Buying property in Georgia without buying somebody else’s problem

A holiday apartment, family home, development land and investment unit need different due diligence. Ask whether the buyer will live, rent, renovate, obtain residence, resell or develop. The answer determines which risks matter most.

Foreigners can generally buy apartments and non-agricultural property, while agricultural land is restricted and classification deserves careful review. A marketing label such as “villa land” does not determine the registered category.

Match the seller’s identity to a fresh Public Registry extract. If a company sells, review its registration, representation and any corporate approval required. If an attorney signs, inspect the original authority, form, validity, legalisation and scope.

Marriage, inheritance, co-ownership and prior transactions can require more than the name on one page. Ask how the seller acquired title and review the underlying document where the history or circumstances justify it.

The immovable-property extract identifies the object, owner and registered matters, but due diligence may also require information from restrictions, liens and leases, the cadastral plan, technical archives and filed documents. NAPR publishes separate informational services and fees for these records.

Check cadastral code, area, address, floor or unit and ownership share. A mortgage can be discharged through a coordinated closing; it should not be discovered after a deposit is paid.

Visit with the plan. Balconies may have been enclosed, rooms extended, walls moved, attic or basement space absorbed and two units combined. The attractive area in an advertisement may not equal the registered area the buyer will own.

For land, commission survey or technical review where boundaries, access or neighbouring use are uncertain. A fence is evidence of occupation, not conclusive cadastral title. Confirm legal road access and utilities rather than assuming a visible path will remain available.

When the finished unit does not yet exist as an individually registered object, the buyer may acquire contractual rights rather than present apartment title. Review land ownership, permits, project documentation, developer authority, encumbrances, construction milestones and the mechanism for future registration.

Define area tolerance, completion standard, handover, delay consequences, defect correction, utilities and what happens if the project or unit changes. A glossy floor plan should be attached in legally usable form, not left in a sales chat.

Engage a technical professional where value or condition warrants it. Check structure, moisture, roof, façade, utilities, heating, electrical capacity, lift and common areas. Fresh decoration can conceal leaks or cracks without resolving them.

Ask about building management, common charges, planned works and disputes. Confirm possession: who occupies the property, under what agreement and when they will leave? A registered purchase does not make a practical possession conflict pleasant.

Collect utility and management statements and agree how pre-closing liabilities are settled. Property-related tax, rental tax, insurance, renovation permissions and future resale taxation belong in the ownership budget.

If the purchase is intended to support a residence route, verify the current statutory threshold and certified valuation requirements separately. Purchase price alone does not guarantee residence eligibility.

A reservation or preliminary agreement should identify the exact object, price, currency, payment stages, due-diligence condition, seller documents, closing deadline, vacant possession and consequences if title or financing fails.

State whether money is refundable and in which cases. Do not use “deposit” as if it has one universal meaning. If an agent holds money, define authority and release conditions.

Georgia’s registration can be fast, but cross-border transfers, bank compliance and mortgage releases are not instantaneous. Decide the order of signature, payment, creditor consent, application and release of funds.

Use traceable payment with a clear purpose. If currency conversion is involved, define the rate and time. Never declare an artificial contract price to reduce perceived exposure; it can damage enforcement, tax evidence and banking credibility.

Obtain the updated extract, verify the buyer and property details, take possession with a signed record, transfer utilities and secure every key and access credential. Preserve the contract, payment evidence, old and new extracts, plans and due-diligence file.

Registration completes the transfer. Good aftercare turns the registered asset into a property the buyer can safely use, insure, rent and eventually sell.