Before you contact anyone
Most bad decisions start here: without a clear brief of your own.
State the goal in one sentence
Why it matters
To live in, rent short-term, rent long-term, hold for exit in a few years or buy for a child — these are different properties in different districts. Without one goal, every parameter blurs.
How to check
Write one sentence starting with a verb. If you end up with two sentences and an “or”, you have two goals, not one.
If you cannot do it yourself
That is normal. Sometimes the goal becomes clear in conversation.
State the holding horizon
Why it matters
Two to three years, seven to ten years and “for life” are three different markets inside one city. Without a horizon, advice cannot be specific.
How to check
Name a minimum and maximum: “minimum 3 years, maximum 8”. It gives a frame, not a fixed point.
Build the real budget
Why it matters
The property price is only one part. Real cost includes notary, NAPR registration, currency spread, furniture or first repairs, insurance, rental management and a reserve for the unexpected.
How to check
Take the target price and add an operating buffer. It is not an exact formula; it is a way to see the costs that usually appear after “we bought it”.
About the property
Check the actual unit, not the marketing around it.
See the actual view from the actual window
Why it matters
A render is a plan. A recorded video may have been shot at the convenient moment. Today, a building may be rising in front of the window and blocking the sea, park or light.
How to check
In person, stand at the window and take four photos: up, down, left, right. Remotely, request a live video call, not a pre-recorded clip. Separately check neighbouring plots and development plans where documents are available.
If you cannot do it yourself
One of Partner Estate's key checks is physical presence and neighbouring lots. Partner Estate can do this, or your trusted local.
How the key checks workInspect common areas, not just the unit
Why it matters
Entrance, lifts, lobby, waste area and parking show how the building will live in a few years. A good apartment renovation does not compensate for a building no one manages.
How to check
Walk the resident’s route from building entrance to apartment door. Look at technical and shared areas if accessible. Talk to neighbours; a short “how is it living here?” often tells more than a presentation.
Visit the district off-season
Why it matters
In July, Batumi can look like a postcard. In November, the district shows its ordinary life: light, noise, shops, people, empty units and transport.
How to check
If possible, visit between October and April. If remote, request a live neighbourhood walk during those months. Check whether grocery, pharmacy and everyday services are working.
About the developer
The question is whether the project gets finished and the developer stays solvent.
Find previous projects by the developer
Why it matters
Past work is the only verifiable signal of future behaviour. Delivered buildings, delays, empty blocks or no previous projects at all are all data.
How to check
Find 2–3 past projects on the developer’s site, in public records and in listings. If you can, visit one and talk to residents.
If you cannot do it yourself
This is the developer part of Partner Estate's key checks. Performed routinely — calls to owners in previous projects, examining what came after handover.
How the key checks workVerify the developer is operating right now
Why it matters
Past success does not protect against current stress. Stopped work, aggressive discounts, unpaid subcontractors and management changes can appear before official news.
How to check
Visit the current site. Is work visible? Are there workers, materials, machinery? Talk to subcontractors nearby and check public dispute records where available.
Documents
Confirm that the property you pay for is the property you are buying.
Request a fresh NAPR extract
Why it matters
NAPR records ownership, encumbrances and restrictions. A fresh extract shows the current owner and whether there is a mortgage, lien or other risk.
How to check
Ask the seller or developer for an extract for the specific unit dated today. If possible, order or verify it yourself via napr.gov.ge.
If you cannot do it yourself
This is the document part of Partner Estate's key checks. Performed on any property before agreement.
How the key checks workVerify construction permits
Why it matters
For new builds, permits are not paperwork theatre. A mismatch in floor count, use or building status can become a binary risk: either calm, or very complicated.
How to check
Request copies of permits from the developer: urban planning approval, construction permit and occupancy documents if the building is complete. Public records for these permits are limitedly accessible to non-professionals in Georgia — if you have doubts about the completeness of the package, engage an independent lawyer or architect to review. Floor count in permits must match the actual floor count.
If you cannot do it yourself
This is part of Partner Estate's document verification. An independent lawyer or architect can also be recommended.
How the key checks workDeal terms
Sign with eyes open.
Read the contract from first line to last
Why it matters
The most expensive terms often live at the end: penalties, currency clauses, rights if delivery is late, cancellation rules and developer bankruptcy scenarios.
How to check
Read it yourself. Then give it to an independent lawyer who is not connected to the seller or agent. Ask specifically about delay, cancellation, currency and resale before completion.
If you cannot do it yourself
The contract belongs to the deal-risk part of Partner Estate's key checks. An independent lawyer is also recommended for complex deals. Doesn't replace, adds.
How the key checks workCalculate taxes for your situation
Why it matters
Buying, owning, renting and selling can create different tax obligations. They depend on your status, the property’s legal classification and use scenario. Critical: the property may be registered as residential — apartment or house — or as part of hotel infrastructure, such as an aparthotel. At sale, these are different rates: residential — 5% capital gain, 0% after 2 years of ownership; aparthotel — 20% commercial, with no 2-year exemption if the unit was rented.
How to check
Primary sources are Revenue Service, rs.ge, and Ministry of Finance public decisions. Learn the legal classification of the specific property before signing: it can change exit math by a multiple. Verify specific numbers for your case with an accountant or tax adviser before the deal, not after.
What to do if nothing checks out
Sometimes the checklist shows that the property is not for you. Sometimes, that the developer should not be on your shortlist. Sometimes, that the timing is wrong.
That is the result this checklist exists for. Not every check should end with a green tick. Sometimes “no” is the best thing this hour gave you.
A specific situation can be reviewed. No promises, no pressure.