Croatian Real estate agent

Hi,

Does anybody have any experience of dealing with Broker Real Estate Agents in Croatia? Their main office is located in Split.

I am interested in a house in Korcula island they have posted on their web site.
Has anyone purchased on Korcula island, if so can you offer any advice?

Thanks...

Wibbles, I am unfortunate in having dealt with them, actually my colleagues are more unfortunate. They have about 6 different names and have been up in court here for at least 2 publicised cases over taking money from clients and then, when the papers of the property turned out to be dodgy (no building licence) left them in the mess. I think one poster here has purchased in Korcula, or maybe Peljesac. I always wonder about islands here, while they've really pretty etc, they're still islands, and only very few can get reliable year round access. But you probably have this factored in anyway, sorry if it looks like preaching!

ps Their main office, according to them here, is actually Zagreb, or Istria, depending on which person you get on the phone!

Almo

Thanks so much for the warning...

I really havn't made up my mind as to where to buy in Croatia. I went to Dubrovnik and Cavtat last summer and totally fell in love with Croatia.
Having never given a second thought to buying a holiday home before, the thoughts of being able to return every summer are just too tempting!

The prices are too high for me in Cavtat. I have two small childdren so need some outdoor space, so a house would be more suitable rather than an appartment.

I thought I might get something a bit more reasonable (and maybe just as beautiful) on the islands.

If you have any suggestions of reliable agents to contact that would be great.

Thanks..

wibbles said:

I went to Dubrovnik and Cavtat last summer and totally fell in love with Croatia.

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Buying on the basis of a single trip sounds a bit hasty to me anyway.

I'm not trying to dampen your mood or anything, having bought, lived and worked here for 3 years plus I'm on your side to a fair degree, but clubman is right, come over and have a good look around. When I was first here I was in love with Slavonia (still am, it's lovely) but then I found myself here in Knin and wouldn't swap it for anything! Then you'll have another person who'll visit and run a mile. Down south is a nightmare and way overpriced, there are nice priced places but they're few and far between.

Thanks for the advice guys,

I do intend to go over this summer and was hoping to do the ground work first, identify some areas and hopefully properties to view..

Believe me I'm not going to rush into anything Clubman!

I'll be beaten up for this but, the job of an agent is to sell, if it means boosting up rental returns etc, they'll tell you. One of the best agents I've met here (who's German) tells complete nonsense in order to impress clients, from a 6 month rental season, overinflated figures, you name it, she does it. But it's as simple as this, Croatia, Montenegro and the little nip of Bosnia by the sea, get 3 months of visitors, mid-June to mid-August are pretty manic, but there is a sharp drop off on either side. Croatia has yet to cop on and develop year round tourism, I had it 1st hand this year when a German side were booked for a training camp in Sibenik in January and the hotel we'd arranged to use was shut and refused to open. It is improving, but you'll find your nugget and delighted with it!

almo said:

I'll be beaten up for this but, the job of an agent is to sell, if it means boosting up rental returns etc, they'll tell you.

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The bottom line is that you should not expect independent, objective advice/info from somebody who has a vested interest in selling you something. In this case an estate agent selling property. If you need objective advice/info then get it from an independent source. Caveat emptor.

Trouble is clubman, there are no truly independent sources, esp those doing it for nothing. I fell into that trap in Zagreb when I wanted to check out investments for a client, and the guy I went to (a large international firm) wanted money up front for a fee, which shelled out half of, and then he proceeded to tell me almost exactly what I knew as he'd gone straight to one of the agents ocntrolling the overall deal. Even in the case of Mr. Hobbs, who I don't dislike, he touted Cape Verde as a hot spot, yet he had a vested interest in doing so. Who can you trust? IMO, yourself and your spidey senses (joke).

almo said:

Trouble is clubman, there are no truly independent sources, esp those doing it for nothing.

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I wouldn't necessarily expect independent, objective and professional advice to be free. However I find it hard to believe that there is nobody in Croatia or elsewhere who is familiar with the market there who can provide such a service.

Clubman, probably there are people in Croatia who can comment impartially. I'd say that almo, who has on the ground knowledge, would be a fair bet. I would also expect that advice, especially from our fellow countrymen, who live abroad should be free.

I draw a VERY distinct line between commentary on various markets and actually being asked to assist in a purchase which invariably requires alot of running around (sometimes known as work) which only fools and their horses do for free.

Anyway I think that wibbles query has been answered re: BREA and from his various comments on the Croatian market I'd hope that if almo has further sources of impartial advice then he would pass them on.

It's a market in which I myself am very interested, although it has seemed very over-priced to me, especially on the south-coast, hence my butting-in to the thread and offering my thru'pence ha'penny worth.

Securitydoor, I work with a company, part of which deals in Croatian property, I've never been underhanded with this, but my colleagues have gotten seriously annoyed with me for not running with the crowd here, but it's been proved right. My idea is, lose a sale but gain 4 more. Our company has grown by word of mouth and referrals, and working as the agent for Property Partners here. It can get really frustrating when you see "agencies" pop up who have a finger in a bunch of things yet at the years end file next to zero as taxable income, okay, so it's easy for me to harp on as we're based in a tax-free zone.

The market is over-priced in many parts, but like I said to wibbles, he can find his bargain and be really happy, and realistically nobody is stupid, we all go in with open eyes and mind and once you have a decent figure of what you'll spend in your head, tack on 10% for taxes, fees, commissions etc, that way you'll not go too far wrong.

Clubman, here, I really don't know. I mean, I know certain people we deal with who are honest, forthright etc, but they're not the ones you see plastering the place with adverts (that's not a snide remark, just from personal experience). A lot of folks here try to work an angle, everyone knows everyone, but in knowing that, then it's just like anywhere else and once you have your facts and figures, see if it's worth it and try. And I think clubman will forgive me for helping Shels get their moment in the sun 2 years ago sometime soon At least he confirmed that the biscuit tin exists, and there was me thinking I'd uncovered something shocking!!!

Almo, I'm going to agree with you about the veracity of losing multiple sales to secure the right one. I, myself, have backed out of no fewer than 6 sales in the last 18 months and closed on three. Probably I've viewed more than 100 properties in the same time-frame. All for myself it must be recognised.

As per my last post I'm very happy to share my experiences out here with any further potential investors from a purely annecdotal point of view.

We're well off thread here so I'm going to duck out now but truly there is no substitute for taking the time to visit the country in which you wish to invest, hiring a translator and going for a mooch in a hire car. Forget the hotel shows.

We're well off thread here so I'm going to duck out now but truly there is no substitute for taking the time to visit the country in which you wish to invest, hiring a translator and going for a mooch in a hire car. Forget the hotel shows.

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Forget also 'estate agents' that charge you to show you around properties.

Too right umop, I cannot understand people who go for this. If you go to a local estate agent in say Blanchardstown, if they turned to you and said it's a tenner for each property we view, you'd report them! My biggest gripe with agents here is that they're not registered with the local chamber of commerce, nor do they have anything remotely reflecting proper taxes or accountability. I keep an eye (not in a nasty way) on what my colleagues do as if they mess up then my own work with local governments suddenly becomes less secure and that's where the bread and butter comes from.

It is, securitydoor, important to have a look around. I was lucky to have a job to move to here and so rented for a little while before confirming the purchase. In the meantime I'd been looking all over and got a feel for where I'm now. Hotel shows and the home in the sun type exhibitions I'd always shy from, you'll never get the full view and the prices are always topped up to cover costs.