Penthouses in Batumi: the terrace on paper, the top floor and resale

A penthouse in Batumi is sold on its view, its terrace and the feeling of a home above the city. But the top floor also means a roof over your head, wind off the sea and a terrace that acts as a roof for the neighbours below. We shortlist penthouses so that you know in advance which of this comes to you on paper and which in everyday life.

Penthouses in Batumi: what goes by that name

There is no single definition. Listings call a penthouse a top-floor apartment with a large terrace, a two-level apartment under the roof and simply an upper floor with panoramic windows. All three come at a “penthouse” price, yet the apartments are very different.

So we start with the plan and the extract. How many square metres inside, how much terrace, whether there is a second level and how you get up to it, where the apartment sits relative to the technical floor and the roof. The ceiling height also often differs from the advertising. If the listing gives two area figures, one with the terrace and one without, we work out the price per square metre from the interior area and value the terrace separately.

Whose terrace it is on paper

The main legal question with a penthouse is the terrace. The extract from the Public Registry and the plan show whether it is included in the apartment's area. If it is not, it may be part of the building's roof, that is, common property that you use but do not own. Then the neighbours and the management company are entitled to ask questions about what you put on it.

The lawyer compares the extract, the developer's plan and the contract, and if the terrace is not shown in the extract, works out whether it can be registered and what that takes. The checking procedure is described on our page about checking property documents.

Leaks, wind and sun

A terrace above living rooms works as a roof. The engineer checks the fall towards the drains, the outlets, the junctions with the parapet and walls, and the threshold of the door out from the room. Water marks on the ceiling of the neighbours below are visible without instruments, so it is worth asking them too. The roof above the apartment itself is common property, and its repair is settled with the management company.

Wind and salt from the sea are stronger at height. Railings, fixings, outdoor air conditioner units and hardware rust faster, so we look at what they are made of. Dark tiles on a south-facing terrace get so hot in summer that you cannot walk on them barefoot. What changes when renovating such apartments is explained on our page about penthouse renovation.

The top floor from the inside

Upper floors have their own engineering quirks. Natural draught in the ventilation shafts is weaker there, and without fans with non-return valves bathrooms and kitchens stay damp. Water often reaches the upper floors of tall buildings via pumps, so we ask whether the building has backup power.

We check whether the lift reaches your floor or the last flight is on foot, where the technical floor is and whether the lift machine room and fans hum above the bedroom. In summer an apartment under the roof heats up more, and we size the air conditioners with a margin.

Glazing and canopies

Many buyers immediately want to glaze part of the terrace, put up a canopy or a summer kitchen. Glazing changes the building's façade, so first we find out the rules of the residential complex and what the management company says, and then agree the solution with an architect and a lawyer. Planters with trees, a hot tub and a stone worktop load the slab, and their weight is checked before the purchase, not after.

If the terrace is the main thing for you, we ask these questions before the deposit. A “no” after the deal costs more than any check, and rebuilding a canopy that is already up costs more still. If you let the penthouse to guests, think about insuring your liability to the neighbours for leaks; more on our page about apartment insurance.

Price and selling later

A building has one penthouse or a few, and they are all different, so comparing the price is harder than for an ordinary apartment. We look at sales of similar apartments in neighbouring buildings and order a valuation from an accredited valuer. For a residence permit a penthouse usually clears the 150 000 dollar threshold comfortably, but here too only the report decides.

There are fewer buyers for a penthouse than for a 1+1, and the sale may take longer. The most valued are penthouses with a terrace in ownership, a view that new construction will not block and a dry roof. If the view is what matters most to you, see also our page about sea view apartments.

How much a penthouse check costs

Property search for a fixed fee starts from 5 400 ₾. A technical inspection of the apartment before purchase starts from 480 ₾, a legal due diligence check from 960 ₾, a valuation by an accredited valuer from 330 ₾. Legal support for the whole deal starts from 2 220 ₾.

The final price is set after we review your brief and agree the scope of work. The registry fee and the notary's charges are paid at their own rates.