First Blog
Buying Croatian Property In A Culturally Protected Area
Date posted: 23.03.2010.
Cultural Heritage & Your Croatian Property Planning Application
Date posted: 24.02.2010.
If you buy a property in Croatia that is in an area that is under the protection of the Cultural Heritage and you intend to renovate the house or make exterior changes to it, you must seek permission from the county Cultural Heritage department as part of the Croatian planning application process.
Many old towns in Croatia are protected and in some cases individual properties, with different rules applying to both. Clearly protected Croatian property comes under closer scrutiny than Croatian properties that are not directly protected but are located in a culturally protected area. The purpose of this article is to outline the procedure relating to property in Croatia that is not directly protected but located in a protected area. Furthermore for the purposes of this article we will assume the county in question is Split Dalmatia.
So when is it necessary to seek permission from the Split Dalmatia County Cultural Heritage Department ? Generally speaking if you buy a property in Croatia or more specifically a property in Split and it is in a protected zone and you intend to renovate it and in doing so make changes to the interior, be that knock down walls, put in new electrics, plumbing, sanitary equipment, windows or do anything else to the property that constitutes a change to the existing structure, you are supposed to get the permission of the Split Dalmatia Culture Heritage Department.
Some people don't but for foreigners buying property in Croatia it is highly advisable to do so. In fact in not doing so you are potentially breaking the law. For some reason when foreigners buy property in Croatia they sometime leave their common sense at home. The question to ask yourself is how would i approach this if i was at home ? For anyone from a western european country the answer is to follow the appropriate rules and regulations and employ the necessary professionals to help you do so. But for some reason some people seem to think that small changes to a property in Croatia will go unnoticed and having bought their dream home in Croatia can't live with the idea that in fact what they thought they could do or in lots of cases were told by their agent they could do, might now not be able too.
However, in not following the necessary procedure you are leaving yourself open to a lot of hassle & unecessary cost, and in some cases possible prosecution. This is especially true of the Croatian island property where small communities are prone to gossip especially during the winter period and it is highly likely you would get a visit from one of the relevant authorities be that the Split Cultural Heritage Department or the building inspector during the construction process. If you cannot provide the necessary documentation to validate the works being undertaken they can shut down the site with immediate effect. They will then ask you to either legalise the works prior to starting again or knock down and remove what you have done so far, if legalisation is not possible. To legalise the building works you will need permission from Split Cultural Heritage Department, as well as the local Croatian planning office.
So at what point do you apply for permission from the Split Cultural Heritage Department ? This is always done at the beginning of the process by your architect who supplyies the relevant department officer for the area in which your Split property is located with your intended project. If you are doing basic renovation and modernisation to your Split property, which includes rearranging the interior of the object, knocking through walls, putting in new bathrooms, new joinery, electrics, plumbing etc then it is, in most cases, not necessary to contact them prior to submitting the project. However, if you intend to do anything that constitues a change to the existing structure with particular regard to the buildings outside appearance then it is essential they are contacted and consulted prior to submitting the Croatian planning application.
The sort of things that area deemed to be contentious when reconstructing your property in Croatia are; raising floors, opening new windows or doors, lifting the roof, demolishing existing walls & swimming pools. There are others but these are the most common. It is always best to ask your Croatian architect to have a preliminary discussion with the Split Cultural Heritage Department during the initial design phase. This should save you time and money. If they raise objections you are then able to negotiate, trying to find some middle ground, with your architect producing creative solutions to their objections. This can take a little time but is the most agreeable path. Having said that do not expect any major deviations in your favor, the rules & regulations are strict and it is unusual to get away with anything that could be deemed to be out of the norm. One things for sure there is very little point submitting the application and hoping for the best.
How important is the Split Cultural Heritage Department to my Croatian property planning application ? They are extremely important since the planning office is very unlikley to approve an planning application without the permission of the Split Cultural Heritage Department. In fact, for applications in relation to the reconstruction of old stone houses located in protected areas, their approval is tentamount to being given permission to build. Of course the subsequent planning application must be made to the relevant Croatian planning authorites. Moreover, all the necessary and valid documentation relating to your property in Croatia must be provided. Also, it is important to understand the situation regarding your neighbors who do have the right to object, although they must have valid grounds in order to do so. However, assuming the documentation is in order and there are no complaints from the neighbors then your application should be processed without delay.
How long does it take the Split Cultural Heritage Department to give their approval ? In general, although it does depend on the complexity of the case, they give their approval within 30 days. If they have been consulted prior to the application being made and any necessary changes made to the project in accordance with their wishes, then there is very little reason to slow the process down. It is a simple case of them issuing the necessary approval document.
Split Property - How Much To Pay For Property In The Old Town
Date posted: 20.01.2010.
As a general guide the price of property in Split old town is on average somewhere between €2200 to €3000 per m2 for a period stone property depending on location and condition. However, 99% of Split properties located in the old town require complete renovation of the interior, most need exterior touching up and a few need structural work to be carried out. Moreover, due to the location of the properties in Split old town they are under cultural heritage protection. The Split Cultural Heritage Department must be consulted and give permission if you intend to renovate, even if you only want to restore the property without making any changes to the exterior.
It is important to consider the cost of renovating your old stone character Split property when making plans to purchase. For arguments sake the renovation will usually require the following but is not limited to; new electrical and water installations; joinery; tiling; plastering and painting. Moreover for the purposes of establishing a comparative price we will assume a standard kitchen is put in. However, furniture is excluded and we are assuming there are no structural works or works to the roof required. With this in mind you are looking at €350 per m2 for a standard finish, €500 per m2 for a quality western standard finish (4 stars) and upwards for anything better. Obviously it all depends on materials and equipment you want to use to renovate your old stone property in Split, so these prices are only a guide.
Why Invest In Property In Croatia 2010
Date posted: 18.11.2009.
- Croatia hosts some of the most alluring and desirable locations to own real estate anywhere in Europe today.
- Culture, history and un-spoilt natural beauty.
- Expected to join the European Union in 2012.
- Harmonization of economic and political policy in accordance with leading international institutional requirements European Union, IMF, World Bank, World Trade Organisation & Nato.
- A government that is committed to fighting corruption, modernizing its judiciary and streamlining its administration.
- A favorite tourist destination with the World Travel & Tourism Council placing Croatia in the top five countries globally for tourism growth over the next 7 to 10 years.
- Tight planning controls restricting development of property in Croatia, especially on the coast.
- A restricted supply of real estate in Croatia which in turn helps to support prices.
- Stable currency linked to the Euro.
- Property in Croatia is relatively inexpensive compared with established European destinations.
- Considerable and consistent foreign investment in Croatia over the last decade.
- A solid domestic mortgage market.





