The Old Bridge at Mostar over the Neretva under a blue sky
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Bosnia and Herzegovina Real Estate

Austro-Hungarian apartments in Sarajevo, stone houses on the Neretva at Mostar and a short Adriatic coast at Neum: a small market, open to foreigners whose countries return the favour.

Best Areas →How to Buy →Founding Partners →
The Old Bridge, MostarPhoto: mkaynarfoto / Pexels

At a glance

Bosnia and Herzegovina property at a glance

Who can buy
Foreigners whose country gives BiH citizens the same right. Arable land and protected nature areas are excluded.
Americans
The United States is on the published reciprocity list.
Two entities and a district
The Federation (Sarajevo, Mostar, Neum), Republika Srpska and Brčko each have their own property and tax laws.
Transfer tax
5% in Sarajevo Canton, paid by the buyer; set by each canton elsewhere in the Federation.
New builds
17% VAT.
Residency through property
No golden visa, but ownership is a ground for temporary residence.
Currency
Convertible mark (BAM), pegged at €1 = 1.95583 KM.
The Sebilj fountain and the old bazaar of Baščaršija, Sarajevo
The Sebilj fountain and Baščaršija, Sarajevo · Photo: Yukof / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Why buy here

Why buy in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country of old cities and mountains: the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian centre of Sarajevo, Mostar’s Old Bridge over the Neretva, the ski slopes of Jahorina and Bjelašnica, and some 20 km of Adriatic coast at Neum.

The prime market is small and lightly documented, and prices are far below the Adriatic resorts across the border. It suits buyers with ties to the country, or those looking for a city apartment or a mountain retreat, more than a trophy villa.

For Mostar and day trips from Dubrovnik, see our guide to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mostar old town and the Stari Most over the Neretva, seen from a minaret
Mostar old town and the Stari Most over the Neretva · Photo: Ramirez HUN / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Who can buy

Who can buy property in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Reciprocity. Foreigners may own property only where their home country gives BiH citizens the same right. The published reciprocity list includes the United States, noting that the question is decided state by state; ask your lawyer to confirm the current entry before you sign. The land registry checks reciprocity when you register; there is no separate consent procedure.

Land limits. In the Federation and Brčko, foreigners can acquire arable land only by inheritance; Republika Srpska allows it subject to reciprocity. Protected nature areas are excluded everywhere.

Companies. Foreigners may own shares in a BiH company that holds property, without restriction.

Best areas to buy

The best areas to buy in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Prime stock is very limited and official statistics cover only averages. For context, new dwellings sold nationally averaged 3,311 KM/m² (about €1,690) in Q2 2026 (BiH Agency for Statistics).

Sarajevo

Stari Grad and Centar

Austro-Hungarian apartments and the historic city core.

About €4,075/m²The highest Federation apartment sale in H1 2025: 1,315,000 KM for 165 m². FBiH Geodetic Administration, 2025.

Herzegovina

Mostar: old town and the Neretva

Heritage stone houses by the river and the Old Bridge.

No verified figureNo published per-square-metre figure.

Adriatic

Neum

The country’s only coastline, about 20 km of the Adriatic between Croatian territory.

No verified figureNo published per-square-metre figure.

Mountains

Jahorina and Bjelašnica

The ski resorts above Sarajevo.

No verified figureNo published per-square-metre figure.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is not yet one of our Founding Partner Territories. See all Territories.

Sarajevo below the mountains
Sarajevo below its mountains · Photo: Sporisevic Photography / Unsplash

Developers

Leading developers and branded residences

No international branded residences or recognised luxury developers were found to be active in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Treat any off-plan scheme with extra caution: check the developer’s record, building permits and land registry status.

How to buy

How to buy property in Bosnia and Herzegovina, step by step

  1. Get a tax number. From the tax authority of the relevant entity.
  2. Instruct a local lawyer. Check both the land registry and the cadastre, which are often out of step, as well as permits and any restitution claims.
  3. Preliminary contract. With a deposit agreed with the seller.
  4. Final contract. In the Federation, notarial fees are capped at BAM 2,000 plus VAT; confirm the required form in Republika Srpska and Brčko with your lawyer.
  5. Pay the tax. Report the sale and pay transfer tax where it applies.
  6. Register. Ownership passes on registration. The land registry is public.

Timeline. About one to three months; longer where land registry and cadastre records need reconciling.

Lawyers and lenders who serve foreign buyers can be listed on this page. To advertise, write to [email protected].

Taxes and fees

Taxes and fees in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Buying
ItemRate or costNotes
Transfer tax, Sarajevo Canton5%Paid by the buyer, on value assessed by the municipal commission
Transfer tax, other Federation cantonsSet by each cantonIncluding Herzegovina-Neretva (Mostar, Neum)
Transfer tax, Republika SrpskaNone
VAT on new builds17%
Registration feeAbout BAM 80 (Federation); BAM 50 + 0.2% of value (Republika Srpska)
NotaryUp to BAM 2,000 + VAT
Owning
ItemRateNotes
Annual property tax, FederationCantonal sum per m²Only on holiday or rented property
Annual property tax, Republika Srpska0.10%–0.20% of valueSet by each municipality
Annual property tax, Brčko0.05%–1.0%
Wealth taxNone

Residency through property

Residency through property in Bosnia and Herzegovina

See also residency and golden visas.

None

No golden visa

There is no investor residence programme. Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the EU, so its permits give no Schengen rights.

Open

Temporary residence on the ground of ownership

Run by the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs, with no minimum property value:

  • A land registry extract and proof you live in the property
  • Proof of an effective connection to the country, such as origin, family, a pension or investments
  • Proof of means of support and health insurance; a fee of 150 KM

Founding Partners

Founding Partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Three places for Founding Partner Agencies and three for Developers in each Territory. Places are open.

Founding Partners →The Territories →

Questions buyers ask

Buying property in Bosnia and Herzegovina: questions buyers ask

Can Americans buy property in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Yes, on the basis of reciprocity. The United States is on the published list; ask your lawyer to confirm the current entry for your state before you sign.

What is the transfer tax in Sarajevo?

5%, paid by the buyer. Other cantons of the Federation set their own rates, and Republika Srpska has no transfer tax.

Does owning property give residence?

It can. Ownership is a recognised ground for temporary residence, but you must also show an effective connection to the country, means of support and health insurance.

Can I get a mortgage as a foreign buyer?

Foreign buyers almost always pay cash. Lenders who serve foreign buyers can be listed on this page. To advertise, write to [email protected].

Sources

Checked and sourced

Checked 31 October 2026. Rules and rates change; confirm with a qualified lawyer and tax adviser before you buy. TheMediterranean.com is not a real estate broker, agent or finder, and nothing here is legal, tax or immigration advice.

Official sources

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