Video viewing: what to ask and what to film

When is a video viewing enough?

A live video call can show most of what you would see in person, and it saves a flight for every property that turns out to be wrong. It works well for shortlisting, for checking a flat you have already seen once, and for buyers who are purchasing remotely with a power of attorney. It has limits: a camera flattens space, hides smells and damp, and shows what the person holding the phone chooses to show. The checklist below is built to work around those limits, so that the call answers the questions a visit would.

Use it in order: prepare before the call, film the building and the flat in a fixed sequence, ask the questions while you are still on the line, and follow up with the documents. Tick the boxes as you go; the list is meant to be used during the call.

Setting up the call

The quality of a video viewing depends less on the app than on the person holding the phone. Ideally that person works for you: a friend in Georgia, a lawyer's assistant or an adviser you pay, rather than the seller's agent, who will naturally show the flat at its best. Agree the order of the visit in advance and send it as a message, so the call follows your plan rather than the guide's. Ask for the phone to be held horizontally, moved slowly, and stopped for a few seconds on anything you want to look at again. A second phone on the same call, used only for sound, lets the person filming talk to you without the picture jumping. Check the time difference: a call at 11 in the morning in Tbilisi may be very early or very late where you live, and you want to be alert for it.

Before the call

• Get the cadastral code Read the public registry extract before the call and note the owner, the area and any encumbrance.
• Ask for a live call, not a recorded video A live call lets you direct the camera; a recording shows what someone chose to film.
• Book daylight, on a weekday Light, traffic noise and neighbours are closer to real life than on a quiet Sunday.
• Ask for the floor plan Compare the rooms you see with the plan and with the area in the extract.
• Record the call, with consent So you can watch it again and show it to your lawyer or family.

Film the building first

• The street and the house number Then turn the camera slowly through a full circle outside the entrance.
• The entrance and the post boxes Clean or neglected, secure or open: it shows how the building is managed.
• The lift, working, from inside And the stairwell, at least one floor up and down.
• The door with the unit number The same number as in the extract.
• Parking and the yard Where you would park, and what the windows look out on.

Then the flat, room by room

• A slow walk through without stopping One continuous take from the front door, so you understand the layout before the details.
• Each corner of each room Ceiling corners and the bottom of walls show damp and cracks first.
• Windows open and closed Frames, seals and the sound with the window shut.
• The balcony and the view Including what is directly below and next door.
• Kitchen and bathroom close up Under the sink, around the bath or shower, and the extractor working.
• A tape measure on one wall A quick check that the space matches the plan.

Water, heat, power and signal

• Taps running, hot and cold Watch the pressure and how long hot water takes.
• The heating system Boiler, radiators or central heating, and the age of the boiler.
• The meters Electricity, gas and water, with their numbers visible.
• The electrical panel A modern panel or old fuses tells you about the wiring.
• A speed test on the phone Mobile data and, if there is one, the existing internet line.

Extra checks for a new build

• The stage of the works Which floors are built, whether windows and the facade are in, and whether anyone is working on site that day.
• Your floor and your unit Ask the person filming to walk to the actual unit, not a show flat, and to show the number on the floor plan.
• Shared areas as promised Lobby, lifts, parking and the courtyard, compared with the brochure.
• A finished building by the same developer A short call there shows how the developer finishes and maintains its projects.

For a new build, the developer and the contract matter as much as the flat. Our guide to the developer contract lists the clauses to insist on.

Extra checks in an older building

• The roof and the top floor Stains on the top-floor ceiling or the stairwell show where water gets in.
• Shared pipes and wiring Gas pipes in the stairwell, old cables on the facade and the state of the water risers.
• Enclosed balconies and added rooms Ask whether they appear in the registered plan; changes that are not registered can complicate the sale.
• The neighbours' works Scaffolding or renovation in nearby flats means noise and dust for months.

Questions to ask while you are on the call

1. Who owns the flat, and is the owner the person selling it to me?
2. Is anyone registered, living or renting in the flat now?
3. Are there any debts for utilities or building fees?
4. Has there ever been a leak, from above or into the flat below?
5. What is the monthly cost of utilities in winter and in summer?
6. Is there a building association, and what does it charge?
7. What stays with the flat: furniture, appliances, air conditioning?
8. Has anything been rebuilt or moved, and is it in the registered plan?
9. For a new build: is the unit registered separately, and what is still to be finished?
10. When could the sale be completed, and is the price open to discussion?

A sample call plan

1. Minutes 0 to 5 - the street and entrance

   House number, a full turn outside, the entrance and the lift.

   Confirms the address.

2. Minutes 5 to 15 - the walk through

   One continuous take from the door, then each room slowly.

   Do not interrupt; just watch.

3. Minutes 15 to 25 - the details

   Corners, windows, kitchen, bathroom, meters and the electrical panel.

   Now direct the camera.

4. Minutes 25 to 35 - the questions

   The ten questions above, with the seller or agent on the line.

   Note every answer.

5. Minutes 35 to 40 - the minute of silence

   Phone on the windowsill, window closed, then open.

   The real sound of the street.

What a video cannot show

Some things only a visit, or a person you trust on the spot, can tell you. Smell, especially damp or drains. Humidity in winter, when condensation appears on cold walls. The noise at night, when bars, traffic or neighbours are loudest. The temperature of a flat on a cold January day, and how quickly the heating brings it up. Ask direct questions about each, and if the flat is a serious candidate, arrange for someone to stand in it at a different time of day and report back.

Red flags on a video call

• The person filming refuses to show a room, a corner or the view from a window.
• Only a recorded video is offered, never a live call.
• The unit number on the door does not match the extract.
• The camera never shows the building, only the interior.
• You are asked for a deposit before the documents have been checked.

Our guide to scams and protection explains the patterns behind these warnings.

After the call

Watch the recording again the same day with the floor plan beside you, and mark every moment where something looked wrong or the camera moved away too quickly. Turn those moments into a short list of questions for the second call. Then write down your impressions within the hour and compare them with the extract and the floor plan. If the flat is still on your list, ask for a second call at a different time of day, and consider an independent inspection by someone who visits in person on your behalf. Buying without visiting is possible in Georgia with a power of attorney and a careful process, explained in our guide on buying remotely.

Documents to request after the call

• A fresh public registry extract, dated after the call.
• The floor plan and, for a new build, the building permit.
• Recent utility bills showing no debts.
• A copy of the seller's identity document, to compare with the extract.
• For a flat with tenants, the current lease and its end date.

Risks and exceptions

• Trusting the angle. Wide lenses make rooms look bigger; check the plan and measure.
• Missing smells and damp. Ask directly, and look at the corners.
• Skipping the building. Shared parts and management matter as much as the flat.
• Deciding on one call. A second call, or someone visiting for you, catches what the first missed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy a flat in Georgia after a video viewing only?

Yes; many buyers do, with documents checked by a lawyer and a power of attorney for the signing.

Who should hold the camera?

Ideally someone working for you, not the seller's agent, so that the camera goes where you ask.

How long should the call take?

Plan on 30 to 45 minutes for a flat, longer if you want to film the building and the street.

What app should we use?

Any app both sides have that can record the call with consent.

Can I ask the seller to film specific things?

Yes. Send the list before the call; a seller with nothing to hide usually agrees.

What if the flat looks different from the photos?

Trust the live call over the listing photos, and ask why they differ before going further.

Is a video enough for a new build that is not finished?

It shows the stage of the works, but for an unfinished building the developer's record and the contract matter more than anything on camera.

Should I ask for a second call?

Yes, for any flat you are seriously considering, at a different time of day.

We can also handle the whole purchase from abroad: see our remote purchase service.

Sources

1. National Agency of Public Registry: extracts by cadastral code (accessed 13 October 2026)
2. Civil Code of Georgia, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 13 October 2026)

Change log

• 13 October 2026 - Checklist published from AVI Estates practice notes and the public registry procedure.