Guides

Guides to buying property in Bosnia and Herzegovina

What to know before buying an apartment or a house in Bosnia and Herzegovina: land registry, taxes, the notary and buying from abroad.

Buying property in Bosnia from Germany: POA, apostille, tax
Buy in Bosnia from Germany through a power of attorney certified at a BiH consulate or a German notary with apostille. Steps, money transfer, tax and viewings.
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Uknjižba, predbilježba, zabilježba: land registry entries
Uknjižba is a final land-registry entry, predbilježba a conditional one, zabilježba a warning of facts affecting sale. What each means for buyers in BiH.
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Buying property from heirs in Bosnia: what to check first
Buy from heirs only once the inheritance decision is final, the heirs are registered as owners and every heir signs in person or through a valid power of attorney.
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Mortgages in Bosnia: who qualifies, deposit and process
Who can get a home loan in Bosnia, how much deposit banks ask, what they require from the property and appraisal, and the options for diaspora buyers.
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Buying property in Bosnia from the Netherlands: POA and tax
Buy in Bosnia from the Netherlands through a power of attorney, certified at a BiH mission or by a Dutch notary with an apostille, and declare it in Box 3.
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How to prepare a flat for photos and viewings in Bosnia
Shoot in daylight without flash, clear clutter and personal items, deep clean the kitchen and bathroom, fix small faults and have papers ready before viewings.
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How to check a Bosnian property for mortgages and burdens
Mortgages, dispute notes and other burdens appear in the public register: sheet C (and B) of the ZK extract in FBiH, the list nepokretnosti in RS.
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Etažiranje in Bosnia: what it means when buying a flat
Etažiranje registers a flat as a separate unit in the land registry. Learn how to spot a flat that isn't registered, the risks, and what to do before paying.
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Selling land in Bosnia: what buyers check first
Land buyers in Bosnia ask about permitted use, road access, utilities and paperwork before price. How to answer with documents and present your plot well.
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Net, gross and usable floor area of a flat in Bosnia
Net area is floor space between finished walls, gross includes walls, usable applies coefficients to balconies. How to check which figure the ad and papers use.
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Right of first refusal in Bosnia: co-owners and neighbours
In FBiH and Brčko District co-owners can buy first by law; in RS only co-owners of a flat or family house. Neighbours matter mainly for farmland.
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Buying property in Bosnia from the USA: POA, money, tax
You can buy in Bosnia from the USA without travelling: a power of attorney with an apostille, a bank transfer from USD, and US reporting checked with a CPA.
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Selling property in Bosnia while living abroad
You can sell property in Bosnia without travelling: a certified power of attorney, one trusted keyholder, a notary signing and a payment route the law allows.
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Common mistakes sellers make in Bosnia and how to avoid them
Most Bosnian property sales stall because of four mistakes: a price set too high, poor photos, paperwork not in order and sellers hard to reach for viewings.
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Transfer tax when selling property in FBiH: who pays
In the Federation of BiH each canton sets property transfer tax. Who pays, the 5% rate where confirmed, and what to ask about other selling costs.
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Who owns what in a Bosnian apartment building
Buying a flat in Bosnia gets you the unit, a fixed share of the building and land, and use of common parts. Here is what to check in the land register.
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ZK extract, posjedovni list and cadastre: the differences
A ZK extract proves who owns a Bosnian property and what charges it carries. A posjedovni list only shows the cadastral holder. Where to get each.
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Power of attorney, certification and apostille in Bosnia
A Bosnian property power of attorney must be certified like the sale contract: at a BiH notary, a BiH consulate, or a foreign notary plus apostille.
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Transfer tax in Bosnia: who pays, how much, other fees
In FBiH transfer tax is set by each canton, up to 5%; in Sarajevo Canton the buyer pays. RS and Brčko have no transfer tax. Notary and registration notes.
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Exclusive agency contracts in Bosnia: terms and commission
An exclusive contract means no other agency for that property while it runs. In FBiH it must be written and fixed-term (12 months if unstated); commission is agreed.
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Servitudes, rights of way and encroachment in Bosnia
A servitude lets someone use your plot, such as a right of way, and stays after sale. Encroachment can mean removal or payment. What buyers in Bosnia should check.
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Kapara vs advance payment in Bosnia: what if you back out
A kapara is earnest money that seals a contract; akontacija and predujam are advance payments. Here is what each means if a buyer or seller backs out.
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Selling a mortgaged flat in Bosnia: how the loan is paid off
A flat with a mortgage can be sold in Bosnia. The buyer pays the debt straight to the seller's bank, the mortgage is deleted, then the seller gets the rest.
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Negotiating with buyers in Bosnia without losing on price
Set your minimum before listing, answer the first offer with a precise counter-offer, tie every concession to something in return and get it in writing.
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Selling inherited property in Bosnia: heirs, price, split
You can usually sell an inherited property in Bosnia once the inheritance decision is final. With several heirs, all must agree on price and division.
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Buying property in Bosnia from abroad: a step-by-step guide
How to buy a flat or house in Bosnia and Herzegovina while living abroad: ownership checks, power of attorney, notary, payment, tax and registration.
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Legalisation of property in Bosnia: what buyers need to know
How to check whether a house or extension in Bosnia is legal, which documents prove it and what you risk buying a building without a permit.
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Buying a new-build flat in Bosnia: checks, contract and VAT
What to check about the developer, how to tie payments to building stages, when the flat gets its own land registry entry and when VAT applies.
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Can foreigners buy property in Bosnia? Reciprocity and exceptions
Who buys in Bosnia as a local and who as a foreigner: dual citizens, reciprocity in FBiH, RS and Brčko, agricultural land and buying through a company.
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Costs of buying property in Bosnia: tax, notary and fees
What buying property in Bosnia costs beyond the price: transfer tax by canton and entity, notary, land registry fees and a worked example.
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Land registry extract in Bosnia: checking ownership before you buy
How to read a Bosnian land registry extract (sheets A, B and C), mortgages and notes, cadastre differences, getting an extract online, and red flags.
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Buying a house with land in Bosnia: the extra checks
A house with land in Bosnia means checking boundaries, cadastre and land register, road access, utilities and outbuildings before you sign a pre-contract.
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Buying building land in Bosnia: zoning, permits, utilities
Before buying a plot in Bosnia, check its zoning at the municipality and ideally get an urban planning consent or location conditions before you pay.
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Pre-contract and deposit (kapara) when buying in Bosnia
A predugovor binds buyer and seller to sign the sale contract later. The law sets no deposit amount. Learn what happens if one side backs out.
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Documents you need to sell property in Bosnia
To sell in Bosnia you need a clean land registry extract, a flat registered as a separate unit and legal build status. What to fix before you advertise.
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Running costs of a flat in Bosnia: how to estimate them
Which running costs a flat in Bosnia has, how annual property tax works in RS, Brčko and FBiH, and how to estimate monthly costs from the seller's bills.
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Viewing a flat in Bosnia: what to check before you buy
At a flat viewing in Bosnia, check damp, wiring, windows, the shared parts of the building, fees, seller debts and the neighbourhood.
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Buying property in Sarajevo: prices, areas and checks
New flats in Sarajevo average about 4,200-4,300 KM/m². See how areas differ, what to check in the land registry and what tax and fees to expect.
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Property handover in Bosnia: meter readings and utilities
How to write a handover record, record meter readings and move electricity into your name in FBiH, RS and Brčko, plus what to ask about water and heating.
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Buying property in Bosnia from Austria: steps and paperwork
You can buy property in Bosnia while living in Austria. How to certify a power of attorney, pay safely and what to check in Austria afterwards.
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Buying property in Bosnia from Switzerland: POA, CHF, tax
Buy in BiH from Switzerland with a power of attorney certified by a Swiss notary plus apostille or at the BiH embassy in Bern, pay by bank transfer, declare it in Switzerland.
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How to pay for property in Bosnia safely
Pay through a bank or a notary's deposit account, never in cash above 30,000 KM, and agree the order of signing, payment and keys in the contract.
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Buying property in Bosnia from Sweden: POA, money, tax
Buy property in Bosnia from Sweden through a certified power of attorney, pay only by bank transfer, and check Swedish reporting with Skatteverket before buying.
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How to price a property for sale in Bosnia
Price your Bosnian property from achieved sale prices in the official registers, then adjust for condition and papers. Overpricing usually slows a sale.
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Guides to buying property in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Buying property in Bosnia from Germany: POA, apostille, tax

Uknjižba, predbilježba, zabilježba: land registry entries

Buying property from heirs in Bosnia: what to check first

Mortgages in Bosnia: who qualifies, deposit and process

Buying property in Bosnia from the Netherlands: POA and tax

How to prepare a flat for photos and viewings in Bosnia

How to check a Bosnian property for mortgages and burdens

Etažiranje in Bosnia: what it means when buying a flat

Selling land in Bosnia: what buyers check first

Net, gross and usable floor area of a flat in Bosnia

Right of first refusal in Bosnia: co-owners and neighbours

Buying property in Bosnia from the USA: POA, money, tax

Selling property in Bosnia while living abroad

Common mistakes sellers make in Bosnia and how to avoid them

Transfer tax when selling property in FBiH: who pays

Who owns what in a Bosnian apartment building

ZK extract, posjedovni list and cadastre: the differences

Power of attorney, certification and apostille in Bosnia

Transfer tax in Bosnia: who pays, how much, other fees

Exclusive agency contracts in Bosnia: terms and commission

Servitudes, rights of way and encroachment in Bosnia

Kapara vs advance payment in Bosnia: what if you back out

Selling a mortgaged flat in Bosnia: how the loan is paid off

Negotiating with buyers in Bosnia without losing on price

Selling inherited property in Bosnia: heirs, price, split

Buying property in Bosnia from abroad: a step-by-step guide

Legalisation of property in Bosnia: what buyers need to know

Buying a new-build flat in Bosnia: checks, contract and VAT

Can foreigners buy property in Bosnia? Reciprocity and exceptions

Costs of buying property in Bosnia: tax, notary and fees

Land registry extract in Bosnia: checking ownership before you buy

Buying a house with land in Bosnia: the extra checks

Buying building land in Bosnia: zoning, permits, utilities

Pre-contract and deposit (kapara) when buying in Bosnia

Documents you need to sell property in Bosnia

Running costs of a flat in Bosnia: how to estimate them

Viewing a flat in Bosnia: what to check before you buy

Buying property in Sarajevo: prices, areas and checks

Property handover in Bosnia: meter readings and utilities

Buying property in Bosnia from Austria: steps and paperwork

Buying property in Bosnia from Switzerland: POA, CHF, tax

How to pay for property in Bosnia safely

Buying property in Bosnia from Sweden: POA, money, tax

How to price a property for sale in Bosnia