In the face of rampant inflation and rising prices, more and more people are considering buying real estate outside Poland in order to protect their funds against impairment. Among the countries that can be invested, Poles often point to Croatia, where they can easily get to the territory by cars (due to the well-developed network of highways) and by air (due to the multitude of international airports). They are also convinced by the similarity of languages and the fact that it is a member of the European Union.
According to the data published by Eurostat, the value of real estate in Croatia increased by several dozen percent from 2010 to the second quarter of 2022, and due to the completion of the procedure related to the country’s accession to the euro area – this trend is likely to continue. It is worth mentioning that in the last 10 years, foreign investors have invested over EUR 33 billion in Croatia, and according to experts, the country has the potential to become the European Caribbean.
The procedure related to the purchase of real estate in Croatia differs from the standards adopted in Poland. People interested in buying an apartment or a house may be surprised by the different role of notaries, the slow pace of administrative work and the lack of certain information about real estate in public databases.
Buying real estate in Croatia step by step.
As in Poland, the first step after finding an interesting offer is verification of the land and mortgage register of a given property. From them, we can find out the size of the plot, its purpose, as well as the names and surnames of the owners and their addresses. In addition, possible encumbrances (e.g. mortgage) of real estate or rights related to it may be disclosed in the land and mortgage register. There are frequent cases in which the real estate does not have a land and mortgage register – then it is necessary to verify whether it can be established.
Interestingly, in the land and mortgage register itself, we will not find information about whether a given property is located in an agricultural or residential area – we must apply for such information to the appropriate office.
It is also worth taking other steps to determine the legal status of the property, and – make certain arrangements with neighbors that may facilitate construction work in the future.
In addition, natural persons interested in purchasing real estate will be required to obtain the so-called OIB number (separate identifying arms). It is a personal identification number given to Croatian residents and others who wish to carry out certain transactions in Croatia. Contrary to the Polish PESEL number, the OIB number can also be assigned to companies.
After obtaining the OIB number and thorough verification of the legal status of the real estate, you can start signing a preliminary real estate sale agreement or – real estate sale agreement. In Croatia, both types of contracts are drawn up by the parties themselves or by their professional representatives. Contrary to the rules adopted in Poland, such contracts are not concluded in the form of a notarial deed. The notary only certifies the signatures of the parties under their content, so that a special role is played by lawyers and legal advisers, whose task is to effectively construct individual provisions that are the basis for entry in the land and mortgage register.
The conclusion of the sales contract does not end the investment process. It is also necessary to obtain the sellers’ declaration of payment of the entire sale price, which is attached to the application to the land and mortgage register, and then – to submit an application for entry to Uređena Zemlja. The last step is related to the payment of the real estate purchase tax (if it has to be paid for a given transaction).
The above-mentioned activities are the basic steps that must be taken in any transaction related to the purchase of real estate. As part of the legal services provided by our Law Firm, we offer legal support in purchasing real estate in Croatia. Thanks to close international cooperation, we can answer all questions regarding real estate, verify documentation, prepare appropriate contracts and applications, and also represent you during the entire purchase process.