Land in Zagreb
Building plots, land use under the urban plan, prices and checks before buying.
Land is a distinct part of the Zagreb property market. Buyers are mostly people planning to build a family house, investors looking for a plot for an apartment building, and companies that need space for a commercial or production facility. Unlike an apartment or a house, with land you are not buying what you see but what you are allowed to build on that plot. Hermes Nekretnine, based at Vlaška ulica 45, brokers the purchase and sale of land in Zagreb and helps clients understand what a specific plot really allows.
The key document is the General Urban Plan of the City of Zagreb, which sets the land use and permitted construction for every parcel. Two neighbouring plots of the same size can have significantly different value simply because one is in a residential zone and the other in a protective green area where almost nothing may be built.
For a buyer the most important distinction is between building land and non-building land. Building land can be in a residential zone, a mixed-use zone, an economic or business zone, or a public and community zone. Non-building land covers agricultural land, forests and protective green areas, where construction is generally not permitted or is very limited. Before every offer we check which zone the parcel is in and what construction conditions are prescribed for that zone.
Prices of building land for a family house run roughly from 150 to 350 euros per square metre on the edges of the city and in suburban settlements, and from 350 to more than 600 euros per square metre in more sought-after zones such as the slopes of Medvednica or parts of the west of the city. Plots suitable for apartment buildings in well-connected districts achieve considerably more. Agricultural land with no building option is several times cheaper, but its value depends almost entirely on whether and when it enters a building zone, which is uncertain.
The most building plots for family houses are offered in Sesvete and the surrounding settlements, on the slopes in Markuševec, Gračani and Šestine, in the eastern part of the city around Dubrava and in certain parts of Novi Zagreb such as Blato and Buzin. Plots for business and production facilities are concentrated in the economic zones of Žitnjak, Jankomir, Sesvete and Rakitje. In the city centre itself there are almost no vacant plots, so construction there is mostly through demolition of existing buildings.
How much may be built on a plot is set by the plot coverage ratio, which states how much of the plot may be under the building, and the floor area ratio, which limits the total gross building area of all floors. In addition, the maximum height, the number of floors and the required distances from boundaries are prescribed. Based on these parameters and the plot area, the realistic floor area of a future house or building is calculated. We recommend asking an architect for an indicative analysis of the building possibilities for a specific parcel before buying, which we offer through architectural services.
In addition to the price of the land, the investor pays a utility contribution to the city, the amount of which depends on the zone and the size of the planned building, and the cost of connections to water, sewage, electricity and gas. In outlying settlements the connections can be far away, so the cost of bringing infrastructure to the plot significantly affects viability. We include all of these items in the valuation before the decision to buy is made.
Investors buying a plot for an apartment building look at different parameters from those building a family house. What matters to them is the total permitted gross building area, the number of apartments that can realistically be designed, the obligation to provide parking spaces on the plot and proximity to a tram or bus line, which directly affects the sale price of the future apartments. In districts such as Trešnjevka, Trnje and Peščenica such plots are most often obtained by demolishing older houses, so the cost of removing the existing building also enters the calculation. For every such plot we carry out an indicative viability analysis before recommending an offer to a client.
We check the land use of the parcel under the urban plan and more detailed plans, whether the plot is registered in the land registry at all and whether its shape and area match the cadastre. Access is key: a plot with no exit to a public road struggles to obtain a building permit, so we check whether a right of way over a neighbouring parcel is needed. We also look at the slope of the ground, the flood risk along the Sava and streams, recorded landslides on the slopes and whether the parcel lies in a protected area or a water source protection zone, where restrictions are stricter. We also check encumbrances, mortgages and any boundary disputes.
The supply of land is largest on the slopes and in the eastern part of the city, while in the central districts there are almost no vacant plots:
We have prepared detailed guides for buying land and selling land. If you are selling land, the valuation must take into account the land use and permitted construction, more on which on the property valuation page.
Land is the easiest thing to get wrong because the risk is not visible to the naked eye. We check land use, permits, access and infrastructure before we even recommend a purchase. Contact our office at Vlaška ulica 45 in Zagreb, on +385 91 5767033 or at [email protected] to check a specific plot or for help selling land.
For a family house, prices run roughly from 150 euros per square metre in outlying settlements to over 600 euros per square metre on the slopes and in sought-after western parts of the city.
By checking the land use in the General Urban Plan and more detailed plans and the construction conditions for that zone. For a specific plot, an architect can prepare an analysis of the building possibilities.
Only if and when it enters a building zone through changes to the plan, which is uncertain and can take years. Buying agricultural land with that expectation is speculative.
Without an exit to a public road a building permit is hard to obtain. The solution is establishing a right of way over a neighbouring parcel, which should be resolved before buying.
Yes, real estate transfer tax of three per cent also applies to land, except when buying from a VAT payer. We explain the details in the guide on property taxes.
With complete documentation and a plot free of legal obstacles, the procedure usually takes several months, but the timeline extends if changes to the design or approvals from several bodies are needed.
See also houses in Zagreb, commercial property in Zagreb, the overview of all Zagreb districts and the guides to buying and selling.