Buying Land in Zagreb
Building and agricultural land for sale in Zagreb and the surrounding area.
Buying land requires a different type of due diligence than buying an apartment or house, since it's essential to establish the plot's actual designated use, building potential, and the availability of utility connections. Hermes Nekretnine helps clients buy building or agricultural land in Zagreb and the wider area risk-free, whether you plan to build right away or hold the land as a long-term investment.
More and more families are choosing to build their own house instead of buying a finished property, since this allows full control over the room layout, materials and the final look of the home. The area around Zagreb, including Sesvete, Bregana and the areas toward Samobor and Zaprešić, offers a larger supply of building plots at more favourable prices than an equivalent space closer to the city centre would cost. Besides for construction, land is also often bought as a long-term investment, with the expectation that its value will grow as the urban area expands. Agricultural land attracts a different type of buyer, more focused on the potential for future use than immediate construction.
Before deciding, it's worth comparing several plots with similar characteristics in the same area to get a realistic picture of the market price. The presence of infrastructure isn't always obvious at first glance. Even if neighbouring plots have electricity and water, your plot may not have a direct connection, meaning an additional cost for bringing in utilities that can amount to a significant share of the overall construction budget. Always request written confirmation from the relevant utility companies about the possibility of connection before making a final decision.
Building land within city limits is usually more expensive but comes with clearer construction conditions and easier access to utility connections. Building land in suburban settlements is often more affordable, with a somewhat longer permitting process due to less developed infrastructure. Agricultural land is most often bought either for farming or as a long-term investment with the expectation of a future change of use, which requires patience and realistic expectations.
If you're buying land to build your own house, check the planning conditions for maximum building height, plot coverage ratio, and required setbacks from boundaries before purchase, since these directly determine what kind of house you can build. It's also worth checking access to the plot in different weather conditions and whether the access road is public or requires an agreement with neighbours.
After defining your criteria and reviewing available plots, we help you verify the land registry status, designated use and utility infrastructure availability. Once you've agreed on the price, a preliminary contract is signed with a deposit. Main contract and land registry entry. The contract is notarised, after which ownership is entered in the land registry.
Some buyers don't plan to build right away, but instead buy land as a long-term investment, expecting its value to grow as the urban area expands or infrastructure develops. This strategy requires patience, since a change of use or infrastructure development can take years, with no guarantee it will happen within the planned timeframe. Before making such an investment, we recommend researching the area's development plans with the relevant city or municipal authority, so you have realistic expectations about the plot's future potential.
Be sure to visit the plot in person before making a decision. Check the exact boundaries by comparing them with the cadastral plan, check the quality of the access road in different weather conditions, and talk to neighbours where possible to get a sense of the area.
If a plot's boundaries aren't clearly marked on the ground, we recommend hiring a licensed surveyor to confirm them against the cadastral records before signing the final contract. This small upfront cost can prevent costly boundary disputes with neighbours later on. Some plots are also sold through a public auction run by the city or municipality, which can sometimes result in a more favourable price, but requires familiarity with the procedure and advance preparation. In such cases, we help clients understand the auction conditions and assess the plot's realistic value before participating.
Financing land works somewhat differently than financing a finished property, since banks are often more cautious with undeveloped land and may require a higher down payment. It's worth discussing financing options with your bank in advance, especially if you plan to build immediately afterward and will need a separate construction loan.
Before signing, it's essential to verify the seller's ownership through the land registry, confirm there are no liens or disputed claims, and check whether a pre-emption right exists for neighbours or the municipality, which is common for some agricultural plots.
Can I build on agricultural land? Not without changing the plot's designated use to building land, which is a lengthy process that depends on the area's spatial plan and isn't guaranteed. How long does obtaining a building permit take? Depending on the project's complexity and the speed of the relevant offices, the process usually takes several months to a year from submitting complete documentation. What if the plot doesn't have clear boundaries on the ground? We recommend hiring a licensed surveyor to mark the exact boundaries according to the cadastre before signing the final contract. How do I know how much I can build on a plot? Planning conditions determine the maximum building ratio and height, and we check this information before proposing a plot to you.
Our team guides you through every step of buying land in Zagreb and the wider area, from defining your criteria and checking designated use and utility availability, to legal verification, negotiation and the final land registry entry. We understand the specifics of both building and agricultural land, allowing us to help you make a well-informed decision, whether you're planning to build or investing for the long term.