Buying a Property in Croatia

Buying a property was until recently conditioned by the establishment of a Croatian legal entity and the purchase made through this Croatian company. Since February 1, 2009 amendments to the law came into effect, which allow EU citizens to acquire ownership of a property in Croatia, thus putting EU citizens in an equal position with Croatian citizens when purchasing real estate.

When buying property in Croatia, the whole process is governed by Croatian laws and the tax system. For any legal actions in Croatia, including the purchase of a property, you must have a personal identification number PIN.

One-time transmission charges associated with purchasing property, which are paid by the buyer:

Existing buildings

• Property transmittal tax - 3% of the purchase price of the property
• Notary fees- about 2%
• Real Estate commission fee- 3% + VAT

New construction

• Property transmittal tax - 3% off the price of land
• VAT - 25% off the price of the property
• Notary fees - about 2%
• Real Estate commission fee- 3% + VAT

Continuous charges:

Annual utility bills - about 0.6 to 2.20 EUR/ m² of residential area (paid by the owner).

Holiday house tax - 5 to 15 HRK/ m² of residential area / year.

Property values in Croatia have greatly increased in recent years, but it is still possible to find good real estate purchase options. Prices of smaller apartments in Croatia start at around 70,000 EUR. In Croatia it is necessary to ensure a thorough examination of the property – often properties are built illegally and do not have the necessary documentation.