Buy Land in Georgia

Updated on Monday 08th May 2023

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If you are looking to buy land in Georgia, you must first identify the location and the type of land you want to buy. Once you have identified the land you want to purchase, you must follow the legal procedures, such as signing the purchase agreement, and register the property with the Land Registry. This allows natural persons to register a property they have purchased or which they have received through a transfer of property, such as inheritance.

The official name of the Georgian land registration office is the National Agency of Public Registry. Businessmen who want to open a company in Georgia should know that commercial properties should also be registered with the official institutions and our team of Georgian lawyers can offer in-depth details on this matter.

Purchasing a property in Georgia

Persons who are selling and buying properties and land in Georgia, such as land plots, will be required to complete a purchase contract, in which the seller provides information on the respective property. The document will stipulate standard provisions of a contract – such as information on the contract’s object, the expiration date and numerous other aspects. Investors interested in opening a company in Georgia are advised to perform the due diligence procedures when purchasing a property here.

Our team of Georgian lawyers can assist you if you want to buy a house in Georgia. The property market is rather accessible to foreigners, not only when it comes to the legal framework, but also when we refer to the sale prices.

For instance, a 1 room apartment can be purchased in Tbilisi at a price of EUR 40,000-70,000, depending on the size, location and upgrades brought to the property.

When buying land in Georgia, the sale-purchase agreement will not be required to be notarized. The National Agency of Public Registry will issue this document, which can be obtained on the online platform of the institution or at one of the offices of the institutions. An important aspect refers to the registration of properties performed through entities such as banks or real estate companies, which can provide the document directly. Our team of lawyers in Georgia can offer more details on this matter.

Land registry due diligence in Georgia

Due diligence is important when registering and buying land in Georgia because it helps to ensure that the land being registered is legally owned by the seller and that there are no outstanding legal or financial issues associated with the property. By conducting due diligence, potential buyers can verify that the land is free from legal claims that could affect their ownership rights or restrict their ability to use the land.

This process typically involves a site visit and may involve collaboration with the seller and real estate agents. It is recommended that investors seek legal representation from attorneys in Georgia during the due diligence process.

Blockchain technology for land registration in Georgia

In 2016,the world's first blockchain-based land registry system was created in Georgia, with the aim of improving the protection of property owners' rights, increasing public confidence in government institutions, and bolstering data security.

Blockchain technology provides a secure and tamper-proof way to record land ownership and transactions. By using a decentralized ledger, the system makes it extremely difficult for any unauthorized changes to be made to the registry, which helps to prevent fraud and other types of malfeasance.

However, it is worth noting that while the Georgian government has implemented this blockchain-based land registry system, it is currently not possible to buy land in Georgiaor other real estate properties directly with cryptocurrency. It may be possible to use cryptocurrency indirectly through specialized real estate services or in the future, if the National Agency of Public Registry decides to accept it as a form of payment.

Feel free to discuss this with our lawyers in Georgia if you are interested in more details regarding cryptocurrencies or real estate matters.

Can foreigners buy land in Georgia?

Foreign citizens and legal entities are generally allowed to buy land in Georgia without any restrictions, with the exception of agricultural land, which can only be purchased by Georgian citizens or legal entities.If you are not physically presentin the country, it is possible to use a power of attorney granting someone the right to act on your behalf to purchase or sell land in Georgia.

Under the Law of Georgia "On Ownership of Agricultural Land," non-Georgian citizens are prohibited from buying agricultural land in Georgia and can only lease it instead. Furthermore, even if a foreigner marries a Georgian citizen, he/she does not gain the right to purchase and register land.

However, non-residents of Georgia may be able to inherit agricultural land and become owners. In such cases, the new owner will be required to cultivate the land within a certain period of time, failing which he/she will have to sell the land within three years. If the land is not sold within this period, the ownership will be transferred to the state.

It is advisable to consult with our Georgian lawyers if you have inherited land in the country, particularly if you are a non-Georgian citizen.

Issuance of an ownership certificate in Georgia

It is important to know that the Georgian office can issue the ownership certificate in a matter of just a few days, generally up to four days, as long as the applicant will provide the relevant documents, as mentioned here: sale and purchase agreement, a copy of the ID documents of both the seller and the buyer and a confirmation on the payment of the registration tax.

Another important aspect is that the National Agency of Public Registry began a national program through which the local authorities are interested to register all the land plots under the Georgian territory. This can be helpful for those looking to buy land in Georgia as it ensures that the property is properly registered and free from legal disputes. Also, it is necessary to know that the registration procedure has also been simplified in Georgia. As a general rule, the Georgian land plots are registered only in a small percentage (25%).

Persons who wish to buy land or register a property with the Land Registry are invited to contact our team of lawyers in Georgia for more details.