How to Choose a Resale Apartment in Tbilisi

Your choice should depend on your purchase goal.

For Comfortable Living

If you seek tranquility, greenery, and developed social infrastructure, look at Saburtalo (especially the Nutsubidze Plateau area) or Digomi. These areas have parks, schools, large supermarkets, and convenient transport hubs. To buy an apartment in Tbilisi's Saburtalo, budget from $1,400–$1,600 per m². These districts are chosen by families with children and those who value urban comfort without the tourist bustle.

For Passive Income (Investment)

Here strategies split into long-term and short-term rentals.

• Short-term rental: The historic center (Sololaki, Mtatsminda, Chugureti) is ideal for tourists. Apartments here rent at premium rates but require constant management and often serious investment in restoring old buildings.
• Long-term rental: Districts like Isani, Gldani, or Sanzona are excellent for renting to students and young professionals. The entry threshold here is lower—from $1,000–$1,200 per m²—and demand is stable year-round.

Budget Start

If your goal is to buy an affordable resale apartment in Tbilisi, consider Isani. This is an residential area which is actively developing. Nearby metro access makes it convenient for living, while prices remain among the most affordable in the city.

Tbilisi's resale housing stock is always a gamble. An outwardly decent facade can conceal emergency-condition load-bearing structures. What should you look at first?

Building Type and Utilities

In old housing stock (pre-2000), it's critical to check the condition of pipes and wiring. Often they are 90% worn and require complete replacement, which will increase renovation budgets by $3,000–$5,000. In "Italian courtyards," weak points are the roof (leaks) and foundation (dampness).

Remodeling

In Georgia You can often encounter apartments where the kitchen has been moved to the balcony or combined with the living room. It's important to ensure these changes haven't affected load-bearing walls and that "wet points" haven't been relocated above neighbors' living areas below. Unauthorized remodeling can result in fines or resale problems.

Floor Level and Elevator

For living and long-term rental, middle floors (3–9) are ideal. They lack street noise and dust but aren't critically dependent on elevator operation. Incidentally, in old Tbilisi buildings, elevators are often coin-operated, which can be a surprise. Ground floors should be considered cautiously due to possible dampness and noise, and top floors only if there's a technical floor or a new roof.

Georgia is renowned for the transparency of its registries, but this doesn't eliminate the need for thorough verification.

Public Registry Extract

This is the apartment's "passport." It should be "fresh" (obtained on the day of the transaction or the day before). It reflects owners, mortgages, seizures, and easements. We check the history of ownership transfers to eliminate risks of the transaction being contested by heirs or previous owners.

Spousal Consent

Even if the apartment is registered to only one spouse but was acquired during marriage, notarized consent from the other spouse is required for sale. The absence of this document can lead to transaction annulment in the future.

In Tbilisi's resale market, negotiation is part of the culture. The price in the listing is almost never final.

Provide Arguments

Don't just ask for a discount; point out deficiencies: old windows, an elevator needing replacement, absence of central heating, or the need for entrance hall repairs.

Study the Market

Knowing actual transaction prices in neighboring buildings (not "wish prices" from the internet), you can negotiate from a position of strength.

Emotional Factor

In Georgia, personal connection matters. Polite communication and respect for the seller often work better than ultimatums. Usually, you can reduce the price by 5–10%.