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Ekaterine Tchigladze: It’s Time the State Acknowledge Real Estate Agents as Essential Actors in the Economic Process

Ekaterine Tchigladze: It’s Time the State Acknowledge Real Estate Agents as Essential Actors in the Economic Process

Georgia’s real estate sector already employs thousands of people—and it is expanding every year—yet the country still fails to unlock the sector’s full potential

Georgia’s real estate sector already employs thousands of people—and it is expanding every year—yet the country still fails to unlock the sector’s full potential. The core problem is structural: Georgia lacks a modern legal and regulatory framework that would professionalize the industry, align it with contemporary market standards, and protect both consumers and practitioners.

International trends reinforce why this matters. Across the global labor market, real estate is consistently identified as a desirable and potentially high-return field. When the real estate agent ranks among the world’s most sought-after professions and leads in several developed economies, it becomes clear that this is not simply “brokerage.” Under the right institutional conditions, it is a frontline, high-responsibility profession—one that directly influences investment confidence, the quality of transactions, and ultimately citizens’ financial well-being.

In developed markets, this profession is regulated and supported through clear standards, licensing models, ethics rules, and dispute-resolution mechanisms. In Georgia, by contrast, the sector has largely evolved by momentum rather than by policy design. The absence of dedicated legislation leaves agents operationally vulnerable—including in legal disputes—while also limiting the market’s ability to build trust, transparency, and consistent professional standards.

The growth of the sector is visible in official data. Geostat’s report Business Sector in Georgia – 2025 indicates that employment in real estate-related activities rose from about 18,000 people in 2020 to about 21,000 in 2024. Over the same period, the number of registered entities in real estate-related activities increased from 11,541 (2020) to 14,637 (2024). Financial turnover expanded from 1.3 billion GEL to approximately 2.3 billion GEL between 2020 and 2024. Importantly, these figures capture only one statistical category—while construction, a closely overlapping field, is recorded separately and is even larger and continuously growing.

From a macroeconomic perspective, the sector is becoming one of Georgia’s economic anchors. According to the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the share of real estate-related activity in GDP reaches approximately 9–10% in various years. Investment data also underscores its significance: in the first three quarters of 2025, the Ministry reports that the real estate sector attracted USD 165.1 million in foreign direct investment, accounting for 12.7% of total investment—ranking among the leading sectors.

Yet, despite this scale, the profession itself remains undervalued. While major development projects advance and international brands enter the Georgian market, “real estate agent” is still not widely perceived as a stable, skilled, and high-status career. Even wage figures reflect a transition rather than maturity: Geostat reports an average monthly wage of roughly 1,800 GEL in 2024, up from around 1,190 GEL in 2020.

Against this backdrop, Ekaterine Tchigladze, director and co-founder of Kedaro Group, argues that the moment has arrived for coordinated action:

“If we want Georgia to fully benefit from the real estate sector’s economic, social, and urban potential, we must see the agent not merely as a property seller, but as an essential component of local economic processes. This requires (1) integrating professional education into training and university programs, and (2) establishing ethics, legislative regulation, and self-regulation standards that protect both consumers and agents.”

Her message is straightforward: a rapidly growing sector cannot remain institutionally ‘unstructured’. If Georgia wants a real estate market that is trusted, competitive, and sustainable, it must invest not only in projects and buildings, but also in knowledge, human capital, and professional standards.

The broader conclusion is clear: real estate agents already function—and will continue to function—as the link between economic dynamics, public policy, urban development, and everyday life. Strengthening and recognizing this profession is not merely “sectoral support”; it is a step toward a healthier, more credible national economic ecosystem.

If you are considering investing in real estate in Georgia, Kedaro Group is ready to provide you with professional guidance. Contact us: