Furnishing for whom?
The same one-bedroom flat is not furnished the same way for a student in Saburtalo on an annual lease, a couple staying for a month, or a summer tourist rotation in Batumi:
Annual lease: durability and neutrality. The tenant lives with their own belongings; the equipment must last, not seduce.
Medium-term: full equipment makes the difference — a genuinely usable kitchen, a workspace, quality bedding.
Short-term: the photo drives the booking, the bedding drives the review. Invest in what is seen AND in what is slept on.
The replacement reserve, from day one
Furniture is not a one-off purchase: it is a recurring expense. Bedding, appliances, small wear-and-tear repairs — all of this comes back, and faster with short-term rentals. The replacement reserve is part of the initial profitability calculation; our guide on net yield places it precisely within that calculation. Forgetting it means quietly overstating your results.
The developer's "furniture package": compare before signing
Many developments offer a turnkey furniture package. Sometimes it makes sense — coordinated delivery, a consistent style — and sometimes it is simply expensive. The method: ask for the detailed list of the package, item by item, and compare it against an equivalent local quote. Convenience has a legitimate price; opacity does not.
Three costly mistakes
Furnishing on "emotional impulse": your taste is not a yield criterion; sturdiness and ease of replacement are.
Under-equipping the kitchen for medium-term stays: it is the equipment most scrutinised by tenants staying a month or more.
Ignoring owner storage: in mixed-use operation, a locked cupboard for your belongings avoids plenty of friction.
Is the developer's furniture package a scam?
No — it is a convenience product, and should be judged as such: detailed list, compared price, quality checked on delivery. Refusing it is often possible; comparing it is always necessary.
How much should I set aside for replacement?
It depends on the operating model and the range: short-term rentals wear things out faster than an annual lease. What matters is not the exact percentage — it is that the line EXISTS in your calculation from day one, and that it is reviewed against your actual statements.