Do not rely on a single title extract when buying property in Georgia. Check ownership authority, mortgages and seizures, cadastral plans, building permits, actual occupation and secure payment mechanics. The Public Registry lists GEL 150 for right registration in four working days, GEL 270 in one day or GEL 350 same-day.
Applicable legislation: Civil Code of Georgia, General Administrative Code
Key conditions and figures
Title and encumbrances
Review the title chain, mortgage, easements, attachments and other registered restrictions. Examine title instruments where warranted.
Cadastre and permits
Compare cadastral records with the actual property and permit documents, especially for developments and commercial premises.
Protecting the transaction
Draft concrete terms for deposits, delivery, defects, liability and recovery of funds.
Three independent layers of due diligence
Separate title, physical condition and planning compliance. Identify registered ownership and restrictions; inspect what actually exists; verify permits, zoning and applicable conditions. Divergences across these layers can be invisible in a single extract. Report each discrepancy and whether it can be corrected.
Protecting the purchase price
Where a seller must remove a mortgage, obtain approval or satisfy conditions, payment sequencing is critical. Define release documents, payment timing and consequences of unsuccessful registration. A vague phrase such as 'after completion' may not identify the trigger. Consider suitable controlled payment mechanisms.
Additional checks for developments
For developments, obtain approved design information, construction progress records, common-area rights, acceptance arrangements and defect procedures. Allocate the risk of permit or design changes. Marketing images may describe features not contractually promised.
A registry extract is only the starting point
A title extract alone does not address physical boundaries, occupancy, building permits, shared areas or the risk of third-party claims. Compare the cadastral plan with the actual site, and for development property review permits and progress records. Payment mechanics should be linked to clear title, any mortgage release, registration and handover. Document how the transaction will be unwound if the seller cannot deliver the agreed legal condition.
What a registry extract proves: and what it does not
An extract reports registration data as of the time obtained. It does not certify construction permits, conformity of the physical area with plans, absence of tenants or all possible factual claims. Match the cadastral code to the contract and the physical property. Completion and use approvals require their own checks.
Settlement where a mortgage exists
Buying a mortgaged property can be possible, but repayment and release should be coordinated. Do not pay the entire price against an oral promise to remove a charge. Record lender confirmation, funds flow, evidence of discharge, filing responsibility and failure remedies. Unsecured advances and weak preliminary contracts create avoidable exposure.
Foreign buyers and land category
Foreign ownership rules differ by property type. Do not treat an apartment or non-agricultural plot as equivalent to agricultural land, which is subject to constitutional and statutory restrictions. Confirm registered land category, buyer status and the applicable framework before committing. Paying a filing fee cannot cure an ineligible transaction.
Documents to request before signing
Request a fresh extract, cadastral plan, identification or corporate authority, evidence of charges, relevant permits and use approvals, required consents and information on outstanding utilities. The contract should accurately identify the property, split payment stages and define the seller’s duty to provide documents for title registration.
Red flags that should halt settlement
Consider postponing payment if the registered owner does not match the signatory, the cadastral boundary differs from the real site, an existing mortgage has no documented release path, construction permission or completion status is uncertain, or a third party occupies the property without a clear exit arrangement. These risks do not always make a transaction impossible; they may be curable. Convert each problem into a condition precedent: deliver the specific record, correct the registry entry or discharge the third-party right by a defined date. Protect any advance with express refund and default provisions. Distinguish registered title from physical possession; an extract and the real use of the property may describe different realities.
Contract terms that prevent common closing disputes
Identify the cadastral number, location, area, all structures and price in the sale document. Specify payment timing and evidence, including any lender-controlled funds. If documents remain outstanding, turn their delivery into measurable obligations rather than aspirational wording. A handover certificate should address possession, keys, meters and recorded defects. Allocate registry, notarial, translation and bank fees. For foreign buyers, verify the ownership category and eligibility. Above all, write down what happens if money has moved but title registration is refused. That contingency is what distinguishes a planned closing from merely signing a template.