Towns near Zagreb become more attractive for people who want to solve the housing problem. Lower prices, cheaper utilities, less traffic jams and generally a higher standard of living are the reasons why apartments and houses in Velika Gorica, Zaprešić, Samobor, Sveta Nedelja, Jastrebarsko and Dugo Selo are in high demand. We investigated how much cheaper properties in these towns are compared to the capital and what else attracts new residents.

The greatest interest, especially from young families, is currently in Velika Gorica because it has the most new construction. The town is well connected with Zagreb through three fast highways. According to announcements from local authorities, Velika Gorica will soon start building two new kindergartens with a total of 400 places, as well as a centre for the elderly and disabled. The mayor of Velika Gorica, Krešimir Ačkar, announced that the town's kindergartens will be completely free, and after the abolition of the 12% surcharge from 1 January next year, they will not increase the income tax. According to data from the largest Zagreb real estate agency, Opereta, the average price of a square metre of new construction in Velika Gorica is 2400 euros, while old construction is around 2100-2200 euros. In Zagreb, a square metre costs around 2800 euros, and that's without new buildings. When they are included in the calculation, the average price is higher than 3000 euros. On the specialized real estate search engine GoHome, it is visible that the price of houses in Velika Gorica starts at around 1600 euros per square metre, while in the Zagreb area it is above 2100 euros. Of course, everything depends on the location and equipment. For example, houses in Velika Gorica with 120 square metres and 600 square metres of premises, built around 1980 and in good condition, are sold for 250,000 euros (2080 euros per square metre). "Given the general lack of property on the market, as well as the lack of affordable property, the area of interest has shifted to towns near Zagreb because their infrastructure meets the needs of young families. Velika Gorica is interesting because it offers the most new construction. Croatia Post recently moved to that town, and a major expansion of the Meridian 16 business zone is announced,' said Boro Vujović, owner of Opereta, in an interview with tportal. A lot is being built in Zaprešić - around 600 apartments - and it is particularly interesting for people from the western part of Zagreb. A great advantage of this town, which has a bit more than 24,000 inhabitants, is its good connection to the metropolis by ZET buses and the suburban railway. And the mayor of Zaprešić, Željko Turk, announced that after the abolition of the surcharge, they will not increase the income tax. In addition, everyone who has registered their residence in Zaprešić and is employed has guaranteed a place for their child in kindergarten. The average price of new construction in Zaprešić is 2200 euros per square metre, while old construction is around 2000 euros. Houses of 200 square metres are sold for 200,000 euros, with the average price per square metre being around 1200 euros. Given the increase in economic activity in Kerestinec, primarily due to the construction of a campus and a factory of Mate Rimac, where 2500 people are to work, there is a great interest in buying property in Sveta Nedelja and Samobor. Both these towns have no surcharge, and for years they have been known as one of the most pleasant places to live in Croatia. In Sveta Nedelja, public transportation is free, and Samobor has reduced the community contribution for building apartments and family houses, making construction cheaper. The communal infrastructure in both towns is at a high level. The average price of new construction in Samobor and Sveta Nedelja is 2500 euros per square metre, and apartments in older buildings cost around 2000 euros. Houses of 200 square metres built around 1990 in Samobor are sold for between 300,000 and 400,000 euros. Dugo Selo is located 20 kilometres east of the centre of Zagreb and is one of the towns with the best natural growth in Croatia. Two kindergartens are being built, a new primary school is planned, and a new building for the secondary school is in the final stage of construction, which will house the Centre of Excellence for Robotics. The town subsidizes the costs of the children's kindergarten, as well as student transportation from secondary schools to Zagreb. The surcharge in Dugo Selo is nine percent, and local authorities have not yet decided whether its abolition will lead to an increase in income tax. The price of residential property in Dugo Selo starts at 2000 euros for new apartments, while old construction costs around 1800 euros, and houses are sold for 1300-1400 euros. Of course, these are prices that are subject to correction depending on the condition of the house, location, and size of the plot. About 30 kilometres southwest of Zagreb is Jastrebarsko, a town that has also recorded a gradual increase in migration in recent years. The main reason is that property is significantly cheaper than in the capital. The average price of an apartment is around 1900 euros, and a house is around 1100 euros per square metre. Director Vedrana Likan of the agency Colliers Croatia believes that the trend of increasing demand for property outside Zagreb will continue in the future. "Generally speaking, the real estate market in Croatia is facing a high demand and a lack of supply, which has led to a rise in prices. Therefore, alternative locations have become attractive to buyers because the value for money is greater outside large cities. The higher prices in Zagreb and other large cities come from the lack of supply of land, and at the same time, a large number of plots of land are currently 'locked' in the ownership of cities and the state. Dugo Selo, Samobor, Zaprešić, Jastrebarsko, Velika Gorica, and Sveta Nedelja offer a good alternative to Zagreb. They are close by, well connected, and offer everything needed for the average family to live," Likan explained. She notes that the real estate market in Zagreb has been marked by interesting trends this year. This summer, the State Bureau of Statistics announced that in the first quarter of this year, there was even a first, small decrease in the price of a square metre in Zagreb. This was after a 30% drop in apartment sales in the last quarter of 2022. According to data from the Tax Administration, the volume of residential property sales in Zagreb has fallen by 23% if compared to the first six months of 2022. "The real estate market has entered a phase of cooling, and this was affected by the rise in interest rates. This decline in transaction volume is likely to continue in the future, especially considering that buyers have been hit by high inflation, rising interest rates, and lending conditions, and we also have an uncertain economic situation, which leads to a decrease in demand," Likan predicted.

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