Houses in Zagreb
Family houses on the slopes, terraced houses and suburbs, prices and legal status.
A house in Zagreb means very different things depending on where it is. On the slopes of Medvednica it is a family house with a yard and a view over the city, in Novi Zagreb it is typically a terraced house with a small garden, and in suburban settlements such as Sesvete it is a spacious detached house on a larger plot at a much lower price. Hermes Nekretnine, based at Vlaška ulica 45, brokers house sales and purchases across all of these zones and this page explains how they differ.
Unlike an apartment, with a house the price is shaped equally by the land and the building itself. A large plot in an attractive location can be worth more than the house standing on it, especially if the house is older and intended for demolition or a full renovation.
The range is wide. Smaller terraced houses and older houses for renovation on the edges of the city run roughly from 250,000 to 450,000 euros. Well-kept family houses in good districts are usually in the 450,000 to 900,000 euro range, and newer villas on the slopes of Medvednica, with a larger yard and a view, regularly exceed one million euros. The price per square metre of built area for houses runs roughly from 2,500 to 4,500 euros, though for houses this figure is less reliable than for apartments because it does not include the value of the land.
The most sought-after family houses are on the northern slopes of the city, in areas such as Šestine, Gračani, Remete, Mlinovi and Markuševec, where closeness to nature meets a good connection to the centre. Bukovac and parts of Maksimir offer quieter streets with family houses near the park. To the west there are Vrhovec, Kraljevec and Prekrižje, while the south of the city, that is Novi Zagreb and settlements such as Trokut and Siget, is characterised by terraced houses. For more space at a lower price, buyers turn to Sesvete, Lučko, Odra and other suburban settlements.
Detached family houses offer the most privacy and space, but also the highest maintenance costs. Semi-detached and terraced houses are a cheaper option with a smaller yard and a shared wall with the neighbour. Villas and larger houses in attractive locations make up the luxury segment of the market. A separate part of the supply is older houses for renovation, where what is really being bought is the land and the location, with the building itself renovated or demolished.
For details on a particular area, see the district guides. Note that the supply of houses is largest on the slopes and on the edges of the city, while in the centre itself it is very limited:
A house brings more space, its own garden, parking and independence from the co-owners' association, but also higher costs for heating, maintaining the yard and renovating the roof or facade. An apartment is simpler to maintain and to let and is closer to the centre, but ties you to the building's shared decisions. Buyers who work from home and have children increasingly choose a house on the slopes or in Bukovac, while younger buyers and investors stay with apartments. If you are still deciding, compare the offer on the apartments in Zagreb page.
With a house we check whether it has a building and an occupancy permit and whether the entire built area is legal, since illegal extensions later cause problems with sale, lending and insurance. We compare the physical situation with the cadastre and the land registry, check the access road and whether a right of way is arranged if the road crosses someone else's plot, and whether there are connections to water, sewage, electricity and gas or a septic tank. On the slopes of Medvednica we additionally request information on ground stability and any landslides, and along the Sava and watercourses we check the flood risk. For older houses we assess the condition of the roof, services and foundations, and the energy properties because of the cost of heating a larger area.
A house buyer generally pays real estate transfer tax of three per cent of the assessed value, notary fees, the cost of the bank valuation and the loan processing fee. With houses you should also allow for higher costs of ongoing maintenance, insurance and any renovation, so we recommend drawing up an indicative estimate of the works the house will need over the next few years before buying. We set out the tax side in the guide Property taxes in Zagreb.
For a house loan the bank assesses both the land and the building, and if part of the house is illegal, that part is usually not taken into account in the valuation, which reduces the loan amount. Legalisation, where possible, is therefore often the first step even before advertising. Through mortgage brokerage we help align the valuation, the loan amount and the price.
We have prepared detailed guides for buying houses and selling houses. If you are selling, start with a property valuation, and if you need help with documentation and legalisation, see administrative and legal services and architectural services.
Houses carry more variables than apartments, from legal status to the condition of the ground, so knowing the specific location matters even more here. Contact our office at Vlaška ulica 45 in Zagreb, on +385 91 5767033 or at [email protected] for a valuation of your house or help finding one that fits your needs and budget.
Well-kept family houses in good districts are mostly in the 450,000 to 900,000 euro range, while houses for renovation on the edges of the city start from around 250,000 euros.
We request the building and occupancy permit or a certificate of the built condition and compare the actual area with the cadastre and land registry. Illegal parts need to be legalised before a sale or a loan.
Most locations are stable, but for certain areas landslides are on record. Before buying we check the state of the ground with the relevant authorities.
The bank usually only counts the legal part in the valuation, which reduces the loan amount. The solution is legalisation before the purchase, where it is possible.
Houses generally sell more slowly than apartments, usually three to six months, because the pool of buyers is narrower, and complete documentation shortens that period considerably.
For houses with a yard we recommend having the boundaries marked out by a surveyor if the borders on the ground are unclear, to avoid later disputes with neighbours over the fence or the access road.
See also apartments in Zagreb, land in Zagreb, the overview of all Zagreb districts and the guides to buying and selling.