nicoc
New Member
Posts: 9
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Post by nicoc on Aug 5, 2008 12:49:41 GMT 1
Hello all, as this is my first post, I'm first going to introduce myself. My name is Nico, living in Flanders, 31 years old, married, 1 child of 4 and another on the way. For 5 years now, I'm a regular visitor of Croatia (coast and inland), resulting in having croatian friends in different places (nova gradiska, knin, sukosan,...). Since last year, we were thinking about buying a holiday-house in Croatia. And this year things are coming finally together. I was thinking of going back at the end of September, together with my father, to commit a buy. But then, I found this forum and it seems that it isn't as easy as here in belgium to buy a house or some building plot for foreigners and that it can take a long while untill everything is settled. Our preference is Dalmatia or Istria. But since our spending money is limited to some 50.000 euro, I also have included inland Croatia, although I'm a bit afraid of the winter temperature inland (how to keep the house on temperature in winter when you are not there). Today, I bought the book of Carol Southgate through amazon.uk, and I expect it to arrive soon. I hope some of my questions will be answered by the book, before leaving in September-October. But I understand that it cannot be settled with just one visit. So, that's a bit my story. Comments and information are more than welcome Nico
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Post by capio on Aug 5, 2008 13:23:41 GMT 1
Doesn't Flanders object to you living in him?
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nicoc
New Member
Posts: 9
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Post by nicoc on Aug 5, 2008 15:34:46 GMT 1
I must say that in fact it is really nice to live in Flanders, much healthier than to live in Homer, I think ;D
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Post by ray51 on Aug 5, 2008 15:49:32 GMT 1
Seeing as over 1 million of Flemish have recently moved into Wallonia ,( check the DH , of last Sat. ) now : aren' t you on the wrong Forum ?? (Wallonia being , as it is very much IS : so very much cheaper anf better organised than , errr....)
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Post by Nick on Aug 5, 2008 17:35:36 GMT 1
ray51, what's your problem or problems? This new visitor is asking for comments and information about buying a holiday home in Croatia.
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Post by mark2 on Aug 5, 2008 18:53:21 GMT 1
Nicoc,
If 50,000 Euros is your absolute limit for a holiday home which is ready to use for vacations, I am afraid you will have to concentrate on inland Croatia. This is only my opinion.
Alternatively look for an apartment.
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nicoc
New Member
Posts: 9
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Post by nicoc on Aug 5, 2008 20:02:26 GMT 1
Seeing as over 1 million of Flemish have recently moved into Wallonia ,( check the DH , of last Sat. ) now : aren' t you on the wrong Forum ?? (Wallonia being , as it is very much IS : so very much cheaper anf better organised than , errr....) Dear friend, are you sure about those 1 million (that would mean that 1 out of 6 flemish is living in wallonia, which I surely doubt). And I personally doubt that wallonia is better organised than Flanders: we have much lower unemployment rates than wallonia, much more economic growth,... But i'm not here to talk about all the things that us, flemish , separates from the walloons. Let us talk about Croatia, friend , just like Nick is suggesting. Thanks Phoenix for your advice. Looking at some estate sites, it looks indeed that I almost have to rule out Istria and the coast of Dalmatia. Maybe inland Dalmatia (surrondings of Knin would be nice)?
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Post by mark2 on Aug 5, 2008 20:20:23 GMT 1
The area around Knin might fulfill your needs, not a long drive to the coast if you want to and quite central within Northern Dalmatia.
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Post by Carol on Aug 5, 2008 20:24:32 GMT 1
Hi Nico
I'd have to 2nd Phoenix's thoughts about buying inland as 50.000 € does not go very far anywhere on Croatia's coast.
You need to remember the costs of buying too - agency fees (usually a minimum of €1000 plus PDV = €1220), stamp duty (known as Real Estate transfer Tax = 5%), legal fees (between 1 % & 3% but probably a minimum of €1000) plus some other small taxes, which might be included in the other fees but might not be included. A rule of thumb is to budget 10%, and unless you've already accounted for these costs, then they would reduce the amount you have to spend on the property to 45.000 €.
The book isn't all my work - I didn't write the area descriptions for instance or the visa info (which is already very out of date, but luckily should not affect you unless you wish to live here, which i understand you do not).
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Post by mambo on Aug 5, 2008 20:25:42 GMT 1
Nicoc,
If you can only spend 50,000 euro it does not sound like you have money to burn and with that in mind I would sincerely reconsider buying a house or an apartment in Croatia. Just look in the history of this forum and read all the horror stories of people who were ecstatic at the beginning and who are not just a little bit disappointed...........they have become fed up with the Croatian bureaucracy and stupid rules.
Whatever you do, and I know that some won't like this when I write this, don't take the word of a 'real estate agent' as the final say on an issue. Most of them are only interested in getting that signature of yours (and your money) and all what happens afterwards is your problem. Do some talking to people who already bought here and find out what the real ins and outs are. Do this before you commit yourself to anything.
You don't have to take this advise for serious, you can do with it what you want, but as we say in Holland: 'een gewaarschuwd mens telt voor twee'. I live in Istria and have basically seen all the fraudulent schemes anyone can think off, you won't be the first who gets hurt. Read a couple of posts below and find out what happened to a couple in Istria who rented their apartment without the proper papers.....................they cannot even enter their own house anymore.
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Post by Carol on Aug 5, 2008 20:26:40 GMT 1
Phoenix - i like your little image but who's the message directed at? You are writing to Nico and he's on topic, isn't he?
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Post by mark2 on Aug 5, 2008 20:29:17 GMT 1
It was directed towards the chap with undiagnosed tourettes syndrome.
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Post by ray51 on Aug 5, 2008 20:34:20 GMT 1
ray51, what's your problem or problems? This new visitor is asking for comments and information about buying a holiday home in Croatia. Were they ? What "holiday home would thaT have been , then ? Cheers , from nice ( & very affordable ) Belgo-land , R.
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Post by mark2 on Aug 5, 2008 20:35:44 GMT 1
ray51, what's your problem or problems? This new visitor is asking for comments and information about buying a holiday home in Croatia. Were they ? What "holiday home would thaT have been , then ? Cheers , from nice ( & very affordable ) Belgo-land , R.
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Post by polako on Aug 5, 2008 20:36:25 GMT 1
I like the image too phoenix. I must admit, I have started enjoying reading Ray's wind up posts on different threads..... it's a wind up folks, just a wind up like on croatia is a horrible place which he read recently and loved Right ray51??
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