How to check an apartment in Batumi before buying: the pre-deposit checklist

1. A fresh registry extract for the right property

Ownership in Georgia is confirmed by the record in the Public Registry (NAPR). The extract shows the owner, cadastral code, floor area and encumbrances: mortgage, seizure, pledge, easements. Ask for an extract issued on the day of the check, not the one the seller obtained a year ago.

Match the cadastral code in the extract with the address and the floor plan. A gap between the registered, designed and measured area is a reason to reprice or walk away.

2. The seller and their authority

The seller's passport is matched against the registry record. If the seller is married, spousal consent may be required; if a representative acts, they need a notarised power of attorney covering the sale of this specific property.

When buying from a company, check its registration data, the signatory's authority and the absence of insolvency proceedings.

3. New builds: what to check at the developer

The project needs a building permit and a registered land plot; a completed building needs a commissioning act. Until the building is commissioned you are buying a claim, not an apartment, and that claim is worth protecting: the contract with the developer can be registered in the Public Registry.

• Track record: how many projects were delivered and with what delays.
• Payment schedule and late penalties for both sides.
• Designed floor area and the repricing rule when the measured area differs.
• Who connects utilities and files for commissioning, and who pays for it.

4. Physical condition and utilities

The inspection follows a checklist: structure, moisture, windows, engineering systems, layout versus the design. Utility arrears and building maintenance fees are checked separately: they are easier to settle before the deal than to dispute after it.

5. The property's economics, not the advertised yield

If the apartment is bought for rental, request actual data: monthly occupancy, achieved rates, management and utility costs. The Batumi season is short, so the annual picture differs from July. How to compute net operating income and IRR is covered in a separate guide.

6. Contract and deposit

A deposit is paid only after the legal, physical and economic checks. The contract fixes refund conditions, deadlines, liability and the payment procedure. Verbal promises from a developer or agent carry no weight; only the text you sign does.

7. Title registration at the Public Service Hall

Transfer of title is registered at the Public Service Hall on the basis of the sale agreement. Timing depends on the chosen tariff, from one to several business days. Payment is safer through a bank letter of credit or after confirmed registration than in cash against a receipt.

What a buyer's representative does

GeoTrust runs all seven steps on the buyer's side: orders extracts, checks the seller and developer, organises the inspection, computes the economics line by line, negotiates the contract and accompanies registration. The fee is reduced by any documented seller commission, so the verification often costs the buyer nothing beyond what is already built into the price.