For the past few years Croatia has been experiencing a property boom, and house prices have been soaring for more than five years. What's more, there is a real possibility of even more  property price rises should  Croatia, as expected, join the EU in the near future - it is currently a candidate country.

Of course, such developments are not all bad. EU membership will allow Croatia to become an even safer place in which to purchase a property, while an increase in foreign investment - from both tourism and property - has boosted the country's economy.

At present, there is a particular demand for property developments on the country's Adriatic Coast,  and the government is ploughing money into its infrastructure in an effort to help its tourist industry.

Rhiannon Davies of Amberlamb,  believes that Croatia is not the best place to make a "fast buck" at the moment,  but says that, "Prices have been rising dramatically and some might say unsustainably and this is certainly worth considering if you're a buyer on the verge of buying-in now."

Therefore, buyers should consider the property they are looking to buy as a medium-term investment all the time prices continue to rise.

However, it is not all bad news, as Davies points out that the prices in Croatia are still lower than many countries in the EU  which boast established markets. This situation may not last forever, though, as most countries that have entered the EU in recent years have had house prices rise even more upon accession.

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Article first published 08 May 2008