Myriad islands
Among the islands there are mountainous and flat, rocky and sandy beaches, almost devoid of vegetation and wooded - overgrown with pines, olives and various Mediterranean plants. They are united by an indescribable beauty – the unique landscape of the coastline, amazing rocky shores stretching into the emerald depths of the sea, attracting divers from all over Europe with their purity and transparency.
Of course, not all of the huge number of islands are available to buyers. Some have a strategic, military purpose. Others are very large, have long been inhabited and built up. For example, the island of Brac is the birthplace of white marble, which began to be mined here for the construction of palaces at the beginning of the first millennium. The neighboring island, Hvar, has been repeatedly mentioned among the ten most beautiful islands in the world. The whole world is famous for the islands of Korcula - the birthplace of Marco Polo - and Mljet, where, according to legend, Odysseus spent many years. On many of these islands, you can buy a villa or an apartment, but it is certainly impossible to acquire private ownership of an island with an area of tens of square kilometers.
However, in the neighborhood of these islands there are many small ones - from 1 ha, less well-known and often completely uninhabited, on which even monuments of ancient Roman architecture can be found. One of these corners of paradise can be purchased or rented from both the state and a private person.
What to build, how to get there
The island can be purchased both with a villa and without any buildings. However, according to Croatian legislation, only restoration of existing objects is allowed on small islands. It is impossible to erect new buildings, but if there is at least an old dilapidated foundation on the island, then a house can be built in its place. "The Croatian authorities are very sensitive to nature," says Alexander Hripushin, Deputy General director of Promet-Trans, "and believe that it is better to leave the island in pristine condition than to allow the construction of housing on it." That is why the most interesting islands are those where everything necessary has already been created - houses, communications, electricity, berths, boat lifts.
The islands of Croatia are ideal for yacht owners. If populated islands are connected to the mainland by regular ferry service, and some even have airports and bridges connecting them to the mainland, then you will have to get to a private island by yacht or motor boat. On the one hand, the need to independently provide sea communication increases the cost of the project. On the other hand, it is the sea expanses that attract yachtsmen here. By the way, it is especially advantageous to keep a yacht off the islands of Croatia from the point of view of tax planning.
Your own paradise or a paradise for tourists?
Independent investment consultant Tatiana Bulakh believes that potential buyers of the islands are divided into two categories: some want to live on the island themselves, others want to build a tourist business there. The islands of Croatia are suitable both for creating your own corner of paradise and for creating an exclusive mini-resort.
Today, Croatian hotels on the mainland are no longer coping with the ever-increasing flow of tourists. Therefore, the Croatian authorities make an exception and allow the construction of tourist facilities on the islands, if this does not contradict the development plans of the territory. For example, on the island you can build restaurants where numerous yacht owners and their guests can dine, small hotels, etc
. Experts consider it very profitable to buy an island for the purpose of its subsequent arrangement and leasing or the development of a tourist business there. "It seems to us," comments Elena Nevskaya from Adrionika, "that the greatest shortage in Croatia is currently villas on the seashore with a large plot of land, and not only on the islands. The demand for them is great, and there is practically no supply. Therefore, the construction of elite residential facilities for their subsequent resale or rental has enormous potential." Experts have no doubt that the islands will attract a large number of connoisseurs of pristine nature, the purest sea and peace.
Tatiana Bulakh also offers another interesting option - to buy an island and leave it "until better times", because in the future, firstly, transport links will be established, and secondly, prices will rise, and the island can be sold profitably if desired.
Reserve for sale
Currently, about 10 islands are for sale. Their prices range from 500,000 to 6 million euros. Although the value of the transaction is set not by its participants, but by the Ministry of Finance of the country, it usually coincides with the level of market prices. The buyer is also obliged to pay a five percent tax to the state upon taking ownership. For 1.5 million euros, you can buy an island with an area of 3.5 hectares, 90% overgrown with pine forest, with a sandy beach and a bay, but without any buildings. 4.95 million euros is the price of a fairly large, 45-hectare, wooded island located in the Kornati Archipelago - the national reserve of the country. For 6 million euros, you can buy two islands separated by a small bay, with a total area of 55 hectares, with sandy beaches and olive groves. This offer is ideal from the point of view of organizing a tourist business – there are buildings on the basis of which you can organize a tourist complex, and the distance to the second largest Croatian island of Cres is only 15 km.
Island for rent
Potential buyers often rent the island to make sure that their choice is correct. The cost of short-term rental is from 500 to 1500 euros per week. A long-term lease, for up to 100 years, can be an alternative to buying, its cost is set individually. Among the islands there are some that are only rented out and not for sale. There are small stone villas on these islands, where it is pleasant to relax in the hot Mediterranean summer. As a rule, they are designed for 6-8 people, equipped with their own power system and water supply. The owner usually lives on the island, ready to offer transport to tenants for a fee and provide them with food. Being a private territory, the islands are fenced off from the outside world, so lovers of recreation away from civilization go there.
The attractiveness of the Croatian islands has already been appreciated by foreign investors, primarily German and Italian companies. By purchasing islands with an area of several dozen hectares today, they hope that Croatia's future accession to the EU will entail an increase in prices. According to some forecasts, the cost of the islands may increase by 400%.
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