February the 25th, 2024 – Istrian real estate is being purchased by more and more foreign nationals discovering this gorgeous part of Croatia that has that very individual and special ”something” that Dalmatia doesn’t.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, significant numbers of foreigners are increasingly buying Istrian real estate, and while in essence that’s nothing new, one interesting factor is that they’re moving further and further from the sea. Central Istrian real estate, located much further inland, is becoming more and more popular. Some purchasers buy houses exclusively for themselves, and some do so for profit in order to rent during summer, writes HRT.
For years, the stunning Istrian peninsula has been among the most desirable Croatian destinations for buying real estate. Although the prices are far from low there, especially for the average relatively shallow Croatian pocket, there are plenty of buyers.
“The main interest is always location, location, location… Then there’s the price and all of the accompanying content. Foreigners really like Istria’s nature, so they’re not always looking for things located smack bang in the middle of towns or cities. In my personal experience, foreigners aren’t typically looking for Istrian real estate in urban environments, but rather on the outskirts. Medulin is interesting to them, as is Fažana and even Vodnjan,” said Laci Debeljak, an Istrian real estate agent.
Proximity to the sea hasn’t actually been a decisive factor for a long time, at least up in Istria. That’s why the interior of this beautiful peninsula has become extremely popular, especially among foreigners. Sveti Petar u Šumi is a perfect example of a municipality situated in the heart of Istria that effortlessly attracts all those who want a combination of authenticity and still have all of the comfort of modern life.
“There are several factors involved, one of which is the friendliness of the local people, some people bought a house because they planned to stay there for a few months and ended up moving entirely,” said Mario Bratulić, the mayor of the municipality.
Many who saw an opportunity for investment in Istrian real estate ended up deciding to come and live in Istria themselves.
“We wanted to come to the interior of Istria to see the true and authentic Istria. We bought a house with which we bought a company registered for tourism,” revealed Vinko Breznik from neighbouring Slovenia.
It’s worth noting that it isn’t just investors choosing Istria…
In central Istria, in a village with only thirty inhabitants, lives American national Nial Brannigan. His wife is a Croat from Bjelovar, and making a life Istria has been their aim for many years now.
“It’s peaceful, there’s almost no stress, the environment is beautiful, the weather is perfect, last year the weather was also wonderful, it’s that complete experience,” said Nial Brannigan from the USA.
