Agencies specializing in long-term rentals?

[lulu]

Hi, My husband and I are looking for a long-term rental starting at the end of May or early June either in Split or the Makarska Riviera--any recommendations? Our primary goal is to find property to purchase but we need a home-base that won't cost an arm and a leg in the meantime.

English-speaking is not necessary.

Hvala!

[mon]

I'm looking for the same thing -- only in Makarska. I'm hoping to find a property that is around 250 Euros a month. It's incredibly hard finding a property that offers long term rental.

[Ribaric]

This is interesting, nobody coming forward with all manner of tempting offers? This thread pushed me to ask the same question up here in the continental sector - with a similar result. It seems the sheer weight of paperwork, inspections and the risks involved just make it unattractive to owners. We have asked a couple of our customer/owners to mull it over but, as yet, not much enthusiasm has ensued.

[Carol]

It was suggested to me a couple of months ago that I should let my house out. It is a growing sector, but the problem is that the whilst it is nice extra money in the winter, it could be totally eclipsed by the Summer vacation lets. Also, its hard to find out what Croatia rules are for getting your house back at the end, and for having a right to get it back in the same condition you let it. So, until the money gets better, or more people have done it and we all know the pitfalls, it would just be a worry that really wouldn't pay much.

[prkbrk]

But when the expectation is that you can rent somewhere for 250 euros a month...not a chance anyone would have an interest! Try around 750 euros and you might find some interest, especially on the coast

[Ribaric]

You can rent a 2 bed apartment in a block here for just over 1000kn per month + bills. There are two Croatias in many ways.

[Carol]

Jun 8, 2016 20:12:41 GMT 1 Ribaric said:

You can rent a 2 bed apartment in a block here for just over 1000kn per month + bills. There are two Croatias in many ways.

I agree but I can't help thinking that the inequality must make it difficult for the people in the rural North who have to pay national rates for things like electricity, building materials, cars etc

[prkbrk]

Renting in Makarska for 250 euros would be highly unlikely

[Ribaric]

january tells it like I think it is. People do use wood for fuel, buy local produce and work hard to make ends meet. Wages are very low, 4000kn per month netto is a good salary, most get circa 3000. Extended families, everyone chipping in and foreign work all help to keep the wolf from the door. I have no idea how southerners get by unless they have a successful tourist season. Varazdin makes a lot of things, mostly textiles and small engineering but all the big employers are foreign owned. It's all based on cheap labour and unions who are weak.

[Carol]

january - for people living on the coast who don't live rent and mortgage free in the "family house", then yes, i think it is quite hard, irrespective of whether they make money from tourists or not.

However, there are a lot of family houses. God, they are difficult to sell! Try explaining to a buyer that the potential holiday house has three kitchens, three bathrooms and x count of bedrooms but with no obvious master bedroom and everything connected by an external staircase.

[Ribaric]

I have the same problem with weekend houses, the upstairs and downstairs, when put together could make a nice little house but the staircase is always outside. Not good in January.

[Ribaric]

Jun 19, 2016 10:38:45 GMT 1 january said:

Weekend houses are so small, would not be much room left inside if interior stairs. These weekend houses were not really designed for full time living and mostly in really remote (but attractive) hillside locations. Not really well built either, or have practical insulation for all year living...........but nice for the weekend or parties.

That's true in most cases, we have to work hard find well built versions where they are in a building zone thus allowing modifications to be done. There are a million hillside 'boxes' which serve well as a weekend get-away but they aren't really a buyer's prospect.

Anyway, back to the topic.... long term renting. I've given up here, the sheer weight of certification and registration plus on-going costs make it unworkable in the continental regions. Sadly, red tape is killing the opportunity, the rents would need to be similar to the coastal rates just to make it work.
Holiday lets are the way to go here, as our friends 'stayosme' in Medjimurje are proving.

[Carol]

The "family houses" on the coast are usually about 180m2, but really they are a block of 3 flats. Its the usual design: parents on the ground floor and then as the sons grow up and get married, another floor goes on top for each of them.
Ideally they could be sold as three separate apartments, but they are hardly ever split legally into separate dwellings (and that costs money to do), so its all or nothing. Typically, buyers decide on the nothing option.

[fidobsa]

Do many people come to rural parts of Croatia for holidays? I only ever hear of people going to the coast. There are a few weekend houses in my area but they mostly belong to Croatians who work in Zagreb. The irony is that most of the smaller houses are either empty or lived in full time and most of the ones used for weekend use are larger houses intended for full time living!

[maisie]

Hi fidobsa,
We've started a tourism business, converting empty weekend houses into holiday accommodation, in Medimurje. The county is actively promoting tourism, Terme Sveti Martin and the Wine Road being the main attractions. The number of tourists is nowhere near that on the coast but it is a more year round business. We're in our second year and have had guests from all over Europe, the US, Australia and Russia as well as Croatia. It's a risky venture but we're hoping long term it'll pay off!