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Buy Land in Croatia - English-Speaking Law Firm

Land Registry in Croatia

Updated on Friday 06th October 2023

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land registry in croatia
 
If you want to buy land in Croatia and you want to find out what are the legal aspects that you must respect, we recommend that you contact one of our specialists. Thus, with the help of our lawyers in Croatia, you can make sure that all the formalities and procedures are fulfilled. We recommend that you read the following lines and find out some important information about how to buy land in Croatia.

 

Legal services offered for the purchase of land in Croatia

 
The decision to buy land in Croatia should also lead to contacting a law firm in Croatia, such as our company. Some of our experts have experience in acquiring land in Croatia, which greatly simplifies the process itself. In this sense, our Croatian lawyers can offer you help and specialized legal advice in the following important aspects:
 
  • Property check – The history and documents of the land you want to buy in Croatia are analyzed. In this way, legal issues may appear that were either hidden or were in plain sight but were not resolved from a legal point of view. Our lawyer in Croatia can explain in detail what to do in such a case.
  • Property survey - A private inspection is done when a property survey is recommended. In this situation, it is possible to discover if there are problems with the respective land, if there are risks regarding natural disasters, the electrical and gas system. Only a specialist in the field can handle this type of inspection, and one of our lawyers in Croatia can take an interest in this matter.
  • Cadastral plans – A cadastral plan must include comprehensive information about the size of the land plot, location, geographical matters, etc. This type of document can be provided by the real estate agent you work with and can then be checked by one of our lawyers.
  • Price negotiation - If you consider that the land plot chosen for purchase does not reflect the correct price, you can start the negotiation process. Thus, our experts in the field can develop a discussion on this direction, in which the main topic will be the value of the respective land.
  • Sale-purchase contract – Once all the documents of the respective property are in order from a legal point of view, you can proceed to draw up the sale-purchase contract. It can be supervised by one of our attorneys in Croatia to ensure that there is all the information regarding: history, disputes, previous owners, notices, dimensions, value, buyer, seller, and payment method.
 
We specify that once the sale-purchase contract is drawn up and accepted by our specialists, it can be signed in front of the public notary. But if you cannot travel to Croatia for this, you can be represented with a power of attorney by one of our lawyers in Croatia.
 

Functions of the Land Registry in Croatia

 

The main responsibilities of the Land Registry in Croatia are:

 

  • Publicity – Information in relation with land registration is made available to the public and not just the party who has a vested interest in the property.
  • Protection of trust in a legal transaction regarding real property - Anyone who wishes to acquire a property may rely on the information in the Land Registry as being true and complete.
  • Order function – It sets the order of priority in property rights. A right which is registered earlier will have precedence in acquiring rights over those that were registered later.
  • Land Registry Court – It makes judicial decisions on land registration applications, particularly in case of disputes on titles.
  • Various administrative functions relating to land registration – As from 2005, the applications for land registration are decided by land registry clerks and judges will decide on appeals.
     

Real property cadastre
 

In Croatia, there is a dual system of real estate records – Land Register and the Real Property Cadastre.  There are 112 cadastral municipality offices which are under the State Geodetic Administration. The real property cadastre maintains a register of land parcels, buildings and other structures permanently present on the land or under its surface, as well as the special legal status of the land if it is not otherwise prescribed by the law.
 
The real property cadastre is also in charge of determination of cadastral spatial units, cadastral survey, development, and maintenance of cadastral documentation, maintenance of land cadastre and sporadic transformation of cadastral parcels into the real property cadastre. These cadastre data is required when making an application for land registration.   

Our lawyers in Croatia can help you deal with all the formalities for applying for land registration. On the other hand, if you are a foreigner interested in buying land in this country you can get in touch with our immigration lawyers in Croatia for in-depth assistance.
 

Land acquisition by foreign investors
 

Any non-EU citizen who wishes to acquire real estate in Croatia may only do so if there is a reciprocal agreement between Croatia and their country. Foreign investors from EU countries enjoy the same rights as Croatian citizens with the exception of agricultural land and nature reserves as protected by special laws. However, if a foreign investor establishes a company in Croatia, that Croatian company may acquire real estate without limitation.  
 

The property ownership verification in Croatia

 
A property in Croatia can be verified in a transparent manner and with the help of the official website of the Ministry of Justice of this country. One can fill out the form offered on the webpage with information about the city where the property is found, and about the cadastral municipality.
 
The control number issued as soon as you submitted the necessary information can reveal the details of the property you wish to verify. In any case, whether you would like to make a verification on the internet or not, it is suggested to have in mind the fact that legal assistance is necessary and available through our law firm in Croatia.
 

Real estate diligence recommended before buying land in Croatia

 
Yes, foreigners interested in purchasing a property in Croatia can solicit real estate due diligence in order to find out if everything is in order and there are no financial risks or reconstruction interventions that are not declared or are hidden. A real estate due diligence procedure might reveal any litigation problems of a property and the outcome in such a situation. Moreover, the authorizations are verified with the help of the real estate due diligence procedure.
 
Our lawyers are at your disposal with comprehensive legal advice, if you are interested in acquiring a property for personal purposes or for opening a business in Croatia, for which real estate due diligence is mandatory. Whether you are looking for a business office, a warehouse, a factory, a condominium, a hotel or a residential apartment in Croatia, checking with the entitled authorities is mandatory at the time of buying such properties in Croatia. Let our team handle the verifications with the Land Registry in Croatia, as they have knowledge of the Croatian legislation related to the real estate property acquisition.
 
 

Statistical data about properties in Croatia

 
If you want to buy land in Croatia, we advise you to check the market and the offers before accepting a price. Usually, the price reflects the type of property, size, surroundings, facilities, the area in which it is located and, why not, the quality of life in the respective city. Here are some statistical data in this regard:
 
  • Zagreb is the capital of Croatia and the largest city. Here, new residence prices increased by 14.8% in Q2 of 2022.
  • The Adriatic Coast is also among the preferences of those who want to buy properties in Croatia. Here prices of new private residences rose by 12.79%, as registered in Q2 of 2022.
 
Should you have any inquiry in relation to any of the matters mentioned above, please contact our law firm in Croatia.