Finding your perfect Croatian Home

Choosing a property in Croatia

Thanks to the excellent preservation of its illustrious heritage, which extends back thousands of years, Croatian home can boast a remarkable variety of architectural styles from Romanesque to Renaissance to Baroque.

The property market has such a wide selection of properties, there is guaranteed to be something to suit all tastes, with an impressive array of Croatian Homes ranging from traditional stone cottages to contemporary luxury apartments.

Croatian home types

Off-Plan Properties

Buying ‘off-plan’ means simply that you are purchasing a property before it has actually been built.

With this method of buying a home you don’t have the luxury of seeing the finished product before you pay for it. And with timescales of development completion, months or even years can pass before you can move into or let your new investment. Buying off plan, although an alternative method of investment – offers noteworthy advantages however.

Purchases prices are generally significantly lower than if buying the equivalent type property that has already been completed and ready to go, with the capital invested continuing to grow during construction. You have a longer period over which to make payments, and importantly you get to have a say on which  fixtures, fittings and furnishing you would like in the property from the kitchen and bathroom suites to the colour of the walls.

Plots of Land

Plots of land are readily available all over Croatia, but very little of it has planning permission. Some land options include outbuildings, which once knocked down can be replaced with new real estate using the same footprint.

Modern Apartments

Modern apartments in Croatia and usually part of a large development where a single building has been split into a number of separate units.

One-bedroom apartments are the most popular, but two-and three-bedroomed apartments are also common. The properties are nearly always close to the sea, and some developments offer communal facilities or services such as ground landscaping, and access to a private marina or swimming pool.

Urban Apartments

In the centre of the old coastal cities, apartments are hard to find and are usually quite small. Your search will probably involve you having to look in modern areas that surround the historic districts. In Dubrovnik the apartments in suburbs with views over the old city are the most desirable, but if you search hard enough, occasionally you’ll find wonderful urban apartments in the Baroque centres of inland Croatia, like Zagreb and Varazdin.

Old Stone Houses

Old Croatian stone houses are part of what makes the fishing villages of the Dalmatian coast and nearby islands so alluring. Many of the old properties have been renovated and are highly sought after, with stone houses in popular places like Hvar selling quickly, but there are plenty of other islands to explore.

Villas

Croatian villas are large detached houses, which often boast spacious sun terraces and swimming pools. The most expensive and sought-after are the large, historic stone villas by the sea in southern Dalmatia, but modern villas are just as popular and come in every conceivable size and style.

Traditional-style Villas

A traditional style villa is a new building that has been constructed in the old style, with heavy stonewalls. The advantage of these over renovated properties is that they maintain the traditional style yet are completely fitted out with all the modern creature comforts. Popular in central Istria, they usually include land, vineyards and private swimming pools.

Traditional Wooden Houses

Traditional wooden houses of inland Croatia typically have a living room, kitchen, bedroom and a storage room that can be converted into a bathroom. Unless the property has already been renovated, these traditional country houses are likely to need a great deal of work.

Wine Houses

Concentrated in the Zagorje region of inland Croatia, wine houses are small buildings traditionally used as a shelter by the locals tending vineyards. They are characteristically small, no more then two or three rooms, and sometimes include a smaller outhouse. You couldn’t live permanently in one, but they make great holiday homes and are often located in simply spectacular spots.

 

If you have any questions, or would like a little more guidance in finding your perfect  Croatian home, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

 

By Nina Lauc