Ten situations in which waiting is the better decision
Most guides explain how to buy. This one explains when not to, because the purchases that go wrong in Georgia usually went wrong before the contract was signed: the buyer bought for the wrong reason, at the wrong moment or without the checks that would have stopped them. If one of the situations below describes you, waiting, or choosing a different route, is likely to cost less than going ahead.
| Situation | Why it is a problem | Instead |
|---|---|---|
| You may need the money back within two years | Buying and selling costs, a slow exit and a 5% tax on the gain if you sell within two years | Keep the money liquid; rent a flat if you need a home |
| The residence permit is the only goal, and your budget barely clears $150,000 | The test is the assessor's value, which must exceed the line; a price just above it may not | Leave a clear margin, or wait until you can |
| The deal rests on a "guaranteed" yield or buy-back | No law stands behind such promises; they are a sales line | Value the flat on ordinary rents only |
| You cannot check the developer or the permit | Off-plan buyers rely on the contract alone; there is no special law | Buy a finished, registered flat, or get the checks done first |
| The numbers only work if prices rise fast | Tbilisi new-build prices rose 4.0% in 2025, not 20% | Re-run them at today's growth, or walk away |
| The land is agricultural | Foreigners cannot own agricultural land except by inheritance, and it does not count for a permit | Choose non-agricultural land, verified on the extract |
| The extract shows a seizure or tax lien | A seizure blocks registration; a tax lien can follow the flat to you | Wait until it is lifted, or use a structure the authority accepts |
| You cannot afford a year's delay | Delays in off-plan projects are borne by the buyer unless the contract says otherwise | Buy completed stock |
| Nobody you trust has seen the flat | Photographs hide noise, damp, light and the state of the building | Visit, or send someone independent |
| You are buying to escape a decision elsewhere | A rushed purchase in a new country is the most expensive way to buy time | Rent first, decide later |
Why a short horizon is the most common reason to wait
Buying and then selling a flat costs money twice: notary and registration fees on the way in, agent and legal costs on the way out, and the time between the two in which the flat may be empty. On top of that, the Tax Code taxes an individual's gain on selling a residential flat at 5% (Article 81(3)); after more than two years of ownership a home is exempt. On a $100,000 flat, the notary's tariff alone comes to about GEL 687 under Government Resolution No 507, and standard registration costs GEL 150, before agents' and lawyers' fees on either side. A buyer who might need the money within two years therefore pays more, earns less rent and may have to sell when the market, not they, decides the price. If your horizon is that short, a deposit or simply renting is usually the cheaper choice.
Why the residence-permit line needs a margin
The rule is that the property's market value must exceed $150,000, and the test is the value an accredited assessor puts in the report, not the price you paid. Two flats bought for $151,000 can come back with different valuations, and the lari equivalent moves with the exchange rate. A buyer whose only purpose is the permit and whose budget clears the line by a few thousand dollars is taking a risk that is easy to avoid by waiting until the margin is comfortable, or by asking for a valuation before committing. Our checker on the residence permit tests the numbers with you.
Market signals that argue for patience
- A falling yield in Batumi. 8.8% in 2024, 7.4% in 2025 and 7.1% in June 2026, as nightly rates slipped and prices rose.
- A wide gap between new and resale prices. In June 2026 Batumi's resale average was about a quarter below the new-build average, which is what a used flat is worth to the next buyer.
- A large pipeline. 87,000 flats under construction in Tbilisi and high unsold stock in Batumi.
- Slower growth in the capital. 4.0% on Tbilisi new builds in 2025, after 11.6% in 2024 and 20.2% in 2023.
Signals point the other way too. New construction permits in Tbilisi fell by half in early 2026, which may tighten supply later, and S&P moved Georgia's outlook to positive in August 2026. Market signals are reasons to be selective, not proof that prices will fall.
Before you buy: a self-check
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What does waiting cost?
Waiting is not free either. If prices rise at the 2025 pace of 4.0% in Tbilisi, a $100,000 flat costs about $4,000 more a year later; at Batumi's recent pace of 9.8%, about $9,800 more. Against that, the money earns something in the meantime and you keep the option of buying better. The right comparison is the extra price you might pay against the cost of a wrong purchase, which in the situations above is usually far larger. If none of them applies to you, waiting for a "perfect moment" is rarely worth it.
Good alternatives to buying now
- Rent first. Live in the district for some months; you will choose a better flat.
- Buy finished instead of off-plan. You pay more per square metre and carry far less risk.
- Buy smaller with a clean extract rather than larger with a problem.
- Get the valuation first if the residence permit is the goal.
If you decide to go ahead
None of the situations above may apply to you, and that is a good sign. In that case, the work moves from whether to buy to how: read the registry extract line by line, check the developer if the flat is not finished, and make sure the sale or developer contract carries the protections you need. Pay only through a route that releases the money when you are registered as owner, and keep every document in one folder. The guides linked below take each of these steps in turn, and a buyer who follows them has removed most of the reasons this page exists.
Risks and exceptions
- Buying under time pressure. Urgency is the seller's tool, not your reason.
- Buying for the permit alone, at the line. The valuation decides.
- Buying growth. Price growth has slowed.
- Buying unseen. Every flat looks good in photographs.
Frequently asked questions
Is now a bad time to buy in Georgia?
Not in general. It is a bad time for buyers with a short horizon, a plan that needs fast growth or a deal they cannot check; for others, the timing matters less than the flat and the price.
Should I wait for prices to fall?
There is no sign that you can count on it. Price growth has slowed, and supply is large, but waiting also has a cost if prices keep rising.
Can I buy a flat just for the residence permit?
Yes, if the assessor's value exceeds $150,000. Leave a margin, because a price just above the line may value below it.
Is it better to rent before buying?
For anyone moving to Georgia, renting first for a few months is usually the safer route to the right district and the right building.
What if I need to sell within a year?
You would pay purchase and sale costs within a short period and a 5% tax on any gain, so plan for a longer hold or do not buy.
Is off-plan always a bad idea?
No, but it suits buyers who can wait, check the developer and negotiate the contract. If you cannot, buy finished.
The overall case for and against is weighed in is Georgian property a good investment?; the mistakes buyers make once they do go ahead are in 15 mistakes foreigners make.
Sources
- Tax Code of Georgia (Articles 81 and 82), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 12 October 2026)
- Government Resolution No 507 on notarial tariffs (Article 23), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 12 October 2026)
- Immovable property registration: fees and terms, National Agency of Public Registry (accessed 11 October 2026)
- Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons (Article 15), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 12 October 2026)
- Tbilisi Residential Real Estate, 2025 full-year overview, Galt & Taggart, 30 January 2026 (accessed 12 October 2026)
- G&T: Tbilisi residential market has a strong start, Georgia Today, 31 March 2026 (accessed 12 October 2026)
- Batumi Residential Real Estate, 2Q26 overview, Galt & Taggart, 14 August 2026 (accessed 12 October 2026)
- There are currently 87,000 apartments under construction in Tbilisi, Colliers Georgia via CBW (accessed 10 October 2026)
- S&P Global Ratings affirms Georgia's sovereign credit rating at BB, upgrades outlook to positive, National Bank of Georgia, 8 August 2026 (accessed 12 October 2026)
Change log
- - Explainer published from the Tax Code, the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, Galt & Taggart and Colliers.