Property Support for Foreign Owners in Croatia

Independent oversight, document archiving and structured incident response for foreign property owners in Croatia. What Stone & Sea does — and what we don't do.

Owning property in Croatia from abroad is not complicated — until something needs to happen. A letter arrives. A contractor quotes. A leak appears. A co-owner votes. Suddenly, distance becomes liability.

Stone & Sea is a Private Property Office — not a property manager, not a broker, not a contractor. We represent you, document everything, and make sure decisions on your property happen with your knowledge and approval.

This guide explains who the service is for, the situations we see most often, what is included, what is explicitly excluded, and how to get started.

Who this is for

You own a villa, apartment or land in Croatia — probably in Dalmatia or Istria — and you do not live there full-time. You may visit a few weeks per year. You may rent it out. You may be planning a renovation. You may have inherited it. What unites every client is the same gap: legal ownership exists, but operational control is fragile.

We work with owners from Sweden, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the UK. All communication happens in your language. All formal interaction with Croatian authorities happens in ours.

Seven situations we help with

These are not hypotheticals. They are the reasons our existing clients signed up.

  • A supplier is asking for your approval, and you don't know how to judge the quote from a distance.
  • You've received a quote, but the scope is unclear and you're not sure what's actually included.
  • Post or a local letter has arrived and you don't know what it means or whether it's urgent.
  • Something urgent has happened on the property while you're abroad.
  • The work is said to be finished — but you have no photos, material specification or signed delivery.
  • A property manager or local contact is recommending work, and you want someone on your side to review it before you approve.
  • Several family members own the property together, and you need a clearer decision and approval trail.

What is included

  • Dedicated property office — a named point of contact who knows your property
  • Document archive with SHA-256 verification — every upload is signed and tamper-evident
  • Compliance monitoring — registry status, energy certificates, insurance validity, permit status
  • Incident response with SLA — P1 (4h), P2 (24h), P3 (48h), P4 (planned)
  • Contractor quote review and work-order oversight — independent of any commission
  • Co-owner vote representation via power of attorney — legally valid in Croatia
  • Quarterly status reports — what happened, what is in progress, what is coming
  • Digital approval chain — no work over €200 starts without your sign-off

What is not included

  • We do not rent out your property or act as a rental agent.
  • We do not perform physical construction work — contractors invoice you directly.
  • We do not provide legal or tax advice — we flag needs and refer to licensed professionals.
  • We do not act without you — every significant decision requires your approval.
  • We do not take commission from contractors — our only revenue is your fixed monthly fee.

How it works

Everything starts with a free compliance test. You answer a short questionnaire about your property's documentation, registry status and current oversight. The test takes under three minutes and produces a personal risk summary — not a legal conclusion, but a structured view of what is known and what needs attention.

If the test shows gaps — or if you already know you need help — we schedule a 30-minute strategy call. There is no obligation. The purpose is to understand your situation and explain whether our structure fits it.

If we agree to work together, onboarding takes one to two weeks: document collection, property registration in the platform, key handover or access arrangement, and a baseline inspection with photo documentation. After that, your property office is active.

Pricing

CORE is the foundation — remote oversight, archive, monitoring and advisory. PRESENCE adds regular on-site inspections. Service Coordination adds contractor management and project oversight. Project Passes are fixed-price engagements for defined renovation or repair projects. All fees are fixed. No commissions. No hidden costs.

See the full plan breakdown on our subscriptions page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak Croatian?

No. Stone & Sea handles all communication with Croatian authorities, contractors and co-owners on your behalf. The platform is available in English, Swedish, German and Norwegian. All formal documents are archived with translations when needed.

Is this a property management service?

No. Traditional property managers often take commissions from contractors and have conflicts of interest. Stone & Sea works on a fixed fee with zero commissions. We are your representative, not a middleman. Every document, invoice and decision is transparent and archived in your personal vault.

What areas in Croatia do you cover?

We currently operate across Dalmatia — Split, Trogir, Rogoznica, Primošten and the islands of Čiovo and Brač — with expansion into Istria and the Dubrovnik region. Contact us to confirm coverage for your specific location.

Can you represent me at co-owner meetings?

Yes. We act with a legally valid power of attorney (punomoć) in Croatia. We can attend meetings, vote on your behalf, review minutes and challenge decisions that do not follow Croatian co-ownership law.

How do I approve work on my property?

Every work order over €200 requires your explicit digital approval via a secure link. No login needed. You see the quote, the scope, the contractor credentials and our independent review before you sign. Everything is timestamped and archived.