Dear Mr Westby

[mark2]

Dear Mr Westby,
this is an open request for you to update your website and possibly your book.
As you would probably agree, your book and website are probably the initial contact potential Western buyers have regarding the property purchase process in Croatia. Many people I have spoken with, tick every box in the book and if one requires a cross, they will not buy a house.

quote: "The usual purchase system (see how to buy) where you enter into a pre contract with a 10% deposit whilst applying for permission can cause problems in a rising market. If a vendor breaks a pre contract he owes you double the deposit as a payment. However there is a point if permission drags on for over a year where it may become tempting to a vendor to pay you the double deposit if the price of the house has increased sufficiently to make it worthwhile." ......I do not know a single seller who would wait a year for the 90% settlement balance, let alone the current 2 and a half years......quote"While such an approval can take up to 12 months"

quote: "Until the new motorway is built this coast road can grind to a halt suddenly in the summer months"

quote: "The legal limit for blood alcohol content in Croatia is .05 %."...actually this was reduced to Zero% in August, 2004, as reported by BBC news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3653784.stm

This is by no means a personal attack, but you (as does this forum) run a very important portal for people wishing to invest in this country. Croatia is changing each day now, as are laws, rules and regulations and it is very important for "prominent" ambassadors who offer (or sell) information, to be exact, current and correct.

Before you continue with your Bosnian property site and even launch the Montenegro site, please update your Croatian information.

kind regards, Mark

[mark2]

QUOTE: One of the biggest problems people encounter when looking for property in Croatia is the lack of accurate and reliable information. We are happy to endorse what we believe is your best initial investment in Croatia, £14.95 (plus postage) for Martin Westby's excellent "How to Buy a Property in Croatia"


www.croatianhouse.com/en/services/book.htm

[croam]

hahahaha...nice commercial for your book. i can save you more than that for free....just ask.

[MartinWestby]

Hello “Mark”
Thanks for buying my book and reading my website.

My initial and glib response to your posting was relief!
With a book of 220 pages and a website with more than 1300 pages and a free fortnightly newsletter going out to thousands of people for over 2 years, on such an ever changing topic as Croatia, I’m chuffed you only found the 3 lines to quibble about!

My second more considered response is to say that I always do my utmost to try and get it right.
This is why I spent 5 months rewriting the 2005 edition of the book after the first run sold out, this is why the content of my website is updated every day and this is why I send out the free newsletter so that if things change from the book I can tell customers quickly. I can’t think of many other authors who go to these lengths.
The book can never be completely right but I have received scores and scores of calls and emails from customers saying how useful and critical the book was when they were purchasing, and how crucial it was when they were looking for property in Croatia.
I have also received private emails and telephone calls from people with suggestions for changes and updates for my site and book and I always take them on board.

I always appreciate and respond to private feedback from my customers and I will do the same for your public points.

If anyone would still like to buy this dreadful book or sign up for my newsletter then please visit my website because it is not available in the shops.
(This is definitely a plug, but “Mark” started it!)

Martin Westby
www.croatia-holidayandhome.co.uk
Telephone [phone]
Fax [phone]
From the UK:
Telephone [phone]
Fax [phone]

[mark2]

Hi "Martin",

I haven't read your book, although I realise it is a valuable asset to property buying here in Croatia, I only picked the "3 lines to quibble about" within a few minutes of browsing your website.

Having said that, to quibble about a multi-million pound state of the art motorway not being finished, new drink-driving regulations and how to actually buy a house in Croatia appears a valid point for the thousands of other people who haven't bought the book, or are not on your mailing list.

As I said, your site is an initial point of introduction to people looking at investing or holidaying.

If I had travelled from Trieste to Split on the old road (because the A1 isn't finished), stopped for a half pint of beer after 8 hours driving, got pulled by the police, breathalized and fined, then turned up at the lawyers office to be told that the owner wants the full amount for the house -there and then- ...I may feel a little mislead.

[captainkid]

... its just one book and it is valuable as it contains so many statistics and facts. This also means that it can get out of date very quickly. All books are out of date as soon as they are written. Best to cross reference points especially on matters so important as buying a house. I have spoken to Martin on the phone and he is a very helpful person. Croatia is changing very fast now and you have to expect a few hiccups.

[mark2]

Hi captainkid,

I totally agree, but I'm not talking about his book, I haven't read it, I am talking about the website, the first point of contact!

And these facts are one or two years out of date! It's maybe not Martin's fault, maybe his web design team.

I agree, he is probably very helpful, but his website is misleading at the moment.

I think I should be charging commission for continuing this thread and boosting his hits! ;D

[Culchie]

Mr Westby has his own agenda.

The next time one of you are talking to him, ask him about that project in Ciovo I brought to everyones attention a few months ago worked out for all the investors....see if he is still whistling the same tune as he was before.

This One www.croatia-holidayandhome.co.uk/properties-for-sale/apartments/PK121.html

BTW, here is the tune he was whistling before visitcroatia.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=property&action=display&thread=1119416335&page=1

[mark2]

I am indeed aware of that project, as I stated initially, this wasn't a personal attack but we have dealt with property buyers who have recieved either incorrect or out of date information from that source (e.g. to form a Croatian company, you must have ONE employee - wrong) 2 foreign directors can control a Croatian Company with ZERO employees. I have a d.o.o here in Croatia, and pay my full taxes to assist the country....I don't have a UK company to invoice me and avoid taxes here.

In my humble opinion (and I have been through the purchasing process myself and with numerous clients) Mr Westby is instilling fear in the process. CASE POINT: Employ your own independent lawyer, do not use the same lawyer as the seller, Firstly, the buyer pays the lawyer's fees, the seller WILL NOT pay a lawyer, as a lawyer is not necessary to purchase here, merely the public notary and the relevant forms for dispatch to the relevant authorities. A lawyer is merely peace of mind for foreign buyers (at an inflated price) and not liable for any future problems arising from paperwork etc.

As stated in his website....we are not real estate agents!

[captainkid]

well we all have our own agenda the trouble with having a website and your using a web designer is that you obviously have to pay them a fee each time you update it.

also Mr Westby is just one fish in a large, changing, and let us say "not above board" sector of the economy

I am not particularly trying to defend him, its just that he recommended some solicitors to me once, that's all.

Incidently you don't need a solicitor in Britain (if you can be bothered to do the searches yourself) nor estate agent, save yourself a lot of money if you add it up.

[mark2]

A) Our company has no agenda, our main aim is to encourage outside investment into Croatia, we earn a very.very low commission.

B) If someone starts a PUBLIC website, it is their OBLIGATION to keep it updated and relevant, no matter the cost.

C) I don't quite understand how Mr Westby is involved in a, QUOTE: "..not above board" sector of the economy.

D) Going on from the above quote...are you sure the lawyers recommended to you were "not above board"....did you buy here, how much did you pay the "lawyer" recommended to you?

E) If you don't use a lawyer in Britain, do you think the mortgage lenders would place the funds into your own account before legal completion. Would you be allowed to keep the title deeds in your own vault, until the mortgage was paid. Would the estate agents expect their fee, legally deducted from the balance? Maybe Mr W.... might know the answers.....

To reiterate Culchies post, next time one of you speak to him, please ask him about the rise in foreigner's purchase tax in Croatia, ask about the standardization of estate agents fees and about the possible ruling of non-Croatians being allowed to form nekretnine companies!

thanks.

[captainkid]

A) Isn't for me to answer
B) Its the internet! What's a PUBLIC website? Just because someone puts an estate agency on the internet it doesn't make it particularly anything.
C) There's a thread on here somewhere called "what qualifications does an estate agent in Croatia need". One answer is "a pulse".
D) You can only go on recommendations, what else can you go on. Also, see the thread about bribery in Croatia, I'm not saying anymore.
E) Where does it say in British Law "to buy a house you must have a solicitor"?

Just to re iterate, I'm not asking him anything, just read the book and found it helpful. I'm lucky enough to have other help. It's just one website and one book. What are you saying everything you do totally perfect and legitimate. Have you never had one disgruntled customer?

[mark2]

captainkid said:

A) Isn't for me to answer
B) Its the internet! What's a PUBLIC website? Just because someone puts an estate agency on the internet it doesn't make it particularly anything.
C) There's a thread on here somewhere called "what qualifications does an estate agent in Croatia need". One answer is "a pulse".
D) You can only go on recommendations, what else can you go on. Also, see the thread about bribery in Croatia, I'm not saying anymore.
E) Where does it say in British Law "to buy a house you must have a solicitor"?

Just to re iterate, I'm not asking him anything, just read the book and found it helpful. I'm lucky enough to have other help. It's just one website and one book. What are you saying everything you do totally perfect and legitimate. Have you never had one disgruntled customer?

You say B) "Its the internet! What's a PUBLIC website? Just because someone puts an estate agency on the internet it doesn't make it particularly anything.".............I'm getting bored with reiterating these points....If you looked on the Home Office website and it stated that Argentina was unsafe to visit because of War, you wouldn't go, would you? and Argentina would probably sue the Home Office for loss of revenue! If someone opens a WEBSITE, that is giving INFORMATION and ADVICE to the PUBLIC, they are obliged to keep it UP.....TO....DATE, so that the public visitors are well-informed! Obviously, there are no legal parameters for this, but it is a decent, intelligent, business-like way to conduct a website.

As for the rest of your responses, I would prefer to allow someone else to degrade you.

[captainkid]

;D We are not talking about a Home Office Website, we are talking about a web site set up by an individual or private company. Why didn't you just contact him yourself? Why don't you set up an alternative web site yourself with precise and accurate information. If there was no Mr Westby there would be very little information at all.

[irac]

Sorry to butt into two other folks' non-aligned duscussion, but I wanted to ask Culchie about the Ciovo project. Is that still being marketed? I know that Aquarius in Dublin and some other one in Ireland were offering it at a reduced rate and stung a couple of Irish folks in the process (though one I knew had been given fair warning). Oh, and is it true that Lacy finally bit the bullet and merged with Dream? I thought I heard but wasn't sure.

Capt. Kid is right about the pulse bit (in relation to qualification) I've yet to meet one who was without though I've met some with no reflection in the mirror and even one in Sibenik with a fin on her back (joke)