Property guides
From documents to mortgages, from rental agreements to taking over a new building — practical step-by-step answers to the most common property market questions.
What is a title deed (registry extract)?
“Kupcha” is a colloquial word: officially the document is called an extract from the state real estate registry, and it confirms that the right of ownership has been state-registered. When a listing says “kupcha available”, this is the document it means. Before you buy, you need to know what it says, how to verify that it is genuine, and what it does not show.
Completing a property sale
A property sale contract is certified by a notary, and ownership passes to the buyer at the moment of state registration. The usual order is: checking the documents, a deposit, the notary, payment and state registration. If the sale involves spouses, a minor child, a co-owner or a representative under a power of attorney, additional consents and permissions may be needed.
Buying a home with a mortgage
In Azerbaijan people mostly take a mortgage in one of two ways: the Fund mortgage, issued with money from the Mortgage and Credit Guarantee Fund, and the bank mortgage, issued from the bank’s own funds. The Fund mortgage is issued by the Fund’s authorized banks, while the terms of a bank mortgage are set by the bank itself. Who gets a loan and which documents are needed also depends largely on this choice.
Rental agreement
The general rule is this: unless the law sets a special form for this type of contract, the parties may conclude a rental agreement in any form allowed for transactions. Notarizing an apartment rental is listed as a separate service in "ASAN service," and whether you need it in your case, ask a notary before you sign. Below: the documents, the difference between a deposit and a booking payment, tax, residence registration and early termination.
Buying an apartment in a new building
In a new building, start your choice not with the apartment but with the developer: look at its earlier projects and check whether the building has an entry in the State Register of Buildings. If the building is still under construction, you are trusting not only the price but also the company and the contract you sign. Next come the documents and the contract, and the checks end with the handover of the apartment by act and the title deed.
Property without a title deed: the risks
The main risk of a house without a title deed is that even after paying and even living in the house, you do not legally become the owner: ownership passes after registration in the state register. What you can lose in a house without a title deed, when the document can be obtained later, when it may never be obtained, and what to ask before handing over any money.
Apartment prices in Baku: what drives them
An apartment's price in Baku is made up of several layers: the biggest share comes from the location, meaning the district and the distance to the metro, then comes the building, and last the condition of the apartment itself (floor, renovation, layout). When comparing listings, look not at the total price but at the price per square meter and the district median. We go through it in order, from district and building to the median.
New building or old building
There is no answer that fits everyone: if you are in no hurry to move and want to renovate to your own taste, a new building gives you more options. If you want to move in the moment you get the keys and would like an easier mortgage, an old building may suit you better, because the title deed usually already exists. We have set the differences side by side, from paperwork to mortgage.
Rental agreement sample
This rental agreement sample is a checklist that lines up, clause by clause, the points that usually cause disputes when renting an apartment, not a ready-made form you just fill in and sign. Adapt each clause to your own terms and, if you like, have it notarized.
Baku districts: where to live
Baku’s districts change from the center to the outskirts: the center has many old buildings, dense blocks and the metro, while the outskirts have private houses and open space, but life there is hard without a car. We have briefly described which district suits whom, comparing neighboring districts in pairs.
How to rent an apartment in Baku
Look for an apartment in Baku step by step: first work out a budget that includes utilities, choose a district by the commute to work or university and by the metro, check the landlord’s title deed and ID at the viewing, and once you agree, put everything into a written rental agreement. A search like this takes less time and is safer.
How to set a price when selling a home
When you set a price, look at the market: find the listings most similar to your home, meaning the same district, the same type of building, a similar number of rooms and area, and then compare not the total price but the price per square meter. Price too high and the apartment sits unsold for months; price too low and you lose money. We will go through the remaining steps in order.
Living with a roommate
Sharing rent in Baku with a roommate is much cheaper than living alone, but to get along under one roof your everyday habits have to match. Arrange the first meeting in a busy place, and discuss and write down who pays the rent, the deposit and the utilities, and how, before you move in.
MIDA apartments and subsidized housing
MIDA (State Housing Development Agency) sells finished apartments below the market price through the "Güzəştli mənzil" system. The first owner of such an apartment cannot sell or rent it out for a period. If you are looking at a listing for a "MIDA apartment" on Birev, first find out whether this restriction has ended and whether the apartment is pledged to a bank.
Buyer's guide: list of questions
Questions to ask the seller on the phone and at a viewing — separately for buying, renting and daily rent.
Browse listings
Put what you have read into practice — choose from verified listings.