Top 5 Big Real Estate Advices

If you every wanted to buy real estate in Croatia, most beautiful country in Adriatic sea (especially in summer), you have to be careful about five following topics. This article is must-to-read before you start to invest or buying your house for living in Republic of Croatia.

1. Clear ownership/property of Real Estate
You have to check property papers of any real estate because state's institutions do not have right picture what is going on out there and there is lot of frauds. But, don't worry. If you care enough in all aspects of procedure, everything can go just fine. If you invest in new building or flat, ask for building license and license for use. The property paper must not be older then five days because of more credibility of informations in paper.

2. Age of Real Estate
Evaluate the age of flat or house. Look at status of the stairway, elevator, frontal wall and other installations (electricity wires and pipes for cold and warm water, heating, gas). Check sound and warmth isolation, but don't forget to check wooden elements (if any). It is related to you future bills, because thin walls and bad wooden elements needs more money for living. If you choose flat in older building, then you must calculate renovation besides fully finished new apartment. It is you decision!

3. Location of windows/rooms
North or south, west or east? In Croatia, usual recommendation for living room, dinning room and kitchen is southern or eastern side of building. That is because of a lot of sun shine and warmth during year. For bedrooms it is recommended to have windows in eastern side. Sun will not wake you up and you can sleep longer (e.g. by weekends). Also, do not forget about look from your windows - would you like to see park, forest, street of neighbor's window?

4. Real estate micro and macro location
Check your new micro and macro location. Micro location are your neighbors, are you in first floor or in the ground floor, what environment is around your flat (or house) and, somewhere most important, do you have your parking place? In big cities in Croatia, there is less and less spaces to park your car. Macro location means evaluation of distance between your flat/house and tram or bus station, city center, school, kinder garden, doctor, market and other important places to you; maybe - from your work? Also, check other places around your real estate. Just to be sure that one day you won't have to look to other building whole day.

5. Finances
If your are tourist/stranger in Croatia, you will have to establish limited company to buy real estates. It is a way to avoid law. New established companies don't have easy and simple way to use bank credit for real estate buying so you will have to invest your own money through your newly created company. Also, check if you could sell your real estate one day (in case of need, removal or financial problems) for good price. In other parts of Europe, because of job changing and removal, it is good plan to rent your real estate. But, people in Croatia are more interested in buying a living space besides renting.

Conclusion
One most important thing about finances in real estates in Croatia is fact that prices are higher and higher every day. One square meter (m2) of flat in capital city (Zagreb) was about 1,000 € in 2005. This days, price is above 2,000 €. And going up! But, there is always one but! Number of sold flats are collapsing for about 50% in 2007. Never the less, it is still good investment to invest in real estates in Croatia.