Not every house is a home. Not every building intended for family housing is a family house. Although a multi-residential building where a family lives is often colloquially referred to as a family house, there is a clear distinction in the real estate market between such a structure, a family house, a villa, and an apartment building. By definition, a house is a building intended for human habitation, and depending on the number of housing units, it can be an apartment building or a family house, while luxury houses are referred to as villas.
When it comes to the price per square meter of a particular type of real estate, villas and family houses are the most expensive, followed by apartments, and finally, multi-residential buildings that are not apartment buildings. Sellers who sell an apartment in a multi-residential building, which was originally not designed as a multi-family unit but has become one over time, often out of necessity, must keep in mind that selling such an apartment will be more difficult than selling an apartment in an apartment building. Houses that consist of several apartments, which arose from unplanned additions, lack separate entrances for each unit, do not have designated parking spaces, or have unfinished facades, are less desirable properties, and their price is lower.
Villas for Vacation
In Croatia, the highest house prices are in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Detached houses with a garden or spacious yard are highly valued, especially if they are located in a desirable location with a sea view. At our agency, Libertas Homes, there has been growing interest from buyers seeking plots with a sea view where one or more houses (villas) can be built, with land areas ranging from 500 to 800 m² and building areas (net) from 120 to 200 m², complete with an outdoor grill and a swimming pool.
On the global tourist market, there is an increasing interest in vacation homes of this kind. When it comes to this topic, the focus is primarily on rural or ecological tourism, where visitors wish to stay in a house or villa outside urban areas to enjoy natural beauty, fresh air, a peaceful environment, and to avoid the crowds that are difficult to avoid in tourist cities.
In the Dubrovnik region, the uncertainty regarding whether a golf course with villas will be built on Srđ, and the certainty that this project will not materialize in the near future, encourages investors to invest their money in building villas for sale or rent.
Stone Courtyards
Additionally, interest in purchasing, renovating, and refurbishing old stone houses is growing in the real estate market, as well as in architecture and design. In Croatia, this interest is particularly strong among foreign investors. The price of such properties is often a key factor in the purchasing decision, as partial or complete restoration of the property is usually required. A lower price than expected in some cases is conditioned by the need for reconstruction and/or adaptation, but also by the requirements and restrictions imposed by the Conservation Department of the Ministry of Culture.
Old stone houses thus become villas for rent or boutique hotels, where, unlike modern buildings, any potential future damage or simply wear and tear may contribute to the charm of the property and appear entirely natural.
There Used to Be a Settlement Here
We are witnessing how, in some parts of the world, old family houses and dilapidated residential buildings are being demolished in certain locations suitable for living, and new ones, more suited to the lifestyle, desires, and needs of modern man, are being built. Such endeavors should involve reducing visual pollution of the landscape, better construction quality, and improved architectural solutions compared to the previous ones. In this way, space is created for the construction of new residential and commercial units in city centers where there is no room for expansion.
Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, presented a plan to demolish about five thousand residential buildings from the Soviet era as part of the reconstruction project for the Russian capital. According to his proposal, the existing buildings should be replaced with modern structures, which should contribute to the growth of the Russian construction industry.
For the purpose of better urban development, in the Chinese city of Wuhan, an entire block of 19 buildings was demolished in just 10 seconds, to make way for one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.
Not everyone supports this way of managing existing urbanized spaces, but these examples should be considered as they can contribute to the discussion about the development of cities and the protection of the interests of their inhabitants.
