Developer installment plans in Batumi: how to evaluate

As of 17 October 2026, this is a reference on developer installment plans in Batumi. It does not promise terms, prices or returns, and it does not replace a lawyer. In short: an installment plan under a developer's contract is not a loan with borrower protection. It is an obligation to a specific company. The word "interest-free" does not tell you how much you pay in total. A fair assessment starts with two prices for the same apartment and a careful reading of the contract.

How an installment plan works

You pay a down payment and sign the contract. You pay the rest on a schedule: usually monthly, until handover or longer. A bank is usually not involved. The terms of your project are visible only in the contract.

Check four parameters in the contract:

• down payment: what share of the price and what it includes;
• term: how many months and when the last payment falls;
• schedule: dates and amounts, and whether payments follow construction stages;
• currency: what the price and the payments are written in.

"Interest-free" does not mean "no markup"

"Without interest" describes the shape of the schedule, not the final price. A developer may name one price for full payment and another for installments. Then the difference is the price of the delay.

Ask in writing for two prices for the same apartment: for full payment and for installments. If the prices are equal, there is no markup in the price. If the installment price is higher, work out the difference.

Example (hypothetical, not a forecast). The full-payment price is $100,000. The installment price is $108,000, with a 30% down payment and the rest paid over 30 months. The difference is $8,000, or 8% of the price. To compare it with an ordinary loan, take the average unpaid balance: about $37,800 for 2.5 years. Then $8,000 / ($37,800 × 2.5) ≈ 8.5% a year. This is a rough estimate for comparison, not a bank's calculation.

What the down payment includes

Clarify in writing:

• whether it includes a reservation fee, paperwork and registration;
• whether the reservation fee is refunded if you change your mind;
• by what date the down payment is due and what happens if you are late.

A non-refundable part of the down payment in effect raises the price of the apartment.

Schedule and penalties

Check not only the amounts but also what the payments are tied to. They may follow the calendar regardless of construction, or follow construction stages. With a calendar schedule you keep paying even if handover is delayed.

For your own late payment, the contract should state:

1. the size of the penalty: per day, as a percentage or as a sum;
2. the grace period for paying off the debt;
3. the debt at which the developer may terminate the contract;
4. what happens to the money already paid.

Compare this with the developer's penalty for late handover. If you face a penalty and the developer does not, or its penalty is token, that is a reason to ask questions.

What if handover is delayed

A late handover is a typical risk of buying during construction. The answers to the questions below should be in the text of the contract, not in an oral promise:

• what handover date is stated and whether the developer may move it;
• what compensation the buyer receives for each period of delay;
• whether you can terminate the contract and how soon the money is returned;
• whether you keep paying on schedule until the building is handed over.

If a building is stopped, getting money back is hard even with a good contract. So checking the developer before the first payment matters more than the penalty clause.

How to protect your right

While a building is under construction, the apartment does not yet exist as a separate object. The Law of Georgia on Public Registry (Article 156) allows one registration on the land plot. It is an obligation to transfer ownership of a future building or part of it. The condition is that the conditions for using the plot for construction have been issued. If the required construction documents are missing, the right to a building under construction is not registered.

Under the NAPR tariff, registering an obligation costs the same as registering a right. That is 150 GEL for 4 working days, 270 GEL for 1 working day and 350 GEL on the day of filing. Tariffs change; check napr.gov.ge for the current ones.

Ask the developer whether it is ready to register your right or obligation. Ask a lawyer to check which form suits your particular project. For the purchase process in general, see the guide how to buy an off-plan apartment.

How to calculate it yourself in five minutes

Take the figures from the offer and go through five steps.

1. Markup for installments = (installment price − full-payment price) / full-payment price. In the example, 8%.
2. Down payment = installment price × down payment share. In the example, $108,000 × 30% = $32,400.
3. Balance = installment price − down payment. In the example, $75,600.
4. Monthly payment = balance / number of months. In the example, $75,600 / 30 = $2,520.
5. Rough annual cost = markup in dollars / (balance / 2 × term in years). In the example, about 8.5%.

If the developer offers no discount for full payment, there is no difference between the two prices. Then fees, penalties and dates matter most. If you can pay at once, ask what price applies to full payment. Which option is better depends on your situation. We do not decide that for you.

How to put questions to the developer

Write your questions in a letter or a messenger so the answer stays in text. Ask for a reference to a clause of the contract, not a retelling. If the answer is general, such as "everything is standard", ask a precise question. For example: "What amount is in the schedule this month, and in what currency?" Treat an answer with no figure and no clause number as unconfirmed.

Pay attention if the developer:

• does not show a draft contract before you pay a reservation fee;
• rushes you to pay, citing a "current price";
• asks you to pay to an account not named in the contract;
• refuses to register your right or obligation in the registry;
• does not name the full-payment price.

None of these signs proves a problem. But each one calls for a written explanation. The guide on buying during construction describes how to check the company itself.

Typical buyer mistakes

1. Comparing only the monthly payment and not the total amount.
2. Signing a reservation without reading the contract that follows it.
3. Not finding out what currency the schedule is written in and how payments are converted.
4. Treating an oral promise of a discount or a postponed payment as part of the contract.
5. Not keeping the correspondence and payment confirmations: you will need them in a dispute.

What our catalog data shows

As of 17 October 2026, the GeCoast catalog has 24 properties. Five of them state an installment plan, with both the term and the down payment given. All five have a term of 48 months. The down payment is from 10% to 25%, most often 20%. At 3 of these properties payments continue after handover. No property card confirms an interest-free plan: ask the developer about the interest terms.

This describes the data we have filled in, not an assessment of the terms. Terms may differ by layout and change over time. Properties with installments are collected on the Installments page.

Checklist: how to compare two offers

1. Two prices: for full payment and for installments.
2. The down payment and what it includes.
3. The schedule: dates, amounts, ties to stages.
4. Terms of early repayment.
5. Penalties for your late payment and the developer's rights in that case.
6. The handover date and compensation for delay.
7. The currency of payments and the conversion rate.
8. Payments after handover: whether there are any and on what terms.
9. Registration of your right or obligation in the registry.

What to clarify with a lawyer and the developer

• How the contract defines the price and whether there are different prices for different forms of payment.
• Which payments are not included in the apartment price.
• What the consequences of late payment and late handover are in the contract.
• Whether you can transfer the contract to another person before handover and on what terms.
• How money is returned if the contract is terminated.
• In what currency and at what rate payments are made.

FAQ

Does "0%" mean there is no overpayment? Not necessarily. Compare the full-payment price with the installment price and check for separate fees. Only the contract shows the real cost.

What down payment is usual? In our catalog on 17 October 2026, from 10% to 25% at properties with installments. Each project has its own terms, and they may change.

Can I pay early? The contract decides. Find out whether you have the right to early repayment and whether the developer gives a discount for it.

Does registration in the registry protect against late handover? No. It records your right or obligation in the registry but does not guarantee a date. Delay is governed by the terms of the contract.

Where do I start? With two written prices for one apartment and a draft contract. Show it to a lawyer in Georgia before the first payment.

See also

• How to assess a new build's promised rental yield in Batumi
• How to buy an off-plan apartment