AZE.US
Azerbaijan’s real estate market is moving online, giving buyers and renters faster access to apartments, homes, offices and land listings. But experts warn that the same digital shift has also created new risks, including fake ads, misleading prices and deposit scams.
In Baku and other parts of Azerbaijan, more realtors now operate through social media, property websites and online platforms instead of traditional offices. For many customers, the format is convenient: they can compare prices, locations and photos without spending hours visiting agencies or calling dozens of sellers.
Online realtor Ulvi Aliyev says speed is the biggest advantage.
“On certain platforms, they advertise themselves and post hundreds or thousands of properties, offices and apartments. Customers can sit at home and choose more easily. From the point of view of saving time, the online format is more convenient,” Aliyev said.
He noted that in a normal real estate transaction, agents receive their fee after the sale is completed and notarized. But in some cases, money is requested earlier, including for placing or promoting listings.
The bigger problem, experts say, is the spread of false or outdated listings. Some ads show unrealistic prices or photos that do not match the actual property.
According to Aliyev, one common trick is to advertise a property far below its real value to attract calls. For example, an apartment worth about 300,000 manats (about $176,500) may be listed for 100,000 manats (about $58,800).
When potential buyers call, they may be told that the apartment is no longer available and offered another option. In more serious cases, fraudsters ask for a deposit and then disappear.
“They write that a 300,000-manat apartment is being sold for 100,000 manats. Customers call, someone speaks to them in the name of an agent, asks for a deposit, and then that deposit is lost,” Aliyev said.
He urged buyers not to transfer money before seeing the property in person.
“I would advise everyone not to pay a deposit before viewing the home and seeing the property,” he said.
Real estate expert Firdovsi Khalilov said online realtor activity in Azerbaijan should become more transparent and reliable.
He said regulation should not slow the market. Instead, it should increase activity while preventing abuse and protecting buyers, sellers and intermediaries.
Khalilov pointed to the United States, where real estate agents work under licensing rules. He said a realtor cannot place an unlimited number of properties in an online or offline showcase without obligations and guarantees.
Such rules, he said, help protect the rights of the property owner, the buyer, the seller and the broker.
Online real estate services are now part of Azerbaijan’s housing market. They offer speed, convenience and wider choice. But the risks are also clear.
Experts say buyers should verify the source of the listing, check property documents, confirm the identity of the intermediary and avoid sending deposits before viewing the property and completing basic legal checks.
The simplest rule remains the most important one: a low price and attractive photos online do not mean the apartment is real.
AZE.US