Hi Bullettooth. I bought in Albania 12 months ago and like everybody else who buys there, bought it as a long term investment. Albania is in its infancy to the foreign market and of course like Spain all those years ago and Bulagaria and Montenegro more recently, there will not be a shortage of complications. Since buying I have been selling in strength to the UK, Irish and US markets. I run a company called Albania Estate and helped Balkimo into the foreign market and have found it an successful education. There are more hurdles to overcome, just like there are in any emerging or even established market but we are getting there. We still insist on making sure that all due dilegence is down before properties are put on the market. There is absolutely no sense selling something that is illegal,no matter how glamorous it may look. If you buy something illegally, there is a chance it maybe destroyed over a period of time but there is a chance it will not and you may happily sell it on to a local in years. Your choice , but we do not want to get involved. Property is cheap in the capital and we playing the game sensibly and making sure prices are not hiked up by developers, for hiking sake. Albania lacks certain infrastructure but is coming along nicely and for a city that is thriving on urbanisation Tirana is where it is happening. The international banks will give you finance through certain developments which is far earlier than Bulgaria and Romania had it. If the big banks are there , then someone must have thought it was good. I would suggest buying on the coast , only where the location is spot on. ie front line , now you have the choice. In 2 years obviously there will not be the choice, although I cannot see it ever being a Sunny Beach scenario. Rental is not the reason for coming into the City or coast at this stage. If you are down to your last euro then dont buy in Albania. Of course you may get rent but Albania is for capital growth right now. Just in a reply to Bulbasaurus - We sold Terranova and Soleal through Balkimo and am happy to report that sold more than any other agency. Marin is the gentlemans name not Mario and if you are going to worry about earthquakes then don't buy in Montenegro, Thailand and beware of serious terrorist threats in US, UK , Turkey, Spain, Egypt, Morocco , India, Pakistan, Italy ........ If you would like to discuss the market, the present and the future in Albania then please drop me a line or pm me.

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