While the Balkan countries are reporting the successes, the number of property sales to foreigners in Croatia has been steadily declining. In 2010, foreign buyers purchased 5445 properties, in 2011 - 5087 properties, in 2012 - 3351 properties, according to ee24.com citing liderpress.hr. By the way, 32,000 transactions have been committed in 2012, and only 10.5% of them are sales to foreigners.
Who buys property in Croatia, except the Croats? Citizens of neighboring countries: of Slovenia (40.9%), Germany (12.7%), Italy (11.3%). Furthermore, Austrians, Hungarians and Swedes exhibit activity in the market.
Recall that real estate prices in Croatia are falling more than in other European countries. In Q2 2013, housing in Croatia was worth almost 20% less, and in Q3 2013 - by 17% less than a year before.
It would seem the perfect time to buy. But there is one restriction: if EU citizens can freely buy houses and apartments in Croatia (though they are not in a hurryy), residents of other countries do not have such an opportunity without prior registration of the legal entity.