I don't about you, but i think that winter is the best time for selling properties in Montenegro, because there is no false buyers, how we call them "setaci". In my agency there was more real callers this month then in the whole summer. How is the situation for the rest of you people?

From my point of view and recent practice, there is significant increase in interest by investors from western Europe and especially Israel. They are looking mostly for developed land for investment in tourist facilities, villas and apartments.

Little bit less interest than usual from Russian market, due to recent elections but we are expecting them after New Year and especially from the spring,because best hotels have already sold for next season and we are expecting more than 100 000 Russians to visit Montenegro in 2008. This year was 60 000 tourists from Russia estimated. Some of them comes for real estate hopefully.

Yes, but I don't know about western Europe i never closed any deal with them (except one Italian). They demand everything to be by the book. I`am not saying that is wrong but they cant except that we have same rules as they have. Here some things go slow and Russians accept that much more easily.

MLS, tell me what do you think about joining all the good (honest and fair...) real estate companies in Montenegro in one lets call it network. Because Montenegro is small and we can find any house or land that we wont by our self, just looking at the picture and ask the owners. Is that right. But if we make a small network of real estate Co. we could cover the whole Montenegro and provide the best service to our customers, and also the best service and ultimate chance for selling for the owners. In that way everyone could have a chance to sell something, and we would be in dominant position for any foreign real estate Company. What do you think? I will put this as new thread, to what other thinks, and please refer this forum to some friends or partners, so we could talk about it.

While Montenegro is a beautiful country with a fantastic people, I would suggest that people who want a true deal with potential to triple their investment should look one country further south: Albania. The market is new and there are many opportunities for those investors who don't make a habit of following the herd.

What about security, and stuff like that

Security is certainly an issue in Albania, however, my experience has been that the negative impressions rightly earned in 1997-8 are slow to change. In fact, the security situation in Albania has gotten better by an order of magnitude and continues to improve. Like any country where there is poverty and unemployment, Albania has a crime problem. Not as bad as areas of Naples, Marseilles, Rome, Manchester or several other European cities I have spent time in.

I've lived in the country for almost three years in total now and visited regularly when living elsewhere and have never had a problem, never felt threatened, and have travelled extensively throughout the cities and countryside. Care is needed and security as an issue should be examined before investing here, but don't let the outdated, inaccurate horror stories dissuade you from experiencing the country firsthand.

Tirana transplant,

I am based in Sofia, Bulgaria and have some real estate interests here. The recent Kosovo events and the approaching credit crisis in Bulgaria, Romania and other new EU countries makes me look for fresh opportunities. Are you in the land development business? Can you post some more info about the Albanian property market?

Feel free to skype me at george2998.

Cheers and take care.

Why so interested in Albania, can you see that Albania, and Kosovo will be unstable region for long time?
Why do you think that Montenegro is so quiet about all this Kosovo thing, because it wants to maintain economical and all other stabilty !!!

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Best regards,
VALL TRADE Co.
MONTENEGRO
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www.valltradeco.com

Georges,

I am not in the land development business, but am currently living in Tirana and assisting a real estate company in expanding their international clientele. I am very enthusiastic about the country in general and the potential for real estate development in particular. I have traveled throughout the country over the past 8 years and have seen the progress made so far. I have also seen lots of people make a lot of money in real estate deals and have observed the upward march of land and housing prices.

I bought an apartment in Tirana in 2002 off-plan. Knowing the developer through family connections ensured I got the best possible price in the best location with full confidence in the quality of construction. The value of my apartment has trebled since I bought it.

Now, the days of such spectacular growth are done in central Tirana. There is enough demand and the available land for building is rapidly disappearing so that prices start out high and stay high. However, I think there may be opportunities for profit or affordable homes both within the city and throughout the country.

Another writer raised the specter of instability in Albania and Kosova as reasons to be wary of investing here. Like many people, he/she misunderstands the instability in Kosova and the effect it had (or didn't have) in Albania. The war in Kosova actually helped improve the stability in Albania proper which was emerging from the chaos of 1997-1998. Since then, none of instability there or in Macedonia has had a negative effect on Albania's situation. Albania does have "issues" which effect an investor, but backsliding into anarchy is not one. Electricity is!

If you'd like to discuss the possibilities further, please drop me an e-mail at sksintirana(at)hotmail(dot)com.
Steve Schneider
etiinformation(dot)com