Buying Property on Hvar, Croatia: My Crazy Story

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What is it like buying property in Croatia? Some purchases are a lot more spontaneous and ill-thought out than others.
The year is 2002, and I am working as an aid worker in Somaliland in east Africa. Just a few weeks later, I would be a homeowner on a Dalmatian island I had never heard of two days before my arrival.
Buying a property on the island of Hvar back in 2002 was one of the best decisions of my life, although it did not seem so at the time. You can learn why in the video.
Want to learn more about this magical island? Check out the Total Croatia Hvar in a Page guide - www.total-croatia.com/hvar
Want to learn more about the realities of living in this flawed but majestic country? Our new book, Croatia, a Survival Guide for Foreigners is now available on Amazon. www.amazon.com/Croatia-Surviv...
Video produced by Igor Vuk of Wolf Media.
For your daily dose of Croatia, check out www.total-croatia-news.com
Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn - / paul-bradbury-58662a85

[@CroatiaRealEstate]

It seems that everyone enjoyed the interview. Yes, the prices were low back then. Unfortunately, they will never come back as low as they were.

[@MattKucia]

I'm in Trogir at this very time. It's December in 2 days so already off-season. Some restaurants are still open, you can even see tourists from time to time. Can't go wrong living next to the largest city in Dalmatia (Split). Considering how infrequent the ferries are in the winter I conclude that living on islands without bridge land access is only for the toughest mediterrain-lovers. Cheers.

[@ahmedomri51]

Thanks for sharing

[@PaulBradbury]

You are very welcome. Lots more videos coming on this channel about life in Croatia through foreign eyes if you want to subscribe.

[@reneblazevic]

Hey Paul, that's quite an interesting story and I'm also thinking about moving to Croatia. Just one little thing from an Photo- and Videoexpert: When using two cameras for an interview, make sure to stick to the 180 degree rule. In this video when cutting between both cameras, you sometimes looked to the left and sometimes to the right of the camera. Draw an imaginary line between you and the interviewer and place both cameras on the same side of that line. Good luck!

[@PaulBradbury]

ok thanks - will pass on to my video chap

[@chicago9458]

This is an awesome discovery 💡

[@PaulBradbury]

It really was

[@fidemclam]

Great story... pozdrav iz Istre

[@PaulBradbury]

Thank you. Lots more coming on the channel if you want to subscribe.

[@fidemclam]

@@PaulBradbury I am subscribed, for a couple of weeks now 😉🥂

[@zagrepcanin82]

budite sretni....nekoliko mjeseci buke a većina godine mir i tišina. kao na Olibu i Silbi....nema prometa.e to se zove robinzonski turizam. da odem na otok za godišnji i odmorim se a ne da se vratim još umorniji

[@PaulBradbury]

haha, there is certainly something really magical about island living.

[@smirnov5795]

40 000€, for a house.. on Hvar. I was born too late :))

[@PaulBradbury]

You still can although probably not in jelsa

[@rogerhudson9732]

I managed to buy a house in Stari Grad in about 2 hours plus about a day waiting or my London bank to transfer funds. It's now being renovated for rental and very nice, thanks Paul.

[@PaulBradbury]

I heard you had a phenomenal real estate agent - what was his name again?

[@nena273]

Normal for CRO😊

[@user-ek9lw2vd6x]

Lovely story, 41k euros you are LAUGHING NOW :))))) We did the same a few years ago in split, maybe I will post a video of our experience bc the cigarette ash on the contract is so so real haha!

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha, well the house was not that great

[@reconquista1911]

Is Split and surroundings similarly as dead after the summer season?

[@superymariowest2403]

You get used to it. I came to expect it. Going to touristy places just feels off.

[@PaulBradbury]

And yet it wasn't off at all. It just took time to adjust, but it was an amazing way of life for 13 years.

[@brucemattingly6476]

Paul, great story, where in Croatia do you live now..? If Hvar home bought 2002, you lived there 13 years, so around 2015 you must have relocated. FYI, I have friend from Zadar, wonderful person. If not too personal what was your selling price of Hvar home..? Cheers 🥂

[@PaulBradbury]

Now in Zagreb. Selling price was more than I paid for it.

[@brucemattingly6476]

@Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert Haha, good fortune my friend, enjoy Zagreb, I'm sure you miss being by the sea but experiencing more of what Croatia offers. Blessings.

[@fernandomilicich8160]

My grandparents come from Brusje, Hvar. Beauty island

[@PaulBradbury]

What were their names and where are you now?

[@nevankabediv5035]

My favour island

[@PaulBradbury]

We have that in common

[@Maris_RealEstate_Croatia]

I had a memorable experience during my visit to Hvar when I was with a friend who was supposed to be painting a boat for work. Instead, for five days in a row, he ended up staying with friends for coffee. During one of those coffee breaks, he shared a profound thought with me: 'The best thing in life is when something happens out of nothing.' His words really resonated with me and reminded me to appreciate the unexpected surprises that life has to offer.

[@PaulBradbury]

Vrh

[@Maris_RealEstate_Croatia]

@@PaulBradbury da tada mi je to bilo smjesno ali kad pogledam sve spontane situacije su najbolje :)

[@zoricamastrovic3914]

Every thing happen out of nothing! All Creation...

[@boskotenzera3900]

👍🖐

[@KimTran-vb1ci]

How much is the property tax you have to pay annually? I love your channel, subscribed!

[@PaulBradbury]

I forget (I don't own a property any more) but minimal. And thanks!

[@liamensuisse]

Holiday home tax in my case (Šolta) is approx €2 per square metre per year

[@KimTran-vb1ci]

@@liamensuisse Thank you so much. The rate €2/ m2/year is for the area of the house, or for the whole property, ie. the house and the lot the house is sitting on? Say for example, my house is 100 square meters and it sits on a 500 square meter plot of land. Then how much property tax do I pay yearly?

[@liamensuisse]

@@KimTran-vb1ci The inhabitable area of the property (i.e. interior space of the house). I found my bill from last year was just over 16kn per m2, so I’m expecting about €2.20 per m2 this year. As Paul said, minimal.

[@liamensuisse]

So to answer your scenario in my municipality a 100m2 property would be approx €220 per year. If there is more than one owner named on the deeds the amount would be equally divided and invoiced separately

[@drazenbabich]

41k EUR in 2002 wouldn’t have bought you a house in Jelsa, a flat or apartment needing some good dose of TLC, maybe ;)

[@PaulBradbury]

Based on my personal experience, with respect, I disagree.

[@drazenbabich]

@@PaulBradbury The issue is by making broad statements like those (bought a house on Hvar for 41k Eur) you build a slightly warped picture of what is/was possible to purchase in Croatia, especially on Dalmatian coast. As someone who has been linked to Hvar from my childhood and continues to be in my current years, it just doesn't sit well with me, sorry. Respectfully too, of course. ;)

[@PaulBradbury]

@@drazenbabich Not sure what is warped about it, as when I arrived in Jelsa in 2002, I only found one house for sale, price 41,000 euro and I bought it. If you know Jelsa well, it is the house next to Andro Tomic the winemaker in Banski Dolac, and the seller was Antun Franicevic. I only mentioned the price in passing (and only realised I had when I saw articles in the Croatian media). Having then opened a real estate agency on Hvar in 2003, I know of plenty of examples of sales at the same price at the time. My first client sale was a 3-story finished stone house in Stari Grad with terrace, fully furnished - price 50k. Lovely property. Sorry if it doesn't sit well with you, but it doesn't mean it was not true.

[@tyaziescubio6631]

Sir i appreciate u liking croatia i have job offer as room attendant here in qatar my salary is 600euro is it really the salary required for blue colar job? Hope u can help me for information because i am clueless and i feel that it is low salary for europian country. Thank u and be safe ☺️

[@goran500]

Can you please show what did you buy in 2022 in Jelsa, Hvar for 41.000€?!? It is impossible to buy anything there for 41.000€! Your friends are very uneducated to call one EU, Schengen and Eurozone country "warzone". UK is more warzone than Croatia.

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha if you listen again, you will see that the year is 2002