Georgia · Off-plan & resale
Georgia real estate: buy property in Tbilisi and Batumi, off-plan and resale
Georgia, the country in the Caucasus, lets foreigners own apartments on the same terms as citizens. Here is how buying in Tbilisi and Batumi works.
This page covers Georgia real estate in Georgia, the country in the Caucasus, not the US state. Its two main markets are Tbilisi, the capital, and Batumi, the Black Sea resort city, where foreign buyers made up 52 percent of sales in surveyed developers' projects in 2025. Property for sale in Georgia comes through two routes: off-plan, buying an apartment from a developer before completion, usually on an instalment plan, or resale, buying an existing apartment from its owner.
The rule that matters most for a foreign buyer is a simple one: foreign individuals and companies can own apartments, houses, commercial property and non-agricultural land on the same terms as Georgian citizens, registered with the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR). The exception is agricultural land, which the Constitution reserves for the state and Georgian citizens. There is no separate transfer tax, and since 1 March 2026 property worth more than USD 150,000 can support a residence permit.
Natalie advises international buyers comparing Georgia with Dubai and other markets. She can explain how off-plan protection and residency work in Tbilisi and Batumi, and will come back with what is available on request.
Can foreigners buy property in Georgia?
Yes. Foreign individuals and companies can own apartments, houses, commercial property and non-agricultural land in Georgia on the same terms as Georgian citizens, and the registration fees are the same. Ownership is registered with the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR), usually through a Public Service Hall.
Agricultural land is the exception. Under the 2017 Constitution it may be owned only by the state, a self-governing entity, Georgian citizens or unions of citizens, with exceptions set by the Organic Law on Ownership of Agricultural Land, such as inheritance. Before buying a house with land or a plot, check the land category on the registry extract.
Off-plan
Off-plan apartments in Georgia
Most new apartments in Tbilisi and Batumi are sold off-plan under a contract with the developer, and Galt and Taggart reports that most 2025 sales in surveyed Tbilisi projects went through developers' internal instalment plans. Units are commonly sold in black frame, white frame or green frame (turnkey) condition.
- Register the contract preliminarily at NAPR: it blocks competing registrations on the same unit and protects against a double sale.
- Preliminary registration does not protect against developer insolvency or delay, and Georgia has no mandatory off-plan escrow.
- Link payments to construction stages rather than paying ahead of progress.
- Check the construction permit and any mortgages registered on the land before signing.
- Confirm whether the unit is delivered black, white or green frame, because finishing costs differ widely.
Secondary market
Resale apartments in Tbilisi and Batumi
Resale purchases are registered at NAPR, usually through a Public Service Hall, for a fee of 150 GEL (4 working days) or 270 GEL (next day). The checks are straightforward but they matter.
- Order a current registry extract (20 GEL, or 13 GEL electronically) to confirm ownership and encumbrances.
- Registered mortgages pass to the new owner unchanged, so make sure any loan is discharged at or before transfer.
- Check the land category, because agricultural land is closed to foreign individuals.
- For newer buildings, check the construction permit and the occupancy (fitness) certificate.
- Have an accredited appraiser value the property if you plan to rely on it for a residence permit.
Off-plan or resale in Georgia?
| Off-plan | Resale (secondary) | |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit and payments | Developer instalment plans are common. | Paid on transfer of an existing, registered apartment. |
| Buyer protection | Preliminary NAPR registration against double sale; no escrow against insolvency. | Registry extract shows ownership and encumbrances. |
| Taxes and fees | No transfer tax; NAPR fee on registration. | No transfer tax; NAPR fee of 150 or 270 GEL. |
| Timing to keys | On completion; delay risk sits with the buyer. | On registration, from one to four working days. |
| What you can inspect | Plans, permit and the land's registered mortgages. | The finished apartment, its permit and occupancy certificate. |
| Financing | Mostly developer instalments. | Some Georgian banks lend to non-residents on their own terms; expect a larger deposit than a resident would need. |
Buying costs in Georgia
- Transfer tax
- None; Georgia has no separate real estate transfer tax, and fees are the same for foreigners and citizens.
- NAPR registration fee
- 150 GEL for standard registration (4 working days) or 270 GEL for registration in 1 day.
- Registry extract
- 20 GEL, or 13 GEL electronically.
- Annual property tax
- Applies to individuals only where family income exceeds GEL 40,000: 0.05 to 0.2 percent of market value for family income below GEL 100,000, and 0.8 to 1 percent at GEL 100,000 or more, set by the municipality.
- Appraisal for residency
- Market value must be verified by an accredited appraiser for a residence permit application.
Fees are as published by NAPR in 2026; confirm the current schedule before completion.
Residency through property in Georgia
Since 1 March 2026, owning non-agricultural property worth more than USD 150,000 (in GEL equivalent, valued by an accredited appraiser) supports a short-term residence permit, issued for one year and renewable while you keep the property. The threshold was USD 100,000 before that date, and buyers who completed before 1 March 2026 could qualify under the old threshold.
Property worth more than USD 300,000, or an investment of at least USD 300,000, supports a five-year investment residence permit, and holding qualifying property for five years under that permit leads to permanent residence (Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, Art. 15).
Where buyers look in Georgia
New developments and off-plan
- Saburtalo (Tbilisi)Central district with high new-build volume: 7,186 apartment sales in 2025.
- Didi Dighomi (Tbilisi)District with the most apartment sales in Tbilisi in 2025, largely new projects.
- Krtsanisi (Tbilisi)Significant new residential development along the river.
- Isani and Samgori (Tbilisi)Eastern districts with large-scale new-build supply.
- New Boulevard (Batumi)Seafront zone with concentrated high-rise development and foreign demand.
- Makhinjauri and Gonio-Kvariati (Adjara)Coastal areas near Batumi included in Batumi primary-market data.
Established resale markets
- Vake (Tbilisi)Established district with some of the highest average prices in Tbilisi.
- Mtatsminda (Tbilisi)Historic central district with the highest average price per m2 in Tbilisi in 2025.
- Old Tbilisi and SololakiHistoric core with older housing stock.
- Chugureti (Tbilisi)Central district including the Marjanishvili area.
- Old BatumiHistoric center of Batumi with existing apartment stock.
- Kobuleti (Adjara)Seaside town north of Batumi, tracked separately in market data.
The market in numbers
- Tbilisi recorded 42,388 apartment sales in 2025, up 4.3 percent (NAPR data), and the average primary-market price reached USD 1,373 per m2 in December 2025, up 4.0 percent over the year (Galt and Taggart, 30 January 2026).
- In Batumi 17,478 apartments were sold in 2025; foreign buyers accounted for 52 percent of sales in surveyed developers' projects, while unsold stock in those projects rose 13.9 percent to about 12,400 units (Galt and Taggart, 6 March 2026).
- In surveyed Tbilisi projects, Georgian citizens made up 77 percent of 2025 sales, Israeli buyers about 10 percent and Russian buyers about 3 percent (Galt and Taggart).
What to watch for
- Batumi has an oversupply: unsold stock in surveyed developers' projects reached about 12,400 units at end-2025, which can limit price growth and resale liquidity.
- There is no off-plan escrow, so preliminary registration protects against a double sale but not against developer insolvency or delay.
- The residence-permit threshold has been raised several times, most recently to USD 150,000 from 1 March 2026, so check the law when you apply.
- Agricultural land is closed to foreign individuals, so the land category must be checked before buying a house with land.
- Prices are quoted in USD but thresholds and taxes are set in GEL, and Galt and Taggart linked the weak start to 2025 to domestic political uncertainty.
Buying property in Georgia: questions buyers ask
Can foreigners buy property in Georgia?
Yes. In Georgia, the country in the Caucasus, foreigners can own apartments, houses and non-agricultural land on the same terms as citizens. Agricultural land is restricted.
Are Batumi apartments for sale a good fit for foreign buyers?
Batumi is Georgia's most international market, with foreigners making up 52 percent of sales in surveyed projects in 2025. Supply is high, with about 12,400 unsold units in those projects at end-2025, so choose the developer and building carefully.
Should I buy off-plan or resale property in Georgia?
Off-plan offers developer instalment plans, but there is no mandatory escrow, so insolvency risk sits with you. Resale lets you inspect the finished apartment and its registry extract, and registration takes one to four working days.
Is there a transfer tax when buying property in Georgia?
No. The main charge is the NAPR registration fee: 150 GEL standard or 270 GEL for next-day registration.
How much property do I need for a Georgian residence permit?
Since 1 March 2026, property worth more than USD 150,000 for a one-year renewable permit, and more than USD 300,000 for a five-year investment permit.
Can I get a mortgage in Georgia as a non-resident?
Some Georgian banks lend to non-residents, on terms each bank sets for itself. Expect to show proof of income and to put down a larger deposit than a resident would; confirm current terms with the bank.
Sources
- Matsne: Law on the Legal Status of Aliens
- Matsne: Tax Code of Georgia
- NAPR: registration fees and terms
- EIG Law: residence threshold from 1 March 2026
- Legal.ge: off-plan purchases
- Legal.ge: agricultural land
- Expat Hub: real estate in Georgia
- Expat Hub: taxes and costs
- PB Services: mortgages in Georgia
- Galt and Taggart: Tbilisi residential, Dec 2025
- Galt and Taggart: regional residential 2025
This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees were checked against the sources above in October 2026 and can change.
BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY
No public listings in Georgia right now
Opportunities in Georgia are shared privately. Tell Natalie what you are looking for, off-plan or resale, and she will come back with what is available.
SCHEDULE A DIALOGUE →