Do not be rushed
Discounts valid only today are there to force a quick decision. A reputable developer gives you time to check and sends the documents in advance.
Checking listing claims. Every promise needs a document.
In short
Many claims in a Georgian new-build brochure can be tested against a document: distance to the beach against the cadastral map, completion against the building permit and progress on site, yield against your own sums after costs and tax. Anything that cannot be evidenced should go into the contract or play no part in your decision.
Claim by claimMarketing exaggerates; fraud deceives. Where the line runs and how to spot fraud is covered in a separate guide.
Spotting fraudClaim and proof
What the brochure says and what proves it.
For each common marketing claim, the document or source you can use to check it yourself.
'Only 200 metres to the beach'
Measure it yourself on the public map of the National Agency of Public Registry (maps.gov.ge) or in a mapping app. Count the walking route, not the straight line, and look for main roads or building sites in between.
'Sea view'
A view that is open today may be blocked tomorrow. Check who owns the plots between the building and the sea and what may be built on them. Our guide to sea views in Batumi sets out how.
'First line'
Not a legal term. It usually means nothing is built between the building and the beach or promenade. Whether that is true, and will stay so, is shown by the cadastral map and the registry extracts of the plots in front.
'x% annual return'
Usually a gross yield: annual rent divided by price. Vacancy, service charge, management, cleaning and tax all come off, with 5% of the rent for long-term residential lets. Ask for the calculation and redo it on a net basis.
'Completion in Q4'
A date that appears only in a brochure is hard to rely on in a dispute. Check whether a building permit exists, how far construction has got and which date the contract states. Ask what the contract provides for delay.
Renderings
Renderings show a design, not the approved building. Compare the number of floors, the facade and the grounds with the approved plans. A pool, spa or garden belongs in the contract's specification annex.
'Guaranteed rent'
A guarantee is worth what the guarantor is worth. Check which company pays, for how long and on what basis, what applies when the flat stands empty and what happens if that company becomes insolvent.
'Residence permit included'
Under the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, a temporary residence permit through property ownership requires a market value above USD 150,000, confirmed by a valuer from an accredited body. The authority decides on the application, not the developer.
'White frame'
Not a fixed standard. What is included is set only by the contract's specification annex.
Approach
How to work through a brochure.
Four steps before you reserve or transfer money. They take time but cost little.
- 1
Mark the claims
Mark every figure and every promise in the brochure: distances, dates, yields, specification, residence.
- 2
Ask for evidence
Ask the developer in writing for the matching documents: registry extract for the land, building permit, approved plans, specification annex and the yield calculation.
- 3
Check for yourself
You can obtain registry extracts and cadastral data directly from the National Agency of Public Registry. Redo the yield calculation with your own assumptions on occupancy and costs.
- 4
Write it into the contract
Whatever matters to you and can be evidenced belongs in the contract or its annexes. Brochures and verbal promises are hard to enforce in a dispute.
Marketing or fraud
Exaggeration is irritating, but it is not in itself fraud. It is different if the land does not belong to the seller or money is to go to private accounts. Then stop and take legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about listing claims.
Yields, sea views, beach distances, renderings and what remains when nothing can be proved.
Is a 10% rental yield in Batumi realistic?
There is no general answer. Advertised yields are usually gross figures before vacancy, service charge, management and tax. Redo the sums with your own occupancy and every cost. Our guide to rental yield in Batumi shows how.
Can a developer guarantee a sea view?
Only for what happens on its own land. It cannot promise what other owners will build in front of your window. Check ownership and building rules for the plots between the building and the sea.
How do I check the distance to the beach?
On the public map of the National Agency of Public Registry (maps.gov.ge) or in a mapping app. Measure the actual walking route and check whether a main road lies in between.
Are the renderings in a brochure binding?
Do not rely on it. What the developer owes you follows mainly from the contract, its specification annex and the approved plans. Ask for the approved plans and compare them with the images.
What should I do if a claim cannot be evidenced?
Have it written into the contract or plan without it. If reality later differs, only what was agreed in writing will help you.
Last reviewed on 2 November 2026. Sources: National Agency of Public Registry (napr.gov.ge): registry extracts and cadastral data, Public map of the National Agency of Public Registry (maps.gov.ge, listed as a service on napr.gov.ge), Government Resolution No. 255 of 31 May 2019 on building permits and commissioning (matsne.gov.ge), Tax Code of Georgia: 5% on residential rental income; Revenue Service (rs.ge), Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons, Art. 15(j) (matsne.gov.ge); Public Service Development Agency (sda.gov.ge): residence permit through property ownership. This guide is not legal or tax advice.
Read next
Three promises in detail.
How to calculate a yield honestly, how to judge a sea view and how to recognise fraud.
Compare projects with their documents.
Project pages show a check label only where that check has been made. Where none appears, ask for the documents yourself.