Slovenians purchase around 10,000 properties annually in Croatia, with their interest primarily focused on the northern parts of the Adriatic coast. Krk Island is traditionally the most popular place for Slovenians, where they often decide to buy vacation homes or apartments. The island's attractiveness lies in its convenient location and easy accessibility – from the capital city of Ljubljana, Krk is about a two-hour drive. Many Slovenians also buy properties here because their friends or relatives already own properties in the area, which strengthens community ties and ensures a pleasant environment for vacations.
Besides Slovenians, interest in Croatian properties has been growing among citizens of other countries, particularly Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. Statistics show that after Slovenians, Germans are the second largest group of foreign property buyers in Croatia. Currently, they own approximately 90,000 properties, with their purchases mainly concentrated in areas such as Istria, Zadar, and Split. Germans purchase around 8,000 properties annually in Croatia.
Czechs, who are the third-largest group of foreign buyers, own around 50,000 properties in Croatia. The interest of Czechs is mainly focused on Central Dalmatia, with popular destinations including cities like Makarska, Šibenik, and Trogir. Czechs purchase around 4,000 properties annually, often choosing apartments near the beach.
Citizens of Slovakia and Poland form other significant groups of buyers. Slovaks own around 30,000 properties in Croatia, and Poles approximately 25,000. Annually, Slovaks purchase around 2,500 properties, while Poles buy about 2,000. Both Slovaks and Poles prefer buying properties in areas geographically close and easily accessible, such as regions around Zadar and Istria.
Investing in real estate in Croatia represents not only a way for many foreign buyers to secure vacation accommodation but also a profitable investment. Many of them rent out their properties to tourists, which, with proper management, can generate significant returns. This trend is especially noticeable among Slovenians and Germans, who increasingly purchase houses with pools intended exclusively for tourist rental. This form of investment is proving lucrative due to the growing popularity of Croatia as a tourist destination.
The Croatian real estate market is undergoing dynamic development, primarily driven by foreign buyers' interest. This trend positively impacts the local economy and contributes to further development of infrastructure and services that are important for both tourists and local residents.
