Croatian Sun markets Zagreb City living in Santa Domenica Complex

Croatia has slipped of the overseas property radar of late due to the rise of other Eastern Europe nations jostling to steal the real estate media limelight. A surge in low cost travel to these nations and the expanding menu of ‘city-break’ destinations on offer has meant Croatia has become one might even say, mainstream. Eagerly awaiting almost certain accession to the European Union, Croatia has been busy building up a ‘classy’ tourism profile whilst other markets shout and scream about their bargain-basement offerings.

Currently Croatia’s rate of tourism growth exceeds that of any of its European competitors and is second only worldwide to China.  This growth is set to increase by an average of 6.9 % per year boosted by up market features in Marie Claire and on CNN which are building an international profile. The Croatia Tourist Board is marketing itself as “The Mediterranean as it once was“ offering Italianesque coastal resorts and a wealth of Slavic and Roman heritage its no wonder its cities are attracting visitors seeking a cultural hit of stately 19th century architecture with a hint of refinement.

Mention Zagreb and instantly the mind fills with war-torn images, news reporters conveying death and destruction. Fast forward ten years and expect a relaxed welcome and the modern day hustle and bustle worthy of a regular university city. Fresh from hosting the International Puppetry Festival (where do you think Kermit the Frog hits the red carpet!) and a more mainstream Film Festival, Zagreb’s more obvious charms are green spaces, Upper Town ambience and theatre arts, crafts and markets off-set by a quotidien coffee culture, diverse shopping options and an international array of cuisine offer an appealing way to spend the day. It would be easy to brand Croatia’s largest city ‘Europe’s next Prague or Budapest’ but it would do little justice to the 1002 year old, artistic, cultural and political capital of Croatia’s north-west. Zagreb is making a name for itself not only in the tourist stakes but on the football stage with teams like Dinamo Zagreb enjoying some international success and demonstrating just part of Croatia’s westernised lifestyle.

The 780,000 odd ‘Purgeri’ or citizens of Zagreb as they refer to themselves, like to mingle with continental visitors drawn by low crime rates and decent accommodation, which, incidentally have also caught the eye of a handful of international companies. Deloitte, GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, L’Oreal, Nestlé and Siemens have also been quietly making it their country headquarters as Zagreb sits at just over 2 hours flying from the UK and a short taxi ride from Pleso Airport to the city centre. A selection of low cost carriers such as Wizz Air have expanded air travel options from just Croatian Airlines, making it more cost-effective to reach. Croatia is well located 400km south of Viena whilst Zagreb is a transport hub to the Adriatic coast and into Central Europe.

The upsurge of international business has brought wealth to the city and with it a demand for Croatian property which presently is in undersupply and is further exacerbated by the 26,000 university students residing in the city each year, many of whom need private accommodation. Strong evidence for housing demand in a range of sectors is the theory behind the expected capital appreciation of property in Zagreb at 20% per annum contributing to the rapid release of new build projects in city quarters such as Santa Domenica drawing interest from overseas investors hoping to meet the need for property in Zagreb.

Santa Domenica Complex, Zagreb City Apartments
Known as the Garden Surburd, Santa Domenica lies 15 mins on the outskirts of Zagreb city. The Santa Domenica complex is the first ‘all-inclusive’ residential development of it’s kind. A selection of high quality apartments and villas have been decked out with central heating, stylish bathrooms, parquet flooring, air conditioning and security features as standard.

At over 1200m2, the complex houses a full scale shopping centre including health centre, vet surgery, kindergarten, banks and shops, wellness and fitness facilities as well as leisure outlets including a host of eateries, bars and supermarkets. Gated, round the clock surveillance and on-site property management offer peace of mind whilst landscaped gardens offer greenery and pleasant surroundings in which to reside.
Final phase properties have just been released off plan and are availabe now from 1390  Euros/m2. Finance options are available for non-residents with a 70% loans over a maximum of 20 years at a rate of 7.75% interest which have been released by a renowned Austrian bank.

Brand new one bedroom apartments start just shy of 85,000 Euros and are on the market with Croatia property agents Croatiansun. For more information contact Croatiansun on +385 1 489 8010 or drop them an e-mail here.

Fashioning an identity as a top European hub for business, academia, culture, art and sports is the science behind strong emerging markets and just part of the reason Croatia, Zagreb and the Santa Domenica complex have excellent investment potential. Apart from stacking up financially with income not limited to a certain rental marketplace, this is an opportunity to own a property in a genuinely unique city. One might say, a “Capital Investment” to put your money into.