange of contracts.
Now where did you pay the $1000 deposit? If you paid it to the developer rather than into a licensed real estate agent trust fund, it may be at greater risk. In any case, write and ask for it back. It’s your money, not theirs.