As fully licensed and insured real estate agents Think Slovenia are able to assist with every element of the sales process. We offer these services for buyers, sellers or both parties on a mutual basis. We can offer advice on individual issues on a consultancy basis through to conducting the whole sales process. We also offer a number of useful services especially designed for foreign buyers – such as arranging architectural surveys, putting you in touch with English speaking lawyers, obtaining insurance quotes etc…
Please see our services for more information. |
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Finding the right property
 To get automatic updates on properties which fit your criteria fill in a property alert or contact us for a free impartial assessment on your criteria. For many of our clients coming on viewing trips we not only show them properties on our site but also conduct a bespoke search of the market. This is particularly valuable for people looking in fast-moving and low-availability locations – which is a description which increasingly describes most of Slovenia. We can also search for land plots for those looking to build or develop their own property.
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We recommend that buyers put in place buildings and contents insurance as soon as possible and Think Slovenia can put you in touch with Slovenian insurers with policies in English. If you are letting the property, you need to check carefully you are covered in respect of your liability to tenants. |
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Since joining the EU, the process of buying property in Slovenia has been much simplified and, in general, is less complicated and often faster than buying in the UK and many other European countries.
As in most countries, the price of property in Slovenia is negotiable and the first stage in the purchase process is for parties to agree the price and other main conditions of the sale.
It is not common in Slovenia to formally survey properties after making an offer. It is possible to arrange, however, should you want that peace of mind, but care should be taken if your offer is to be dependent on the findings of the survey and it is often better to survey before making a formal offer.
In most cases once a price is agreed a preliminary contract is drafted which outlines the core terms of the sale and obliges each party to sign a main sales contract within a given time frame. Usually the signature of the preliminary contract is followed by payment of a deposit of 10% of the purchase price.
The deposit has a special status under Slovenian law meaning that the buyer will lose it if he is responsible for the sale not completing and the seller is obliged to return the deposit and pay the buyer the same amount again if he is responsible for non-completion.
Before a main sales contract can be signed key paperwork needs to be obtained including a certificate about the intended usage of the real estate in question and for foreign buyers, Slovenian registration and tax identification numbers. In the event of the real estate having special status of some sort (e.g. agricultural land / located in a National Park / protected status) various documents must usually be obtained before signing main sales contracts.
Land Registry searches to check the ownership status of the real estate should be conducted before signing the preliminary contract and again before signature of the main sales contract.
Contracts should be carefully checked by a specialist and translated if appropriate, although unless the translation is court certified it will be the Slovenian version of the contract that must be signed.
 Once the main sales contract is signed tax is paid on the transaction (2% sales tax for old properties, VAT payable on new properties / some land types). Common practice is that the sellers pay the tax on the sale.
Once the tax has been paid the contract can be taken to a notary where the seller’s signature is certified. Once notary certification is complete payment of the purchase price can take place.
Buyers should be careful to ensure that before payment the certified version of the main sales contract is held securely by a third party and / or they are in possession of a copy of the certified contract. After payment they or their representative will need a copy of the certified contract in order to make a Land Registry inscription of the ownership and possession rights as laid out in the sales contract. It is important to make sure that this happens as soon as possible after the contract is certified and payment made.
Typically, agents charge 4% + DDV (VAT at 20%) split equally between the buyer and seller. On top of the agents fees sellers usually cover costs of the taxes and certification of the sales contract by a notary. Buyers usually pay for Land Registry inscription and translation of documents where appropriate.
 The final stage of the process is to arrange the hand over. Usually for Slovenian property this takes the form of a face to face meeting at the property where keys are handed over, meter readings are taken and a handover record signed giving the buyer total responsibility for real estate.
A simple and secure way for foreign buyers to go through the final stages of the purchase process is to arrange to come to Slovenia for signing of the main sales contract, tax payment, certification, payment and handover, which can in some cases all take place in as little as one day.
Once you’ve got the keys in hand the real work starts! Please see our services for more details of how we can help you once you have purchased a property – we have a range of services to help you renovate, furnish, let and manage your Slovenian property. |
