How to Buy Property in Batumi: 2026 Foreigner Guide
Step-by-step 2026 guide for foreigners buying property in Batumi, Georgia: districts, legal checks, the deal, taxes, rentals, mortgages.
Updated: June 2026
Reading time: 15 minutes
10 chapters, short lead
The Essentials in 2 Minutes
If you don't have 15 minutes for the full guide, read these four blocks. They cover 80% of a buyer's questions and work well as a quick check of the rules before you call.
Citizens of most countries need no permit
WHO CAN BUY
Foreigners from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the EU, the United States, Israel, and the UAE buy residential and commercial real estate on a foreign passport. The only restriction applies to agricultural land: it can be leased for 49 years or acquired through a legal entity in Georgia.
Key checks before the deal:
Checks that prevent 80% of future problems
WHAT TO CHECK
HOW THE DEAL WORKS
Signing the contract and registering ownership.
The purchase contract is signed at the Public Service Hall (House of Justice) in Batumi. The buyer needs a foreign passport, a current Public Registry extract, and the contract in Georgian and in the buyer's language. A certified interpreter must be present at signing. Registering ownership takes 3-4 working days, with a fast-track rate available on the day of the deal.
Buying is not taxed
In Georgia, individuals pay no tax when buying property. The one-off transaction costs are the state fee for cadastral registration and the notary's services. Annual property tax applies once the household's annual income exceeds a threshold. Renting out has its own tax regimes.
TAXES AND COSTS
Encumbrances and bank pledge
Other restrictions and obligations
The seller's authority
Property details against the extract
No outstanding debts
What to check
Checks that prevent 80% of future problems.
1. Check for encumbrances. Before buying, always order a Public Registry extract and confirm the property is not pledged to a bank. If the apartment is mortgaged, you need to agree the transaction procedure with the lending bank in advance. In most cases, lifting the encumbrance and registering ownership for the new owner can be done in a single day under the fast-track procedure.
2. Check for other restrictions and obligations. Besides a bank pledge, a property may carry other encumbrances: for example, the developer's obligations to the municipality, limits on disposing of the property, or other legal nuances. It is best to clarify all such points before signing the purchase contract.
3. Check the seller's authority. Find out in advance whether the owner will attend the transaction in person or be represented by an authorized agent. If the deal is done by power of attorney, always request a copy for review beforehand. If the power of attorney was issued outside Georgia, an extra notarial procedure for its recognition and translation may be required, which adds to the time and cost of closing.
4. Check the property details. Make sure the actual area, floor, address and cadastral number match the data in the Public Registry extract. This helps avoid disputes during registration of ownership.
5. Check there are no outstanding debts. Ask for confirmation that there are no arrears on utility bills, management-company fees or other mandatory payments linked to the property.
Full guide: contents
CHAPTER 01
Preparing to buy
What to do before viewing properties: budget, documents, bank account.
Base your budget on the full cost of the transaction, not on the property price. To the apartment price, add the state fee for cadastral registration, the notary's services, certified translation of the contract, and an agency commission if applicable. For a new-build, add the cost of renovation and basic furnishing: a "white frame" means bare walls, utility rough-ins and an entrance door, nothing more. The real turnkey figure is usually 25–40% above the contract price.
The buyer's paperwork is minimal: a valid foreign passport with at least 6 months left and proof of the source of funds for the bank. If you are buying jointly, both spouses must be in Batumi on the day of the transaction or grant a notarised power of attorney in advance.
Opening a bank account. We recommend opening a bank account in Georgia in advance, before the transaction. You will need your foreign passport to open one.
Major Georgian banks such as Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank usually request documents confirming the source of income and the origin of the funds. Reviewing an application can take from a few days to 1–2 weeks. At some smaller banks you can open an account faster, often in a single visit.
You will need a bank account to settle the transaction, pay utilities and taxes, and to receive income from renting out property.
To confirm the origin of funds, the bank may request:
• a proof-of-income statement;
• a bank account statement;
• the sale contract for previously sold property;
• documents confirming business activity or other lawful sources of income.
CHAPTER 02
Where to buy
We compare three areas of Batumi and help you see which fits your goal.
A historic center within walking distance of the sea: narrow streets, low-rise buildings, mostly the resale market. Buyer profile: someone who wants to live "in town", values the atmosphere and accepts smaller sizes and older housing stock. Good for permanent living and long-term family rentals.
The seafront and the blocks along it, dense new-build from the last 5–7 years, well-developed tourist infrastructure, pronounced seasonality. Buyer profile: the short-let investor, the owner of a seasonal second home, the buyer of a new-build with a sea view. High liquidity, higher yields in summer, lower in winter.
This includes Gonio, Chakvi and Makhinjauri: quiet, nature, villas and townhouses, your own grounds. Buyer profile: a family settling permanently, a premium-segment buyer, a remote professional with a car. The price per square meter is usually lower, but upkeep and transport cost more.
Old Batumi
New Boulevard
Suburban area
Recom shows properties in all three areas in a single trip, so you can compare them in person, not by photo.
CHAPTER 03
New-build or resale
We match the market type to your goal and cover off-plan risks.
For permanent living, the resale market usually wins. You see the finished home, the real views from the windows, the state of the entrance and the neighbors, how the management company works. The deal closes faster, and you can move in 1–2 weeks after registration.
We vet the developer on three points: a track record of delivered projects (at least 2–3 completed projects in Batumi), a valid building permit, and the structure of the contract and payment schedule.
CHAPTER 04
Legal due diligence
What to check before the deposit, and why we do it in writing.
We match the name in the cadastral extract against the seller's passport. In a sale by power of attorney, we verify it with a notary on the day of the deal.
The cadastral extract shows pledges, seizures and court restrictions. A property with a bank pledge can be bought, but the procedure for lifting the pledge must be written in the contract before money is transferred.
The building permit, the land-use agreement, and the occupancy certificate for completed buildings. Without the occupancy certificate, the property cannot be registered to the buyer as residential.
We request clearance certificates for utility bills, homeowners' association dues and property tax. Debts pass to the new owner if they are not settled before the deal.
Owner
Encumbrances
Permits for new-builds
Debts
CHAPTER 05
Deposit and purchase contracts
The structure of both contracts and the clauses where buyers most often lose money.
The deposit agreement fixes the price, the property, the deadline for closing and the deposit amount (usually 5–10% of the value). The key clause is the terms for returning the deposit. If the seller pulls out, they return the deposit twice over. If the buyer pulls out, the deposit stays with the seller. This only works if the clause is stated explicitly; otherwise a court may treat the sum as an advance that is refunded in full.
In the deposit agreement we always include: an exact cadastral description of the property, the list of documents the seller will provide before the deal, the terms for lifting encumbrances, the procedure and currency of payment, the date to sign the main contract, and each side's liability for missed deadlines.
The purchase contract is drawn up in Georgian, a requirement of the Public Service Hall. The translation is provided by a notary or a certified translator. The buyer signs only once they see that the versions match on every point.
CHAPTER 06
Public Service Hall
Step by step: what happens on registration day at the Public Service Hall in Batumi.
On the day of the deal, the parties meet at the Public Service Hall (House of Justice) in Batumi to sign the purchase agreement and file the documents for registration of ownership.
• the foreign passports of the buyer and the seller;
• a current Public Registry extract;
• purchase agreements in Georgian and, if needed, in the buyer's language;
• a power of attorney, if one party is acting through a representative.
If the transaction is carried out under a power of attorney issued in Georgia, you must provide the original notarized power of attorney. If the power of attorney was issued outside Georgia, notarial certification will be required.
The buyer and the seller submit the documents at the registration window. A Public Service Hall officer verifies the parties' identities and the set of documents, after which the parties sign the agreement in the presence of the registrar.
If the buyer does not speak Georgian, a certified translator must be present at the signing to confirm that the translation is accurate and to sign the agreement as well.
Filing the documents usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes.
Payment is usually made before the purchase agreement is signed. The most common option is a bank transfer to the seller's account. By agreement between the parties, payment in cash is also possible.
After the documents are filed, ownership is registered in the Public Registry. At the standard rate, registration usually takes 3-4 business days. If needed, you can use expedited registration and receive a new extract on the day of the deal for an additional state fee.
One copy of the agreement stays in the Public Service Hall archive, and the buyer and the seller each receive an original.
To complete the transaction, you will need:
CHAPTER 07
After closing
What to do in the first weeks after taking ownership.
After ownership is registered, the new owner needs to transfer the contracts with utility providers into their own name.
As a rule, the accounts to transfer include:
electricity;
water supply;
natural gas;
internet and television;
building maintenance and management company services.;
Depending on the provider, the transfer can be done in person at the company's office or remotely through an online service. It usually requires a passport and a current Public Registry extract confirming ownership.
Before the deal, it is advisable to check for any outstanding utility debts. If there are debts, the seller must clear them before the purchase agreement is signed, or they should be accounted for in the settlement between the parties.
Property located in Georgia is inherited under Georgian law, regardless of the owner's citizenship.
To simplify the inheritance process and reduce potential disputes, it is advisable to draw up a will with a Georgian notary in advance.
In the absence of a will, inheritance follows the order of priority established by Georgian law.
We support our clients not only through the registration of ownership, but also help with transferring utility accounts, opening a bank account, and other practical matters after the property purchase.
Transferring utility accounts
Inheriting property in Georgia
CHAPTER 08
Renting out
We compare long-term and short-term rentals, yields by district, and tax regimes.
Long-term rentals (from 6 months) provide steady income, minimal operational effort, and a lower gross yield. They suit owners who live in another country and do not want to manage a flow of guests. The contract is drawn up in writing, and the deposit usually equals one month's rent.
Short-term rentals (by the night through Booking, Airbnb, and direct bookings) bring a higher gross yield but require management: cleaning, check-in, advertising, and guest communication. Seasonality in Batumi is pronounced: June to September account for most of the annual income, while in winter occupancy drops threefold to fourfold. Without a management company, short-term rentals rarely work remotely.
Rental income falls under separate tax regimes, one for individuals and one for small business owners. Check the specific rates with an accountant.
A management company takes 20 to 40% of revenue for the full cycle of operations. For an average property, this pays off through higher occupancy and a higher average nightly rate.
Tax regimes
CHAPTER 09
Reselling property: liquidity and taxes
When buying property, it is important to consider in advance not only the potential rental income, but also the terms of a future resale.
A property's liquidity depends on many factors: the district, the quality of the building, the condition of the unit, infrastructure, the view, transport access, and overall market demand. As a rule, properties in central Batumi, close to the sea and with good infrastructure, sell faster and hold their value better.
When selling property, you also need to consider the tax implications.
Under Georgian law, if a property has been owned for more than two years, the income from its sale is exempt from taxation.
If a property is sold less than two years after purchase, the seller must pay tax on the income received. The tax is calculated on the difference between the purchase price stated in the sale agreement and the price of the subsequent sale.
So it is important to remember: if a property's price was stated in the contract below the actual transaction price at purchase, this can increase the taxable profit and, therefore, lead to a higher tax on a future sale.
Before the deal, it is advisable to assess the possible tax implications in advance and choose the most advantageous strategy for holding and exiting the investment.
CHAPTER 10
Mortgage and installments
We are honest about what is available to a foreign buyer from Georgian banks and developers.
Georgian banks do lend to non-residents, but on stricter terms than to residents. Typical requirements: a down payment of 30 to 50%, proof of stable income in your country of residence (a salary statement for 6-12 months or tax returns), a valid residence permit in Georgia, or substantial assets inside the country. The loan term is shorter (10-15 years instead of 20-25), and the rate is 2-4 percentage points above the base rate. The bank's decision takes 3-6 weeks.
Realistically, a mortgage works for those who already live in Georgia for a year or more, have a local account with regular activity, and plan to buy for permanent residence. For a one-off investment purchase, most people are better off using their own funds or a developer's installment plan.
A standard offer in New Boulevard: a down payment of 20-30%, with the balance paid in equal installments until the property is handed over (12-24 months). Interest-free installments during construction are the market norm. After handover, the plan is either closed or converted into a paid schedule of 1-3 years at 8-12% per year.
The payment schedule is tied to construction stages: make sure that a delay in handover does not release you from payments while also stripping you of the right to claim a penalty. Early-repayment fees are usually absent, but you should check this directly in the contract.
Mortgages for foreigners
Developer installment plans
What to check in an installment plan
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