Property in Croatia hots up

Property in the eastern European nation of Croatia is emerging as an interesting investment opportunity for UK buyers.

That is the view of overseas venture experts Property Abroad, which says the country presents "exceptionally good value" for investors.

According to the company the market is beginning to develop at pace - with the possibility of EU membership on the horizon – making now a good time to make a purchase.

"It's not as developed a property market as those other countries such as Greece and Italy, but it's certainly one to look out for, for the investor who likes to get ahead of everybody else," said Les Calvert, director of Property Abroad.

According to the Croatian tourist board almost 11 million tourists – foreign and domestic – visited Croatia between January and November 2007, a rise of eight per cent from the same period in 2006.

And now investors are beginning to take notice of the country.

"Croatia's exceptionally good value for money. We've seen a large increase in online searches for property in Croatia in the last 12 months, so obviously people are starting to take more interest," continued Mr Calvert.

There is also tremendous variety available to investors in Croatia, according to Property Abroad.

"It is a bit of both, really – people are looking at cities, inland properties that they can pick up relatively cheaply. But also people are looking at new developments on the beaches," explained Mr Calvert.

"It really is a bit of everything."

However, buyers looking at the market are warned by the company Croatian property can require a great deal of paperwork to acquire.