With Slovenia being in the European Union since 2004, EU and USA citizens, as well as citizens of all OECD countries may now buy property in Slovenia without any restrictions. It is also possible to buy property in Slovenia through any company registered within the EU, USA or OECD, should you not be an EU or USA / OECD citizen.
We would recommend you research the various areas before you choose to buy, much of this research can be done via the Internet, but it is important to consider what you want from your property just as much as the area you prefer.
Slovenia has much to offer, so if you like to ski, the right place for you might be a property near the resorts in the North West part of Slovenia (Gorenjska). For outdoor activities like canoeing, hiking, white-water rafting, fishing the Soča River in the North Primorska region offers all this in one of the most beautiful areas in the country. If you prefer city living then head for the capital of Ljubljana, where you can enjoy the city life. Nevertheless, Slovenia is a small country, so whatever location you choose, you can be skiing, hiking or swimming all within 2 hours.
Consider whether you want a property that is new or needs no renovation versus a renovation project. We can help with any renovation you require and manage the project for you, but perhaps you prefer a property that you can use from day one.
We will do our best to understand your needs and present to you properties that fit your criteria. We also offer our clients Finder Service – if we can’t find a suitable property in our database, we will search the market for other properties on the market so you don’t miss anything. We are at your disposal to visit all properties together with you and offer you impartial and honest information on the property and the area.
Buying property in Slovenia is a relatively straightforward and easy procedure. Once you find the property you like, we check the legal status of the property and assist you in offering the right price and negotiating all the terms of the purchase with the seller. The buying procedure normally takes 1-2 months, if the property comes with farming land the process takes is a bit longer. It is usual to pay a 10% deposit when signing the contract, other terms (payment of the total purchase price and timings) are agreed on the basis of buyer’s and the seller’s expectations. We gather all the costs you need to expect, including a possible monthly management costs of the property, legal fees and the real estate agency commission, which is between 1 and 4% of the final agreed price (depending on the property) + 20% VAT.
We obtain for you a tax and EMSO number (comparable to a social security number) from the authorities, which takes about three days. We also assist you in opening a bank account at one of the Slovenian banks, which is useful for later use when living in Slovenia.
A contract is then produced by an independent lawyer and officially translated into your language. It is important that the contract includes “land registry permission”, which allows you to be registered as the new owner when all the purchase money has been paid. When the contract is signed and the deposit is paid, the seller presents a tax declaration to the Tax Authority for tax assessment and pays the calculated tax. He then needs to obtain a Certification of his signature on the contract from a Slovenian notary.
After paying the total amount of the purchase price, we submit a Proposal for entry into the Land Registry for you to become the new legal owner of the property. As the final step, the property take-over usually takes place within a few days after that, unless otherwise agreed between the contractual parties.