With more coastline than any other European country, Croatia real estate is some of the most exquisite real estate in the world–and at some of the lowest prices. But a powerful trend is currently under way. Tourists are returning. Property prices are rising. The future looks bright. Now is the time to pay attention to this market, where you could double or triple the value of your real estate investment dollars in a short (that is, three-to-five-year) window. The long term could be even more promising. Now is the time to stake your investment claim in Croatian real estate.
The short-term rental market will grow with the number of returning tourists. Unspoiled, relaxed, beautiful, and safe, Croatia is one of Europe’s loveliest treasures. Everything a discriminating visitor or home buyer is looking for can be found right here: crystal-clear seas, timeless fishing villages, and unspoiled beaches, Roman ruins, a pristine lake district, and medieval walled cities. Although real estate prices in Croatia have been increasing at a rate of between 20% and 30% per annum in recent years, it’s still not too late to buy.
Istria’s nightingales (and when did you last hear nightingales?) have much to sing about. Dangling like a leaf from the northernmost tip of Croatia, the Istrian peninsula lays out a mosaic of sapphire seas, charming huddles of red-roofed walled towns, campaniles, bell towers, loggias, old Venetian ports, pristine pine forests, sun-drenched coves, and small pebble beaches. Istria is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic region. More than anywhere else in Croatia, you’ll probably feel as if you’ve landed in Italy–Tuscany, to be exact. Away from the coast, the landscape stitches together vineyards, olive groves, quaint stone houses, ancient watermills, evergreen cypresses, and blossoming myrtle. Thankfully, Istria doesn’t get the same amount of summer visitors as Tuscany (well, not yet). Although German real estate buyers are here in force, the real estate market hasn’t seen quite the same explosion as farther south, around Dubrovnik.
It’s possible to buy Croatia properties within Diocletian’s Palace, but a big concern about ancient properties is title: make sure it’s watertight. As a result of the war and years of emigration and subdividing, title can be a serious problem. You don’t want to be later ousted by the relative of a long-gone emigrant. If a property seems suspiciously inexpensive, beware. Apartments in Makarska are assets that are most attractive to visitors Croatia.
Dubrovnik is more beautiful than you can ever imagine, but it’s remarkable that anything remains. For seven months in 1991-1992, it was bombarded relentlessly by Yugoslavian army shelling. They wreaked immense damage, but under a UNESCO reconstruction plan, the city has been meticulously restored. Real estate prices in Dubrovnik increased by 20% to 30% annually, in 2003-2004, while the area saw a 10% to 15% increase in the first half of 2006. Yet even though prices have taken off, property here could still prove a worthwhile investment, for several reasons. First, space in Old Dubrovnik is limited–planners cannot add more buildings to what’s already inside the medieval fortifications. Second, it has become a hot destination–high-end cruise ships dock every day, and tourists are returning to its nearby holiday resorts in force. The Croatian government is intent on marketing this southern part of the country as a top-end destination.