In recent years, more and more people have been thinking about buying property abroad. However, such transactions are associated with certain risks, especially when it comes to an unfamiliar market and foreign legislation.

To understand how to protect yourself when buying foreign real estate, we turned to market experts from three popular countries for buying real estate — Poland, Turkey, and Georgia. They shared professional recommendations on how to choose a reliable agency, conduct a safe transaction and avoid falling into the hands of scammers.

Contents:

  1. Check Licenses And Avoid Suspicious Schemes
    1. The problem of pseudo-agencies and “one-day agencies”
    2. How to Choose a Reliable Agency in Poland
  2. Take a Comprehensive Approach to Transaction Security
    1. Criteria for Choosing a Reliable Agency in Turkey
    2. The Role of Legal Support
  3. Focus on the Competence of Specialists and Transparency of Processes
    1. Signs of Unscrupulous Market Participants
    2. Recommendations for safe purchase of real estate in Georgia

Check Licenses And Avoid Suspicious Schemes

Natalia Zaitseva, CEO and realtor of Etalon Estate Group (Poland), notes that for safe buying real estate in Poland there are two options for foreigners: either study the local legislation yourself or turn to professionals — a real estate agency or a law firm.

I advise, if possible, to contact professional market participants, since the desire to save on agency services often turns out to be a mistaken strategy. After all, professional real estate agencies have a number of advantages: access to closed databases; special offers from developers; corporate discounts due to sales volume; the possibility of receiving additional discounts from developers.

Real estate agents also undergo special training in negotiation and effective communication techniques. This allows them to achieve the best conditions for their clients.

Depending on the client’s role (buyer or seller), the agent applies different strategies:

  • For buyers: negotiates the maximum possible discounts.
  • For sellers: uses promotional sales methods, develops effective marketing strategies, places offers on specialized portals to achieve the maximum selling price.

However, you need to choose an agency carefully and rely on its reputation and real customer reviews.

The problem of pseudo-agencies and “one-day agencies”

“There are many so-called agencies on the market that are actually just intermediaries,” — warns Natalia Zaitseva. “They simply copy the owners’ ads from various websites and advertise this real estate. Such intermediaries have absolutely no understanding of either the law or the registration processes. Their only task is to bring the seller and the buyer together, and then everything happens without their participation: either through a notary or through a lawyer on the owner’s side.”

The expert also warns of the spread of “one-day agencies,” especially among foreign entrepreneurs in Poland. “Often people, having failed in another business, for example, decide to try themselves in real estate activities, knowing nothing about this market. Having picked up superficial knowledge, they open agencies that cannot provide quality service,” explains Natalia Zaitseva.

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How to Choose a Reliable Agency in Poland

The expert highlights several key criteria for choosing a real estate agency:

  • Availability of a license. Despite the fact that real estate licensing was abolished in Poland many years ago, professional agencies and realtors strive to obtain a license. To do this, it is necessary to undergo training and pass the appropriate exam. According to expert estimates, about 50% of Polish real estate agents have such licenses.
  • Membership in professional associations. Serious agencies are members of the Polish Real Estate Federation, which has branches in every city. To become a member, you must pass a check, provide a license, and receive positive feedback from clients and other market participants.
  • Experience. It is important to evaluate how long the agency has been on the market and what experience its employees have. At the same time, Natalia notes: “If the agent has been working for a short time, but the agency provides a good training base, support and has a legal department, then it is quite possible to work with such an agency.”
  • Transparency of financial transactions. “A serious red flag is when you are offered a discount for refusing an invoice,” warns the expert. “In Poland, an official invoice must be issued for each service and payment to the company’s bank account. The absence of such a document means that the agency is evading taxes.” This poses serious risks for the client: if problems with the property arise in the future (for example, due to an error by the realtor or notary), it will be impossible to receive compensation from the insurance company since the agent’s activities must be officially insured.

view of the Ostrów Tumski district in Wrocław

Take a Comprehensive Approach to Transaction Security

Ihsan Erol, Partnership Manager at TEKCE Real Estate, emphasizes the importance of a systematic approach to choosing a real estate agency in Turkey.

Criteria for Choosing a Reliable Agency in Turkey

Among these are:

  • Reputation and reviews. It is necessary to carefully study the agency’s reputation through reviews and ratings on the Internet. I recommend choosing companies with a rating higher than 4 stars and consistently positive customer reviews.
  • Comprehensiveness of services. A reliable agency should provide a full range of services, including support for purchase and sale transactions, property management, legal support, and after-sales service.
  • Local market expertise. It is important to choose agencies with deep knowledge of the Turkish real estate market and experience in a specific region. This helps to find the best options that meet the client’s requirements.
  • Transparency of work. A professional agency should be transparent about the cost of services, processes, and potential risks. All conditions should be clearly stated in contracts.

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The expert particularly emphasizes the importance of legal support when buying real estate in Turkey “Although the process of buying real estate in Turkey is simpler and faster than in many other countries, foreign buyers are advised to seek professional support,” the expert notes.

A lawyer performs several key functions:

  • Checks documentation: analyzes the legal title to real estate; checks for building permits and certificates of occupancy (ISKAN); identifies possible encumbrances, debts, or litigation.
  • Prepares documents: draws up a purchase and sale agreement taking into account all the terms of the agreement; prepares the necessary documentation for registration of ownership.
  • Comprehensively checks the object: assesses the physical condition of the property; analyzes the financial aspects of the transaction; checks the legality of the construction.
  • Represents the interests of the buyer. If necessary, a lawyer can act on behalf of the buyer under a power of attorney, which is especially convenient for foreign clients.

Antalya, Turkey

Focus on the Competence of Specialists and Transparency of Processes

Oleg Khoroshev, Head of Sales, Georgian Real Estate Agency GulfStream, emphasizes the importance of working with trusted specialists and pays special attention to the transparency of transactions when buying real estate in Georgia.

Signs of Unscrupulous Market Participants

The expert identifies several “red flags” that should alert a potential buyer:

  • Lack of a clear understanding of the transaction process by the agent.
  • Insufficient or vague information provided.
  • Lack of a physical office.
  • The agency’s opaque history of activities.
  • Lack of or few reviews.

"The transaction should be as transparent as possible for the client. You should receive comprehensive answers to any questions,“— Oleg Khoroshev emphasizes.

Recommendations for safe purchase of real estate in Georgia

So, advice from an expert of the Georgian market:

  1. Check the agency carefully. It is necessary to study the company’s history, request, and analyze reviews from previous clients. A personal visit to the agency’s office will help to form a more complete picture of the company.
  2. Avoid working with unverified private realtors. Ideally, cooperate with already proven and well-known real estate agencies.
  3. Insist on full information. It is important to receive clear answers to all your questions regarding the characteristics of the property and the legal purity of the property, the procedure for conducting the transaction, and all stages of document preparation.

“Competence of specialists and transparency of processes are key factors for a safe transaction in the Georgian real estate market,” — the expert sums up.

Cityscape of the Georgian resort town of Batumi

We hope that following all the recommendations listed above will help you minimize the risks when buying real estate abroad and ensure the safety of the transaction.