The 50-point checklist before signing for property in Georgia

How to use this 50-point checklist

This is the list to print and keep on the table before you sign anything for a property in Georgia. It gathers, in one place, the checks that our detailed guides explain one by one: the registry extract, the seller, the developer, the money, the contract, the costs and the handover. Each line is short on purpose; where a check needs more explanation, the line links to the guide that gives it.

Not every line applies to every purchase. A resale flat bought from a private owner skips the developer section; a new flat bought off-plan uses it heavily. Go through the list twice: once before you pay any deposit, and again on the day before signing the final contract, with a fresh extract in your hand. A line you cannot tick is a question to ask, not a reason to panic, but a deal with several open lines in the first two sections should wait.

Print this checklist

1. The property on the registry extract

Everything starts with a fresh extract from the Public Registry, ordered by you, not supplied by the seller. Our guide to reading the extract explains each field.

• A fresh extract, dated within the last few days Online for GEL 13, ready in one working day.
• The owner's name matches the seller's passport Letter by letter, including any change of name.
• The cadastral code matches the address and the plan One code per unit; a whole building's code is a warning.
• The registered area matches what you are shown Measure it; a difference changes the price per m².
• No mortgage, or a written plan to cancel it The bank's consent and the payoff route in the contract.
• No seizure, tax lien or other restriction Each one blocks or burdens the transfer.
• The land is not agricultural Homestead land counts as agricultural for foreigners.
• Every floor and extension is registered Unregistered parts are not yours after the sale.

2. The seller and their authority

• You have seen the seller's original ID Or the representative's, with the original power of attorney.
• All co-owners sign Every person on the extract, or their authorised representative.
• A spouse's consent where the property is matrimonial Property acquired during marriage is joint unless a marriage contract says otherwise.
• The power of attorney covers this sale Notarised, current, naming this property and the right to receive the price.
• A company seller's authority is checked Its registry entry and the person allowed to sign for it.
• No dispute or court case over the property Ask in writing; a seizure on the extract is the visible sign.

3. A new build and its developer

Skip this section for a resale flat. For a flat that is still being built, our guide on how to check a developer goes deeper.

• A valid construction permit for this building Its number, its class and the number of floors allowed.
• The floor you buy is within the permit Floors above the permitted number are a known risk.
• The developer's finished buildings Visit one and talk to its owners.
• The project's status on the City Hall map In Tbilisi, suspended sites are marked.
• A preliminary ownership right registered in your name At the standard registration fee.
• Payments tied to construction stages Not only to calendar dates.
• A delivery date with a penalty for delay And your right to withdraw if the delay grows long.

4. The price and the money

• The currency and exchange rate are agreed in writing A business must quote prices in lari; agree what you actually pay.
• Your source of funds is documented Banks and notaries ask; prepare statements and contracts in advance.
• Payment goes by bank transfer, never in cash To an account in the seller's own name.
• A notary deposit or bank escrow for large amounts Money is released only after registration.
• The deposit's terms are written Earnest money, an advance or a reservation fee are not the same.
• A receipt or bank record for every payment Matched to the contract's schedule.
• The price in the contract is the real price An understated price weakens your position in any dispute.

Our guide to safe payment compares the bank, notary and staged routes.

5. The contract

• Both parties fully identified Names, ID numbers, addresses, representatives.
• The property described by its cadastral code Plus the address, the area and any parking or storage.
• Price, schedule and method of payment Each instalment with its date or stage.
• Handover date and condition Including furniture, appliances and keys.
• Who pays registration and notary costs By default the Civil Code puts them on the seller.
• Defects, warranty and how claims are made A clause hiding known defects is void.
• Penalties and your right to withdraw For late delivery, late registration or false statements.
• A version in a language you read Bilingual, or with a certified translation you have read.

The sale contract guide explains each clause; for a developer, use the 12 protective clauses.

6. Taxes and costs

• The registration fee and speed chosen GEL 150 in four working days, GEL 270 in one, GEL 350 the same day.
• Notary and translation costs quoted Notarial fees follow a fixed tariff.
• Any agency fee agreed in writing Who pays it, how much and when.
• Your future property tax understood Due only if family income in the previous year exceeded GEL 100,000.
• A budget for the first year Furniture, repairs, association fees and utilities.

7. Utilities, the building and the handover

• Utility balances checked by account number Electricity, water, gas and the cleaning fee.
• Owners' association fees paid up Debts over GEL 500 can be registered against the flat.
• Meter readings recorded and signed On the day you take the keys.
• Keys, cards and remote controls counted Written into the handover act.
• An inventory of what stays Furniture and appliances, with their condition.

See the handover checklist and the guide to utilities for a new owner.

8. Residency and the days after signing

• An accredited valuation if you want a residence permit The value must exceed $150,000.
• A new extract showing you as owner The proof that the purchase is complete.
• Copies of every document, translated Contract, extract, receipts, power of attorney.
• Accounts and contacts moved to your name Utilities, association, insurance if any.

Which open lines should stop a deal?

Most lines can be fixed with a document or a conversation. A few cannot, and they deserve a pause before any money moves: an owner on the extract who is not the person selling and has given no valid power of attorney; a seizure or tax lien with no written plan to remove it; agricultural or homestead land under the property you want; a building without a permit for the floor you are buying; and a seller who asks for cash or for payment to someone else's account. If any of these appears, ask a lawyer before you go further.

Using the checklist when you buy from abroad

If you are not in Georgia, someone else will tick many of these lines for you, and the list becomes a way to divide the work. Give your lawyer or representative sections 1, 2 and 5, ask an inspector or a trusted person to cover section 7 on the spot, and keep sections 4 and 6 for yourself, because they concern your money. Ask for a photo or a scan as proof of every tick made on your behalf: the extract, the passport check, the signed meter readings. A representative acts under a power of attorney, so read its scope as carefully as you would read the contract; our guide to buying remotely explains how to set this up.

What to keep after signing

Keep the completed list together with the documents behind it: the extracts from before and after registration, the contract and its translation, every receipt, the handover act and your notes. You will need them again when you apply for a residence permit, sell the flat, let it or answer a question from the tax office, and a complete file makes each of those steps shorter. Store copies in two places, one of them outside Georgia.

How long does the checklist take?

For a resale flat with clean documents, the registry and seller sections take a day or two, mostly waiting for the extract and the seller's papers. A new build takes longer, because the permit, the developer's record and the payment schedule need reading. Buyers who start the checklist when they first see the property, rather than the week before signing, rarely have to delay completion. Our purchase timeline shows where each check fits.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need every one of the 50 checks?

No. Use the sections that fit your purchase; a resale flat skips the developer section.

When should I go through the list?

Twice: before paying any deposit, and again the day before signing, with a fresh extract.

Can I print it?

Yes. Use the print button near the top; the ticks you make on screen are kept in your browser on this device only.

Does the Public Registry check these points for me?

The registry checks the documents it registers, not the condition of the flat, the developer or your payment route.

Which checks matter most?

The owner, the encumbrances, the land category and the payment route; problems there are the hardest to fix later.

Should a lawyer go through it with me?

For a new build, a purchase from abroad or any line you cannot tick, yes.

Is the checklist the same for houses?

Mostly; for a house, add the land boundaries, access and the building's condition.

What if the seller refuses a check?

Treat the refusal as information; a seller with clean documents rarely objects to a fresh extract or a written answer.

Sources

1. Civil Code of Georgia (Articles 183, 421-423, 479, 497, 1158), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 14 October 2026)
2. Immovable property registration: fees and terms, National Agency of Public Registry (accessed 14 October 2026)
3. Organic Law of Georgia on Agricultural Land Ownership, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 14 October 2026)
4. Tax Code of Georgia (Articles 202-206), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 14 October 2026)
5. Law of Georgia on Homeowners' Associations, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 14 October 2026)
6. Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons (Article 15), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 14 October 2026)

Change log

• 14 October 2026 - Printable checklist published, gathering the checks from the Civil Code, the Public Registry tariffs and our buying guides.