Tbilisi Home · a guided day

A private real estate tour of Tbilisi, for anyone thinking of buying an apartment here.

There is no rush to decide anything. Most people who come to Tbilisi for the first time are not ready to buy a property, and that is completely normal. We would much rather you understood the city properly than made a quick decision you are not comfortable with.

In one day we show you apartments for sale in Vake, Saburtalo, Sololaki and the other main districts, take you inside a black frame, a green frame and a fully finished apartment, and go through real prices per square metre with you. It is the two of us, Nino and Jeff, and we answer every question you have.

If you buy a property with us within twelve months, the day costs you nothing. We take the whole fee off our commission, so the money you pay today comes back to you.

The cost
Half day520 ₾ ≈ $200
Full day910 ₾ ≈ $350
Two days1,560 ₾ ≈ $600

Buy an apartment through us within twelve months and the whole fee comes back to you.

Why the day is paid

Why do we charge for a property tour?

We know it is unusual to pay a real estate agent in Tbilisi for their time, and we understand if it feels strange at first. Please let us explain, because the reason behind it matters to us.

When an agent only earns money by selling you something, it becomes very difficult for them to tell you when a property is not right for you. We were never comfortable with that. On this day we earn nothing from a sale, so we are completely free to be honest with you — including when the honest answer is that you should wait, or look in a different district, or buy nothing at all.

You are very welcome to bring your partner, your family, or a friend. We would rather everyone who is part of the decision hears the same answers from us on the same day.

If you do buy an apartment with us later, the fee comes back to you in full. If you never buy anything at all, we hope you will still feel the day was worth your time.
Where we take you

Which districts of Tbilisi we visit

A full day is usually around eight stops, and we choose them together with you before we set off. Depending on what you are looking for, we may visit Vake, Vera, Saburtalo, Sololaki, Mtatsminda, the Old Town, Chugureti, Isani, Didi Dighomi, Nutsubidze, Bagebi, Lisi Lake or Tbilisi Sea. If you would like to read about them first, our guide to the best neighbourhoods to buy an apartment in Tbilisi covers each one.

We do not try to fit everything in. A rushed day is not a useful day, and we would rather you had time to look properly and to ask questions as they come to you.

Axis Towers apartments on Chavchavadze Avenue in Vake, Tbilisi, seen from street level.
Axis Towers on Chavchavadze Avenue, Vake. Usually one of our first stops, so that you have the top of the Tbilisi market to measure everything else against.
The top of the Tbilisi market
Vake

Axis Towers apartments

This is the very top of the market in Vake. It helps to see it early in the day, so that you have something to measure every other apartment against.

Vake

Tbilisi Gardens and off-plan apartments

Buying off-plan in Tbilisi, before a building is finished. We talk through what can go well, what sometimes goes wrong, and the steps you can take to protect yourself.

Rustaveli

Apartments on Rustaveli Avenue

A well known central address does not always give the best rental yield. We show you both numbers side by side, so you can weigh them up yourself.

New build and off-plan apartments
Developer

A new build sales office

You sit where buyers sit and hear the same presentation. Afterwards we go back through it with you calmly, part by part, and explain which parts we would question.

Volume

Large developer apartment blocks

The same apartment built many times over. We explain why that can make it harder to sell again later, and what to look for if you still like it.

Dighomi

New apartments in Didi Dighomi

A lower price per square metre than Vake, but further from the centre. We put a number on that difference, so it is not just a feeling.

Older apartments, and where value is often overlooked
Vake

Apartments for sale in Vake

The older Stalin-era buildings, with high ceilings, thick walls and wide stairwells. There are good reasons these hold their value in Vake, and we go through each of them with you. Our complete guide to buying property in Vake has the numbers in writing.

Sololaki

Sololaki apartments and renovation projects

Beautiful old buildings with real potential. We are also honest with you about shared ownership, the stairs, and what a renovation in Sololaki really involves.

Saburtalo

Apartments in Saburtalo and the Nutsubidze skybridges

Soviet planning on a very large scale. Once you have seen it, a great deal of the Tbilisi price map becomes easier to understand. There is more in our guide to buying property in Saburtalo.

Isani

Cheap apartments in Isani and Gldani

It is worth seeing in person what the lower prices in Tbilisi actually look like, so that you can decide calmly whether a panel block would suit you or not.

Chugureti

Fabrika and apartments in Chugureti

One old factory changed the whole area around it. We then walk a few streets further out, to the part that has not changed yet, and talk about what that might mean.

Tbilisi Sea

Apartments at Tbilisi Sea and Hualing

A whole district built by a single developer. It is interesting to see, although we should say honestly that it is a long way from the centre.

Photo slots — still needed Axis Towers is in. Still to shoot: Tbilisi Gardens, a sales office, a large developer block, a Dighomi complex, a Stalin-era building in Vake, a Sololaki courtyard, the Nutsubidze skybridges, a panel block, Fabrika, Hualing. All drive-by except the sales office. Landscape.
Something we always take our time over

Black frame, green frame and fully finished apartments in Tbilisi

Almost every apartment price you see online in Tbilisi depends on which of these three things is being sold. The words are used quite loosely, and this is where foreign buyers most often misunderstand what they are paying for. So we take you inside all three on the same day, one after another, and we take as long as you need.

Black frame apartment in Tbilisi — bare grey blockwork walls, an unfinished concrete floor and an open doorway.
01

Black frame apartments

A concrete shell. There are no finished walls, no wiring and no water, and sometimes the windows are not in yet. A black frame is the lowest price you will see advertised in Tbilisi, and there is a great deal of work between it and a home.

Green frame apartment in Tbilisi — plastered walls, a levelled screed floor and windows already fitted, looking out over the city.
02

Green frame apartments

Much further along. The windows are fitted, the walls are plastered and the floors are levelled, so the finishing work can begin. A green frame is still not somewhere anyone could live, but you can now see the shape of the apartment.

Fully finished apartment in Tbilisi — fitted kitchen, wooden floor, sofa and dining table, with a wide window over the city.
03

Fully finished apartments

The kitchen, bathroom, floors, doors and paint are all done. You could move in, or a tenant could. A fully finished apartment is the only one where the advertised price is close to what you will actually spend.

Developers in Georgia use these words in slightly different ways, and it can be confusing even for people who have lived here for years. That is why we would rather take you inside real examples than explain it to you on paper. By the end of the afternoon you will be able to see the difference for yourself, and you will not have to take anyone's word for it.

What does it cost to renovate an apartment in Tbilisi?

While we are standing inside a real black frame, we work out what it would cost, per square metre, to bring that exact apartment to a fully finished state at this year's prices for materials and labour in Tbilisi. Then what it might rent for, and what it might sell for afterwards. We show you the whole calculation rather than only the final figure, and we are very happy to go over any part of it again. If you would like to see the same figures written down, we keep them in our guide to what it really costs to own an apartment in Tbilisi.

All three stages are in — from your own photos. These are the desktop shots plus the finished apartment from the Axis Towers listing. Worth re-shooting the black and green frames at full resolution when you next have access; the desktop files are small thumbnails.
What you take home

Tbilisi apartment prices, rental yields and costs — yours to keep

We print everything for you, and we send it as files afterwards as well. It is yours to keep, whether or not you ever decide to work with us again.

  • 01
    Tbilisi property prices per square metreWhat a square metre really costs, district by district, taken from our own market data rather than from asking prices on a portal. You can also browse properties by district in Tbilisi on our site.
  • 02
    Rental yields in Tbilisi by districtWhat each district actually returns once costs are taken out, so that you can compare it fairly with what you could earn at home. Our page on average rent prices by district in Tbilisi shows where those figures come from.
  • 03
    The full cost of buying an apartment in TbilisiEverything that sits between the advertised price and the money that reaches you. Purchase, renovation, furnishing, management, tax, and our own fee. We publish these openly on our fees and payments page.
  • 04
    Property tax in Georgia, for your own countryWhat you would pay on rental income, on a sale, and each year — prepared for where you pay tax, rather than written in general terms. You are welcome to try our Georgia Tax Navigator before you come.
  • 05
    A map of your dayEvery building you stood in, marked on a map of Tbilisi, with what it sells for and what it rents for.
  • 06
    A blank power of attorneyA sample only, and never for signing. We include it so that if you do decide to buy an apartment after you fly home, you already understand how a power of attorney works and, just as importantly, what it does not allow anyone to do.
Photo slot — the pack Print one, put it on a table, shoot it from above. This is the most persuasive image on the page, because it proves they get something physical.
Two kinds of day

Buying an apartment in Tbilisi, or moving to Tbilisi?

They really do need quite different days, so please tell us which one you are and we will plan around it. If you are somewhere between the two, that is very common, and we will simply cover both.

Buying

Property investment in Tbilisi

We look at rental yields, build quality, the three stages, developer presentations, and how easily an apartment could be sold again. We show you the streets in Vake, Saburtalo and Vera that hold their value, and the ones that only appear to be cheap. If you buy a property with us within twelve months, the fee comes back to you. You can read more about how we work with buyers on our investors page.

Moving here

Where to live in Tbilisi as an expat

We look at where you would actually be happy living. Noise, walking distances, food shopping, international schools, how cold a flat becomes in January, what rent really costs in each district, and what a landlord is likely to ask of you. There is no commission involved in renting, so there is nothing for us to return — this day is simply a service, and that is why it costs less. There is more for people moving here on our expats page.

 Investor dayExpat day
Half day, around 4 hours520 ₾≈ $200390 ₾≈ $150
Full day, around 8 hours910 ₾≈ $350650 ₾≈ $250
Two days, the city and then viewings1,560 ₾≈ $600
Minibus, for four to seven people200 ₾300 ₾ if we go outside the city200 ₾300 ₾ if we go outside the city
Lunch and coffee included80 ₾per person80 ₾per person
Fee returned if you buyYeswithin twelve monthsNo

Everything is charged in Georgian lari. The dollar amounts are there only to help you compare, and they will move a little with the exchange rate. Up to three of you can travel with us in our car at no extra cost. If there are more of you, we will arrange a minibus and a driver.

Plan your day

Book a real estate tour of Tbilisi

Nine short questions, and you will see the cost as you go. Nothing is charged until the very last step. Once you have paid, you choose the day and time that suits you from Nino's calendar. If you would prefer to speak with us first, you are very welcome to message Nino on WhatsApp instead.

● All times are Tbilisi time (GMT+4)
May we ask what brings you to Tbilisi?
When are you in the city?

We ask for at least two days' notice, and we only take one group a day, so that we are never rushing you.

How long would you like?

If you are not sure, a full day suits most people. We can always finish early if you have seen enough.

What would you like to see?

Please choose as many as you like. We will fit in what we comfortably can, and we will tell you honestly if it is too much for one day.

How many of you will there be?

Up to three of you travel with us in our car. For four or more we arrange a minibus and a driver.

Would you like to go outside the city as well?

Places such as Tbilisi Sea, Lisi Lake, or the newer districts on the edge of the city.

Would you like us to include lunch and coffee?

We stop for both either way. This simply means it is already paid for, and you do not need to think about it on the day.

Which language would you be most comfortable in?
Where should we send your day plan?
Here is the day we have planned for you.

Reserve your day
Most people choose this Pay a deposit now 300≈ $115 This holds the date for you. The rest, 0 ₾, is paid on the day itself, by card or in cash — whichever is easier for you.
Pay the whole day now 0≈ $0 Nothing left to think about on the day. If you cancel more than two days before, we refund it in full.
Secure payment over an encrypted connection
Payment processed by Bank of Georgia, regulated by the National Bank of Georgia. We never see or store your card details.
VISAMASTERCARDAMEXAPPLE PAYGOOGLE PAY
Charged in Georgian lari. Your bank may ask you to approve the payment — that is normal, and it is only your own bank checking it is really you.

After you pay, you choose your day and time from Nino's calendar. All times are Tbilisi time. You can cancel free of charge up to two days before — and if something changes, please just tell us, we will always try to move your day rather than keep your money.

Questions people often ask

Questions about buying property in Tbilisi

Can foreigners buy property in Georgia?

Yes. Foreign nationals can buy an apartment in Tbilisi in their own name, and you do not need residency to do it. The registration itself is usually quick. Agricultural land is treated differently and is restricted, but that does not affect apartments. We go through the whole process with you on the day, and we will always suggest you use a lawyer for the purchase itself — we are agents, not lawyers, and we would rather you heard the legal part from someone qualified to give it. We have written the whole process up in can foreigners buy real estate in Georgia? and in property ownership in Georgia in seven simple steps.

How much does an apartment in Tbilisi cost?

It depends a great deal on the district, and on which of the three stages you are buying. A black frame in Didi Dighomi and a fully finished apartment in Vake are very different purchases. We bring our own price data for every district and go through it with you properly, so that you leave with real figures rather than a wide range from a property portal. In the meantime you can look through residential properties for sale in Tbilisi to get a feel for it.

What is a black frame apartment?

A black frame is a bare concrete shell. There are no finished interior walls, no wiring, no water, and sometimes no windows. It is the cheapest way to buy, but the price you see advertised is only the beginning — you then pay to bring it to a finished state. On the tour we take you inside a real black frame, a green frame and a fully finished apartment on the same day, so you can see the difference for yourself. Our guide to what it really costs to own an apartment in Tbilisi explains what finishing one involves.

Is buying property in Tbilisi a good investment?

We are not able to promise you that, and we would gently suggest being careful with anyone who does. For some people it works very well, and for others it does not suit them at all. What we can do is show you the real rental yields district by district, the real costs, and the risks, and then let you decide for yourself without anyone pushing you. Our buyer's guide to the best neighbourhoods in Tbilisi is a good place to start reading.

We know nothing about property. Is that a problem?

Not at all, and please do not worry about it. Most of the people we take out are in exactly the same position, and there is no question that is too basic to ask. Please stop us whenever something is unclear. We would much rather explain something twice than have you leave the day still unsure about it.

Will you try to sell us an apartment?

No, and this matters a great deal to us. It is the whole reason the day is paid for. We earn nothing from a sale on this day, so we are able to tell you honestly when we think something would be a poor buy. If you would like to look at properties to buy afterwards, we would be very glad to help you, but that is a separate day and a separate conversation.

Do we really get the money back if we buy?

Yes. On the investor day, if you buy an apartment through us within twelve months of the tour, the whole fee is taken off our commission. It applies once. On the expat day there is no commission involved in renting, so we are sorry to say there is nothing for us to take it from — that is why the expat day costs less to begin with.

Which districts of Tbilisi are best to live in?

It really does depend on you, which is why we would rather show you than tell you. Vake and Vera are popular with families and people who want to walk everywhere. Saburtalo is quieter and better value. Sololaki and the Old Town are beautiful but noisier, and the buildings need more care. On the expat day we walk you through several of them at the time of day you would actually be there. You can also read about each area on our Tbilisi districts page.

Can we see apartments that are actually for sale?

Yes, of course. Please choose "real viewings" and we will arrange access for you. If you would like a full day of viewings, we would gently suggest the two-day option: the first day is the city, the second day is apartments, and by then you will have a much clearer idea of what you are looking at. You can read how we handle showings and property viewings before you decide.

What happens if we need to cancel?

That is not a problem at all. You can cancel free of charge up to two days before. Within those last two days we are not able to refund it, because we will have kept the whole day free for you and turned other work away. If something happens that is outside your control, please just tell us — we will do our best to find you another day instead.

What happens if it rains?

We still go, and you will be perfectly comfortable. Most of the day is spent driving between places, and the buildings themselves are indoors. If the weather makes one stop unsafe, we will simply replace it with another.

Who will be with us?

Both of us, Nino and Jeff, for the whole day. Nino is Georgian and has worked in the Tbilisi property market for many years, so please do ask her anything you like. If you need a minibus, a driver will join us as well. You can read more about us on our about page.

How do we pay?

We send you a payment link once you have chosen your date, and you pay in Georgian lari by card. The dollar prices on this page are only a guide, as the exchange rate moves a little. Our full fees and payments and refund and cancellation pages set everything out.

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