Selling a property takes more than posting an ad. A realistic valuation, good photos, proper legal paperwork and negotiation with serious buyers all decide whether you sell at the best price in a reasonable time. Hermes Nekretnine guides sellers from valuation to handover.
We start with a property valuation, then prepare the legal documentation, market the property professionally, organise viewings and negotiate on your behalf, prepare the preliminary and final contract, and follow the handover to the buyer.
With seller representation, Hermes Nekretnine acts solely in your interest through the whole process, useful if you are selling remotely or simply do not have time to handle enquiries yourself.
See our pages for apartments, houses, land, holiday apartments, commercial properties and holiday homes.
Usually one to several months depending on location, price and condition. A realistic valuation from the start shortens this significantly.
Commission is agreed before we start working together and depends on the property's value and type.
Yes, with the right paperwork and an arrangement with the bank to clear the lien from the sale proceeds.
Thinking about selling in Zagreb? Contact Hermes Nekretnine for a free valuation.
The sales process shares the same foundations regardless of property type, but each type carries its own specifics in preparation, marketing and negotiation. For detailed guides tailored to your situation, see our pages on selling apartments, selling houses, selling land, selling holiday apartments, selling commercial properties and selling holiday homes. Each of these pages explains how the price is formed for that specific property type, who the typical buyers are, and what to pay special attention to in preparation.
Sellers often underestimate the costs that accompany a property sale, focusing solely on the final sale price. In reality, a sale also involves costs worth planning for in advance: the agency commission, the cost of any additional documentation (such as legalising minor deviations from the building plans), the cost of an energy certificate if you don't have one, and in some cases the cost of resolving land registry issues before the property can enter the market. Although these costs may seem like something that can be postponed, they often slow down the whole process precisely at the moment a serious buyer appears ready to close quickly.
The seller pays the agency commission only upon successful completion of the sale, meaning there are no upfront costs for marketing, photography or organising viewings. This model aligns the agency's interest with the seller's: both sides profit only once the deal is successfully closed at the best possible price.
The time needed to sell depends on several factors: how realistic the asking price is, the attractiveness of the location, the condition of the property, and the current situation in that segment of the market. A well-prepared, realistically priced property in a sought-after neighbourhood often attracts serious inquiries within the first few weeks of listing, while an overpriced property can sit on the market for months without a single concrete offer, after which the seller is often forced to drop the price below what could have been achieved from the start with a more realistic valuation.
After an offer is accepted, the formal part of the process (preliminary contract, buyer's documentation checks, loan approval if applicable, and the final contract and handover) usually takes between one and three months, depending on whether the buyer is financing the purchase with cash or a loan.
Can I sell a property that still has an active loan? Yes, it is possible to sell a mortgaged property; part of the process involves coordinating with the bank on settling the loan from the sale proceeds, which our agency manages as a standard part of the process.
Do I need to renovate before selling? Not always. Minor cosmetic touches (fresh paint, removing personal items, fixing small defects) almost always pay off because they improve the first impression, while larger renovations rarely deliver a return proportional to the cost and time they require before a sale.
What if I have several interested buyers at once? In that case we help the seller organise the process to avoid misunderstandings, including clear communication of deadlines for submitting final offers and terms, ensuring the seller gets the best possible combination of price and transaction security.
For sellers who want an additional layer of protection during negotiations, especially in more complex transactions or when there are multiple interested parties, we also offer seller representation, where the agency takes an active role in leading negotiations on the seller's behalf, with regular updates on every step of the process.
First impressions are decisive in whether a potential buyer will seriously consider a property or dismiss it within the first few minutes of viewing. Before the first photo shoot and the first viewing, it is worth tidying the space: removing excess furniture and personal items that distract attention, ensuring good lighting during viewings, and fixing small, noticeable defects such as damaged grout, cracked tiles or faulty light fixtures. These small interventions don't require large investment but significantly change a buyer's perception of how well-maintained the property is.
It is equally important to prepare the property for a strong virtual first impression, since the vast majority of buyers today browse photos online first before deciding to request an in-person viewing. Poor, dark or cluttered photos can put off buyers who would otherwise be interested, even when the property itself is good, which is why we consider professional photography one of the most cost-effective steps in the entire sales process.