Investment in Croatia better than in Spain? Piotr lists the advantages

He buys plots and apartments together with a group of investors. When asked about prices, he avoids specific sums. – In Croatia, prices change so dynamically that what seems to be the upper ceiling today in a year is an opportunity – he argues.

Not only business

The house on the Adriatic has always been a dream, but in order to live in it, you had to act entrepreneurial. – To leave something for ourselves, we had to sell something to others. We bought a plot, made a project of apartments, sold some of them, and left the rest for ourselves. That was the plan – he explains.

Orebić is his permanent place of residence today. – Daughter goes to kindergarten, now she will go to school. Sometimes we go to Warsaw, but this is our home here – he says without hesitation.

Croatian “slow life” and formalities in “Polako” mode

Although Croatia is part of the European Union, investing here is not the same as in Poland. – Everything happens here slower. “POLOKO, POLOKO” – say Croats, meaning “slowly, slowly”. The peace is inscribed in DNA Kania laughs.

However, investors must arm themselves not only with cash, but also with patience. – We waited two years for the building permit. The formalities stretch for months and usually last a year or two. It is not enough to go to the notary and have peace here. You have to check everything yourself or have a local architect or engineer who will watch it – says our interlocutor.

A language barrier is also a problem. – English is sometimes not enough. If anyone knows Croatian, they do things faster and more trust – he adds.

Prices that only rise

Contrary to expectations, the introduction of the euro in Croatia did not cause a revolution on the real estate market. – House and plots prices have always been given here in euros, even before the common currency came in officially. Croats have been mentally living in it for years – explains Kania.

What really matters is a limited supply and huge interest. – Houses by the sea are not built massively. There are often three or five offers in the whole town. There is no question of blocks of flats. Hence the prices are rising and they are unlikely to fall.

According to him, even today in Croatia you can buy a new house with a sea view at a price lower than on the Baltic Sea. – I have customers from the Tri -City who say it's cheaper and better here – Not only in terms of real estate prices, but also the quality of restaurants that in Pomerania can be absurdly expensive – he emphasizes.

Better than in Spain

Safety is one of the main reasons why Kania considers Croatia to be better than popular investment directions, such as Spain or France.

– Here you can leave an open house, bike, boat. Nothing happens. In Spain, I heard about burglaries, occupying houses by wild tenants (Spanish. Ocupas – people who illegally occupy someone else's property), and in France about the fear of going for a walk at night. This is not here. People feel safe.

Poles come

And what does everyday life look like? – Croats are unlikely to invite guests home, they prefer to meet in cafes and restaurants. However, they are hospitable and open, especially when you speak Croatian. For them it is a great gesture – he says.

Piotr and his family entered the local community smoothly. – Daughter speaks Croatian like peers. For her, Poland is a place for a vacation, not a house – he explains.

There are also Polish neighbors. – Many people bought old houses here and renovated them with taste. There are more and more of us here.

Not only the sun and olives

“Croats are different than Poles, but not strangers,” says Kania. – It is a nation that loves its country very much, which is sometimes difficult to relate to foreigners. They are cordial, but they can also be jealous. They have a recent war behind them, which left in them a strong sense of identity and caution towards strangers. But when you get their trust, they are loyal and helpful – he adds.

Like mentality, a local approach to work and organization differs. – Time flows differently in Croatia. Formalities are done for a long time, you often have to go to the office personally, remember and talk. But it works – you only need to change the mode of action. Here, everything is more “for relationships” than for procedures. And if something goes wrong – you won't get a punishment right away. They will call, say: correct, complete. This is something that is often missing in Poland – he notes.

And although Croatia attracts primarily with weather and sea, everyday life in Orebicz is more than just a view from the terrace. – In winter it is also green, the sun shines, you do not need to scrape the glass in the car. But these are not eternal holidays. We work here, run a company, we raise a child. It's a normal life, but … you just live here much calmer and more stress -free – he sums up.

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Robert Makłowicz has already been here

– It is no accident that Robert Makłowicz has just loved Croatia. He understood this country better than many a guide – says Piotr Kania. – And he also chose noon. Anyway, if someone once watched his episodes from the Adriatic, he knows that You don't eat in a hurry here, you don't work until the night and doesn't plan everything with a watch in his hand – emphasizes.

Makłowicz today not only arrives here – he lives here and we often meet him. In the recording promoting the investment, Bugenvilla says bluntly: “This is my world. These are my flavors. These are my smells. This is my rhythm of life. Here I feel at home because I am at home” – he declares, sitting on the terrace with a view of Pelješac.

Is it worth it?

– Definitely. Not only for financial reasons. This investment turned life in life – sums up Kania. – If someone dreams of their place in the south of Europe and has some patience, then Croatia is a great choice.

And he immediately adds: – I didn't stop investing. I keep doing it. Not only because it pays off. People ask me if I would do it again. And I keep doing it. I didn't stop. Because here I not only build apartments. I built my life here.