The principle: independence before competence
The value of an on-site check comes down to one thing: the person carrying it out must owe nothing to the seller. A knowledgeable friend introduced by the developer verifies less reliably than an average but independent third party. Our entire method flows from this principle — it's also why we state that we receive a commission on certain sales rather than calling ourselves "independent": transparency about ties is the first of all verifications.
What a useful visit looks at
The actual site: visible progress, real activity, consistency with the timeline you're being shown.
The immediate surroundings: what lies within 200 metres — not on the 3D render, but in the street.
The neighbourhood in practice: shops, transport, noise, life in the evening. Thirty minutes on foot teach you more than ten pages of a brochure.
Cross-checking the documents: does the building rising from the ground match the plans and the permit you were sent?
How we organise it
Our support includes this verification: a contact goes to the development, photographs the progress with dates, compares what they see against the documents in the file, and provides you with a report — including what isn't right. Points we cannot verify remain flagged "to be confirmed": a report with no reservations would be a warning sign, not good news.
And signing remotely?
It is materially possible, notably through a power of attorney — the exact arrangements fall under Georgian law and your own situation: this is precisely the kind of point that an independent local lawyer, whom you appoint, secures. Also review the official French government travel recommendations before any trip.
Isn't a live virtual tour enough?
It shows what the camera chooses to show, at the chosen moment, by the chosen person — the seller. It's useful for picturing the place, but insufficient for verifying it.
When should the on-site check be carried out?
Before any payment, then at the key milestones of the timeline if the instalments are tied to progress. Paying a "structural work completed" stage with no independent inspection amounts to paying on someone's word.