If you already started the process of trying to buy real estate in Georgia, you may have encountered some of the problems I'll describe below.
If not, then prepare yourself!
When deciding which agent to use, most foreigners would default to what is familiar - a traditional real estate agent (Sell-Side agent). These agents represent the property sellers and take commissions from the seller when you, the buyer, make a purchase.
The Sell-Side model works, for better or worse, in properly regulated markets (Like the USA). In Georgia, an unregulated market... It's a mess.
Although a few Sell-Side agents and agencies in Georgia have experience and professionalism, the problem of a limited portfolio (because agents don't share commissions, each agent can only represent a tiny fraction of the market) becomes an issue.
In addition, the market is also dominated by independent agents, each with their own way of operating, and typically with no qualifications and limited experience.
The combination of both a good/trustworthy agent AND having enough properties in their portfolio for you to get what you want, within any reasonable time frame, is down to luck. You will almost always have to compromise or continuously switch agents and be very proactive in following up with them.
You end up doing a lot of the work yourself - which can be additionally problematic when you don’t speak Georgian or understand the local market and customs.
Sometimes, it can even feel like you are begging agents to earn their commission!
We wanted to fix these problems. So we applied fresh logic and now offer a unique, proactive service to help simplify the market and purchase process for all our customers.
Our Buy-Side services are essentially everything you wish would be done by a really good Sell-Side agent, with the added benefit of doing even more work than almost any Sell-Side agent in Georgia would, being 100% aligned with your interests (we work for you, not the seller) and being backed and followed through by our legal team.
Get tailored advice about the market.
No obligation information call. Not a sales call.
Sell-side agents in Georgia rarely share commissions.
This massively limits their portfolio.
Any property that is represented by a rival agent means they’ll normally forfeit their commission to that agent. So they have little incentive to show you the properties of other agents.
Buy-Side agents (like us) don’t take commissions from the seller/developer so the final purchase price isn't loaded with the seller's agent's commissions.
So, we can go to any seller or developer and we don’t need to worry about losing our commission - we are paid for by you, the buyer, not the seller. So, we also work for you, not them.
In approx. 75% of cases, the avoidance of the usual seller's agent fees means our service works out cheaper or similar in price but includes FAR more than any Sell-Side agent.
Get A free information call (Zoom) about the Georgian market below.
All our team are fluent or native English speakers, managed by expats with international best practice.
Get tailored advice about the market.
No obligation information call. Not a sales call.
1. Bad/lazy/annoying/untrustworthy Sell-Side agents.
1. Proactive Buy-Side Agents. Managed customer service.
2. Unregulated local market.
2. International best practice.
3. Minimal portfolio (continuous agent switching).
3. We represent the whole market*.
4. Time-wasting/confusing communication with multiple agents/sellers.
4. We handle it. You just get the essential summary.
5. Language barrier.
5. Fluent bilingual (English/Georgian), Expat managed team.
6. Unfamiliar legal process.
6. Backed by ExpatHub’s expert legal team.
7. Seller's agent commissions.
7. Often we go direct to owner/developer. Agent commissions passed from us to you, when we do.
8. Trust. Sell-Side agents work for the seller.
8. We work for YOU, not the seller. Providing property inspections, and market expertise. Bad deal? We'll warn you.
9. Disappointing viewings (Agents hide info until you visit in person).
9. Virtual viewings. Vetted properties. No more pointless viewings.
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* How do we represent the whole market?
Sell-side agents rarely ever share commissions, so this limits their portfolio, as taking you to see any property that is represented by someone else means they’ll normally forfeit their commission to another agent.
Buy-Side agents don’t take commissions from the owner/developer so the price isn't loaded with the seller's agent's commissions. So, we can go to any seller or developer and we don’t need to worry about losing a commission - we are paid for by you, the buyer. In many cases, we can even bypass agents altogether and pass on the usual seller commissions to you.
Considering buying or renting in Georgia? We offer a free 30 minute consultation with our Real Estate experts, where we can discuss:
Because we are a law firm, not a typical real estate agency, our interests align with yours. Our consultation is an information call, not a sales call.
Calls do not include legal advice. Please book a premium consultation with a lawyer if you need legal assistance: ₾300 GEL per hour + VAT (when applicable). In-person or online via Zoom.
This consultation is available to everyone - even if you have had a free legal / tax / immigration consultation with us in the past.
"I went in for a free consultation and was very impressed with the amount of information I was given. I had done a bit of research online myself but their knowledgable staff helped me to understand everything much better and really helped me with my inquiry. Highly recommended ExpatHub services - wish I had just gone to see them from the very beginning!"
- Megan