Invest and do business in Barbados

A country with great opportunities in the tourism, banking and offshore financial services.

BARBADOS REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES

Legal Representation

Our Croatian representatives, realtors and developers are always here to assist our prospective international investors and buyers, tenants to meet their needs. We give our clients a full representation and bring them all the tools needed to realize their real estate investment safely and economically. When investing in Croatia, our priority is to make sure that your investment is protected as well as the investors under the Laws of Croatia and the European Union. Having a legal structure in place will be beneficial in many ways: 1) Better Tax Optimization, 2) Privacy and 3) Liability.

Barbados Real Estate Market

Croatia's property market is expected to remain strong in the coming years, thanks to robust demand supported by healthy economic growth. Croatia's property market is expected to remain strong in the coming years, thanks to robust demand supported by healthy economic growth, according to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Most Croatians are owner-occupiers. About 90.5% of Croatian households are currently living in an owner-occupied home or apartment, according to the Eurostat. The country's long-term rental market is very small. Most long-term rental properties are in Zagreb, Dubronik, and Split. 

Total roundtrip transaction costs are high, ranging from 10% to 15% for old properties. The bulk of the cost is accounted for real estate agent's fees, at 3% to 6%, split between buyer and seller. The real estate transfer tax is 5% but does not apply to the first sale of new buildings.

Investing in Barbados

The right of non-EU foreign nationals to buy a property in Croatia depends on reciprocity agreements between Croatia and the foreign buyer's home country. Foreign Buyers flock the costs. Croatia's high-end residential market continues to attract foreign buyers. About 70,000 foreigners own property on the Adriatic Coast. Only 3% of foreign buyers choose the City Capital, Zagreb. Luxury properties in Istria are popular among Germans, Austrians, and Slovenians. In Dalmatia, most luxury demand comes from the Croatian diaspora: Sweden, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Luxury homebuyers in Opatija are mostly Russians.

Of Croatia's 20 regions, the five most popular with foreign buyers are on the Adriatic Coast: Istria (33% of foreign-owned properties), Primorje-Gorski Kotar (26%), Split-Dalmatia (12%), Zadar (8%), and Dubrokniv-Neretva (6%).

Before Purchasing a Property

In order to have a clear definition of your project and meet your goal, it is necessary to process as follow:

1. DEFINITION OF YOUR OBJECTIVES
Before any process or research, it is necessary to define tangible objectives for your future investment: a rental profitability or an appreciation of your property, etc. We help on market specifics.

2. BUDGETING
After Defining your budget, our team in Croatia will make available all the best properties that meet budget and your goal.

3. INVESTMENT STRUCTURE
Registration of your company within 72 hrs. until ID Tax number id provided by the Croatian tax authorities.

4. BANK ACCOUNT
Following the creation of your company, the next most important step is to open a bank account for all the transactions related to your investment: rent payments, property tax payments, etc. The opening of your account can be carried out remotely by our Croatian team on presentation of your credentials and registration of your company in Croatia. You will have access to an online bank and will be the sole owner and manager of your account.

Purchasing a Property

Besides the definition of your project and the creation of your company, our Miami Team will support you in the research, negotiation and acquisition of your real estate property.

1. PROPERTY RESEARCH: Introductory market study will help outline your research and target opportunities on properties. Click below to see our listing.

2. VISIT OF PROPERTY:  Our Team will also help you to schedule your stay in Croatia in order to select the most appropriate property before drafting an offer.

3. OFFER AND DRAFT PURCHASE CONTRACT:  After final acceptance, the Purchase Agreement is written according to the laws of Croatia and EU. A deposit of 10% of the amount is required at the signing of the contract. It will be blocked on the Escrow Account of the Title Company in charge of necessary investigations.

4. SIGNATURE AND “CLOSING DISCLOSURE:  After due process, Contract is signed and the balance and other fee such as the Agency and Notary Fees shall be paid.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who can buy a property in Barbados?

Citizens of EU Member States - from 01. February.2009.

For citizens or legal persons who are not members of the European Union, the rule of reciprocity applies - if Croatian citizens can buy in that country, then the citizens of those countries can buy in Croatia. Here are some countries that have reciprocity, for the full list or additional questions contact us:

    • Argentina
    • Australia
    • Belarus
    • Bosna and Hercegovina
    • Brasil
    • Canada
    • Chile
    • Iraq
    • Iran
    • Israel
    • Japan
    • Kazakhstan
    • Kosovo
    • Lebanon
    • Lichtenstein
    • Makedonia
    • Malezia
    • Moldova
    • Montenegro
    • New Zeland
    • Norway
    • Panama
    • Paraguay
    • Russia
    • SAD
    • South Africa Republic
    • South Korea
    • Serbia
    • Switzerland
    • Turkey
    • Ukraine

Non EU citizens

The citizens of other countries, outside the EU, if they are a resident of the country that has a reciprocity agreement with Croatia, they are eligible to acquire real estate here with the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. List of countries with reciprocity agreement with Croatia expands constantly so best way is to check with us for latest information. Further, foreigners are prohibited from buying forest or agricultural land or any property which comes under the ambit of cultural monument. The faster way can be founding a company (SPV) in Croatia which then buys the real estate.

Costs and fees?

Real Estate Agent´s Fee 3% + PDV (tax) =3.75% - Paid by buyer

Real estate transfer tax: 3% - Paid by buyer

Exceptions

  1. In a situation where the company buys real estate, which is built and solely registered on the company, there is no transfer tax (company buys a company). Example – Foreign company buying hotel business or villa built with the intention for sale, for which purposes the company is made and/or operating.
  2. If the building is newly built, under Two (2) years, then there is no transfer tax, and the VAT is included in the price. Lawyer fee – 0% – We have the lawyer in our team.

Permission from the Ministry of Justice (for non-EU citizens), the Notary's Office fee and that of the translator and the fee charged by the Land Registrar – total up to EUR 500.

Purchase and acquisition process?

1) Estate Pre-contract agreement can be made if the buyer and seller agree on it, but if not, they can go straight to signing the main contract. However, if a pre-contract is signed, the buyer is expected to make a down payment of 10%-15% of the property price. The pre-contract contains all necessary terms and conditions as the main contact. Therfore, by signing it it becomes fully binding and the property is reserved for the buyer for the agreed time period, whitin which all the agreed terms and conditions provided in point 2) below shall be resolved and met. After that, the main contract can be signed.

2) The buyer then should apply for the consent from the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Necessary documents include:

    • The purchase agreement
    • The proof of ownership (seller)
    • Confirmation that the property is within the construction zone envisaged by the zoning plan
    • Proof of citizenship – buyer
    • Proof of citizenship – seller

3) The contract is then prepared by a lawyer for the parties to sign, deal and notaorised by a Croatian notary office. An official note of the contract should be made in the Land Registry. Once the Ministry of foreign affairs consent is granted, the contract needs to be registered in the Municipal Cadastral Department´s Land Books, and the purchase tax needs to be paid.

Is it possible to skip the pre-contract?

The pre-Contract can be avoided, only the Final Contract is signed in that case, it depends on the real estate status and things to be settled before concluding the main contract. If the buying process is simple and the buyer is prepared for the transaction of the funds, then there is no need for a Pre-contract. Pre-contract is useful is to prevent the property to be sold to another buyer, it is a good way for buyer and seller to commit each other to buy/sell the property and to agree on the fixed price that cannot be changed afterward.

What is the Notary Office?

The Notary Public is a qualified solicitor working for the Croatian Government. They ensure that all the documents involved in the property transaction are valid, legal and binding. Specifically, it is a requirement within Croatian Property law that the Notary Public witnesses the signatures on the Final Contract – without this witnessing stage the Final Contract is not legally binding. Also, the Notary Public will certify that any documents that have been translated from a foreign language to Croatian have been prepared by a registered court translator or the solicitor personally – thereby guaranteeing that the translated documents are true and valid. It will notarize signatures of the sellers on the contracts and is registering you as the new owner in land registry court books.

Financial Transfer?

Usually, the funds are transferred from seller's indicated bank to the vendor's account after the Sale and Purchase Contract is signed and notarized. Within period of 72 hours after signature of the contract, the Seller shall made payment through Bank Transfer to an indicated bank account of the Seller. The transaction shall be declared succesully and fully competed after the Seller signs the confirmation of the reception of the funds. This confirmation has to be also notarized (usually at the same time when the main Contract, and Seller holds this confirmation in hand until full amount of the selling price is received). Most people quite understandably are uncomfortable with the thought of sending money to someone in a foreign country with no apparent guarantees – in which case an Escrow Service can be used, or other ways of fund transfers, which we can explain in due time by mail.

What is an escrow service?

Escrow services are provided by most Notary Publics and by banks. Fees vary, Escrow Services or not, and whether they charge extra for the service, or you can use in some cases bank escrow account to execute the transfer of the funds in the moment when you are registered as new owner of the property in the land registry books/court.

How to open a Bank Account in Croatia?

For opening a bank account in Croatia, you will need your passport to prove your identity and OIB number that every person in Croatia must have (Personal identity tax number), which your solicitor process for you at local Tax Administration Office. Maybe the best way is that you open a banka account (EUR curremcy, which is Croatian national currncy) to locally handle the transfer of payments for the property transaction, which you will need for your local operations expenses once the transaction has completed. Payment shall be made in EUR currency.

Profit tax

There are two levels for profit tax that companies pay:

  1. 12%, if profit in the tax period (year) are up to €1,000,000.00.
  2. 18%, if profit in the tax period (year) are above €1,000,000.

Why invest in Croatia?

Croatia is a country in the European Union with sustainable economic development, a worldwide well-known tourist destination. It is becoming more and more popular. Because it is still developing towards its full potential there is a lot of space on the market for providing a new and innovative service in the hospitality sector. It has an affordable, talented and multilingual workforce, half of the population speaks English.

Tourism accounts for 12.5% of Croatia's GDP. Croatia achieved record results in revenue from foreign tourists in 2022, of €13.1 billion, and if we were to add to that the estimated revenue from domestic tourists, we would arrive at a total of about €15 billion. In 2020, €7 billion was invested in the construction and renovation of commercial and residential properties, campsites, nautical tourism harbors, and theme parks, etc. Therefore, all these investments and business development make Croatia a great potential for investments.

Croatia is a traditional Mediterranean destination and because of its geographic proximity is very attractive to major emissive markets like Germany, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, and other states in Central and Southeast Europe.

Croatia is full of natural beauties and untouched nature. There are 8 national parks and 11 nature parks giving the total of 10% of the protected area, over thousands of years many old towns and maritime ports have been built along the coast and on the many islands.

To visit Croatia means to become part of its landscape of natural wonders. Its national parks may be the country's best-known conservation areas. It's like an open-air museum conceived by Mother Nature. Croatia has been blessed with some astonishing pieces of nature.

DATA OF BARBADOS TOURISM

Barbados tourism in 2023

We drive your investment leads and add value to your wealth. For us, your property means your wealth. Get the best solutions on mdaglobalrealestate.com platform, stimulating your business economic growth. Croatia is a great investment destination.

  • Tourists

    17.5 Millions

  • Nights

    86.2 milion

  • Foreign Tourists

    40.85 millions

  • Domestic Tourists

    3,1 million

  • Population

    4 million

  • Land Area

    56,000 Km²

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