Build or buy a house in Batumi and Adjara

The first thing we look at is timing. If you need the house for the coming season, there is no time for a build with a design and a permit, and buying is the only option. If you do have time, whether to build or buy a house depends on two things: how much of an existing house you would have to change to suit you, and what in it cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Land and documents

Both routes start with an extract from the Public Registry. Under the rules in force in 2026, a foreigner cannot buy agricultural land. The exceptions are narrow, inheritance for example, although such land can be leased. That is why we check what the land is designated for, both for a building plot and for an existing house with land.

For an existing house, the extract must list both the plot and the house itself, and the floor area of the house must match what you see on site. An extension, an extra floor or an attic room that is not in the registry becomes your problem after the purchase. We also check who the owners are and whether there are any mortgages or seizures on the property.

The transaction is signed at a Public Service Hall or with a notary, and under a power of attorney issued abroad it can only be done in notarial form. You become the owner once your title is registered in the Public Registry. Building on a plot you have bought starts with a design and a permit: private houses are usually Class II structures, and in Batumi the permit for them is issued by City Hall.

What you can and cannot see in an existing house

You can judge the finishes, the layout and the view from the windows for yourself at a viewing. The reinforcement in the columns, the waterproofing of the foundations, the pipes in the walls and the cables under the plaster are out of sight, and only documents and indirect signs tell you how the house was built. That is why an engineer and a lawyer look at the house before you pay a deposit.

The engineer looks for cracks in the load-bearing structure and at joints, and for traces of water on ceilings and in the plinth. The roof, the gutters, the paving around the walls, the consumer unit (fuse box) and the drains are checked too. If we can, we come after heavy rain, when leaks and damp are easier to spot. We ask the seller separately for the design documentation and the building permit for the house.

When you build, it is different. You see the concealed work in photos while it is still open, and at the end, along with the keys, you get the handover file: the routing diagrams, those photos and the materials list. We build seismic resistance and moisture protection into the design from the start, while in an existing house they are whatever the previous builder made them.

Build or buy a house to rent out

If you plan to rent the house out, the layout matters. A house built for one family rarely divides well into guest rooms: there are not enough bathrooms, and shared staircases and thin partitions let sound through. It can be converted, but if the work touches load-bearing walls, floor slabs or columns, you need a design and a permit.

A house built for renting gets a bathroom in every room, soundproofing and separate entrances from the start. On the other hand, an existing house starts earning sooner: after the transaction and some light renovation, you can let it out this very season. In both cases we calculate income down to the net figure, and we do not promise any yield.

How to compare the cost

Compare the full cost. For an existing house, that is the purchase price, the inspection, the renovation or reconstruction needed to bring it to the state you want, and the time all of this takes. For a build, add up the plot, the ground and topographic surveys, the design and permit, the shell, the building services, the finishing and the landscaping.

The price of an existing house is clear from the start, while the final cost of a build depends on the plot and on the decisions you make at the design stage. In our contract the cost of the build is set out stage by stage, and a stage's price stays the same unless you change the scope of work. Send us photos of the plot or of the house you are considering, and we will send a preliminary estimate within 24 hours on business days.

If you live abroad

You can choose an existing house without flying in for every viewing. We film the inspection and send you the engineer's report and the registry extract, and for the transaction either you come in person or your representative acts under a power of attorney. If the house needs renovation after the purchase, we take the keys against a signed handover form.

A build managed from abroad runs on reports. Photos and video arrive once a week, every stage is closed with a signed acceptance certificate, and you pay only after that. The site foreman will show you the build on a video call whenever you ask. You can message the project manager on WhatsApp at any time, and you get a reply during working hours.