The price of an apartment in Batumi depends on its readiness — the frame. A black frame is a shell with plaster and screed; a white frame is ready for finishing: walls, doors, plumbing and electrical runs, sometimes radiators; a green frame comes with renovation, furniture and appliances. On the same floor area the difference is tens of thousands of dollars, so listings can only be compared after normalising to one frame: add the real cost of completing a black-frame unit to its price.
1. Why Batumi prices are tied to a frame
On the Batumi new-build market an 'apartment' is rarely sold in the abstract: what is sold is a shell, a flat ready for finishing, or turnkey housing. Each step has its own pricing: the developer charges not for square metres but for the volume of work already done, plus a convenience markup.
So a '$65,000 apartment' and a '$95,000 apartment' in the same development cannot be compared without naming the frame: it may be the same unit at different stages of completion.
2. Black frame: a concrete shell
A black frame is a flat after rough works: load-bearing walls, plastered surfaces, a floor screed, and water and electricity brought to the unit. Plumbing, electrical wiring, doors and finishing are all still ahead.
This option suits buyers who want to control the renovation and are prepared to wait: works in Batumi usually take 3–6 months, and the cost depends on the finishing standard.
- What to check: condition of the screed and plaster, deviations of walls and floor, water and electricity entry points, ceiling height.
- Ask the developer: whether re-planning is allowed and who is responsible for fixing shell defects.
3. White frame: ready for finishing
A white frame is a flat ready for finishing: walls and floor are prepared, entrance and interior doors are installed, electrical and water lines are run, and radiators are often in place.
The contents of a white frame are not standardised: one developer includes water runs, another only electrical. Request the work list in writing and attach it to the contract.
- Typical minimum: plaster and screed, doors, sockets and switches, water runs.
- Often included: radiators, extractor, air-conditioning routes.
- Almost never included: tiles, wallpaper, sanitary ware, kitchen, light fittings.
4. Green frame: turnkey
A green frame is a flat with finished renovation: final finishes, sanitary ware, kitchen, lighting, and often furniture and appliances. Buyers choose it to rent out immediately or move in without renovation.
The premium over a black frame can be $15,000–40,000 on a typical one-bedroom and does not always match the quality: 'sales-grade' finishing is done with budget materials. Value it as a separate budget line, not a gift from the developer.
For rentals, a green frame shortens the time to income, but the effect on net yield is computed line by line — as in our guide to NOI and IRR.
5. How to compare prices honestly
The rule is simple: bring all options to the same state. Add the cost of completing the unit to a black-frame price, and the cost of final finishing and furniture to a white-frame price. Only then compare floor area, floor, view and location.
- Request a completion estimate for the specific unit from the developer or a local contractor, not a 'building average'.
- Count labour separately: in season in Batumi it costs more than materials.
- Check timelines: while the renovation runs, the flat earns nothing.
6. The frame as a sales tool
A frame is a convenient marketing label. Listings exist where a 'white frame' includes only plaster, and a 'green frame' a minimal renovation. The name says nothing; the work list says everything: request it and verify it against the actual condition at the viewing.
Be extra careful with units on instalments: some developers offer a 'green frame on completion of payments', and you will only see the finishing quality at the end.
What the buyer representative does
GeoTrust fixes the frame contents in writing before the deposit, obtains completion estimates from local contractors, verifies the actual condition at the viewing and brings options from different developers onto a single comparison base. The fee is reduced by any documented seller commission, so verification often costs the buyer nothing beyond what is already priced in.
Related questions
Which is better value: a black frame with my own renovation, or a finished flat?
It depends on the estimate. A black frame with a controlled renovation is often cheaper and better quality than a developer 'green frame', but takes time and involvement. Compare the final price of a completed unit, not the listing price.
Can the frame be negotiated with the developer?
Yes. A common practice is to pay extra to move from black to white or green frame at a range fixed in the contract. The key is to fix the work list and deadlines in writing.
Which frame is best for rental?
For short-term rental, a tidy 'white plus furniture' is usually enough; for long-term, any acceptable finishing level works. Net yield after completion costs decides, not the frame itself.
What to check in a green frame before buying?
The list of materials and appliances (brands, condition), renovation warranties, finishing defects, and whether the actual finish matches what the contract states.
Sources and official resources
Legal and tax details are confirmed by a specialised lawyer under the law in force on the transaction date.
Interest-free developer installments in BatumiPre-deposit apartment check: the checklistRental yield: NOI and IRR