Why this decision outweighs the property itself
Two identical apartments in the same building, handed to two different managers, produce different results. That is not an opinion: occupancy, pricing, maintenance and the tenant relationship sit entirely with the operator.
From abroad you cannot offset a poor manager with your own presence. You will see the problem only through their own reports — which is to say, late.
Two trades not to confuse
Long-let management means finding a solvent tenant, collecting rent, maintaining the unit and handling incidents. Performance shows in voids, arrears and the state of the property.
Short-let operation is a hospitality business: dynamic pricing, platform presence, check-in, cleaning, linen, review responses. Performance shows in annual occupancy, realised average rate and cost structure.
A company claiming to excel at both without separate teams earns one more question, not more trust.
How are they paid — and on exactly what
This is what aligns, or misaligns, their interests with yours.
A percentage of collections aligns partially: it pushes towards letting, but not necessarily towards letting well or maintaining.
A flat fee pushes towards neither filling nor optimising.
A percentage of net result aligns better, provided the net calculation is auditable.
A percentage plus rebilled costs can destroy alignment: check what is included and what will be charged on top (cleaning, linen, minor repairs, platform commissions, bank fees).
Ask for a full worked example over a real month on another property, not a rate card.
Reporting and the money
Two concrete questions determine whether you can actually control anything:
Who collects? If rents pass through the manager's account, you are a creditor of their cash position. Ask about payout frequency, the contractual deadline, and what happens on delay.
What do you receive, and how often? A monthly statement detailing nights or rents, costs by nature, commissions, and the net paid out — with supporting evidence. A one-line quarterly summary is not reporting.
Add the tax question: which local filing obligations does the manager handle, and which remain yours? The applicable regime falls under the Georgian tax code and the tax authority; a manager is not your tax adviser, and their answer must be confirmed by a qualified professional.
Key takeaways
From abroad, the manager is the main driver of the result.
Long lets and short lets are two distinct trades.
The fee structure reveals whose interests are aligned.
Reporting without supporting evidence is not reporting.
Read the exit clause before the entry one.
Risks to be aware of
A manager tied to the seller. They may be competent, but independence is not a given: in a handover dispute, who do they answer to?
Team turnover. A service resting on one person disappears with that person.
Uncapped rebilled costs. They quietly absorb the result.
No detailed written contract. A verbal understanding across borders is unenforceable in practice.
A contract with no exit. A long term, heavy notice period or termination penalty locks you in with a provider you can no longer assess objectively.
National statistics offered as proof. Rising tourist numbers say nothing about your unit's performance.
Checklist for choosing a manager
How long have they operated, and under which registered entity?
How many units do they manage, in which segment, and for how long?
May I speak to two current owners, chosen by me rather than by them?
How are they paid, and what is rebilled on top?
Who collects the rent, into which account, and within what payout deadline?
What monthly statement template do they produce? May I see an anonymised one?
Are they independent of the seller?
Which local filing obligations do they take on?
What are the term, the notice period and the termination conditions?
What happens to access to the property, the accounts and the bookings if I leave?
Illustrative example
This example is fictional.
An owner compares two offers. The first quotes a low commission. The second quotes a higher, all-inclusive one. Reconstructing twelve months on a worked example, they find the first rebills cleaning, linen, platform commissions and minor repairs — and ends up costing more.
The lesson is not that a low commission always hides something. It is that a percentage alone cannot be compared: only a reconstructed total cost can.
Local manager or international brand?
Both exist in good and bad versions. The useful criterion is not size but verifiability: track record, contactable references, evidenced reporting, a clear contract and a workable exit.
Can I manage remotely myself?
Technically yes, on a long let and with a trusted local contact for incidents. On short lets it is a full-time trade, hard to run from abroad.
Will the manager handle my taxes?
They may take on certain local obligations, which the contract must spell out. They replace neither a Georgian tax adviser nor your obligations in your country of residence.
Going further
Gross versus net yield: where management fees bite.
Apart-hotels and branded residences: when the operator commits to an amount.
The most common mistakes made by overseas buyers.
Get a selection
Where a project imposes or recommends a manager, we state who they are and any relationship with the seller.
Sources
Every regulatory statement in this guide rests on the official sources below. They were consulted on the date shown; check they have not changed since.
Georgian National Tourism Administration — Site institutionnel. https://gnta.ge/en (consulté le 2026-07-26)
Legislative Herald of Georgia (Matsne) — Tax Code of Georgia. https://www.matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/1043717?impose=translateEn (consulté le 2026-07-26)
Revenue Service of Georgia — Persons — Preferential Taxation. https://www.rs.ge/PersonsPreferentialTax-en?cat=5&tab=1 (consulté le 2026-07-26)
Disclaimer
This guide is general information. It is not legal, tax or investment advice and takes no account of your personal circumstances. Capital, rents and liquidity are not guaranteed. A purchase in Georgia is governed by Georgian law and does not carry the French protections that apply to off-plan sales at home. Engage independent counsel in Georgia and, for your French obligations, a tax adviser.