Property inspections - Kotor, Budva, Tivat, Bar, Podgorica

Your eyes on the ground in Montenegro, before you buy.

You found a property online. I go there, inspect it, film it and check the papers with a partner lawyer. I work only for you, the buyer. I take no commission from agents or sellers.

Buyer side only English - Deutsch - Crnogorski Licensed partner lawyer
Inspection reportInvesting in Montenegro - buyer side
IIM-2026-0147
14 Oct 2026

Sea view apartment, Dobrota, Kotor

Asking€ 285,000
Size78 m²
Floor2 of 4
Built2009
Living room of an apartment in Dobrota with an open balcony door and a view over the Bay of Kotor to the mountains.
Fig. 1Living room, view to the bay
Damp stain with black mould and peeling paint in the upper corner of a bathroom, documented during an inspection.
Fig. 2Damp in bathroom corner
Narrow street in front of an apartment building in Dobrota with cars parked tightly along a stone wall and the bay in the background.
Fig. 3Street access, parking
Checklist52 photos - 6 min video attached
Title deed, ownerList nepokretnostiVerified
Building and use permitMunicipality KotorVerified
Mortgage in registerBank lien, € 61,000Open
Cadastre plan vs. realityOn-site measureVerified
Result

Good condition, fair price for the area. Proceed only if the seller deletes the bank lien before the notary appointment.

Inspected and signed on site
Sample - page 1 of 9
Buyer sideno agent commission

Why buyers abroad need someone local

The listing shows the view. It does not show the problems.

Prices in Montenegro have risen fast, and many properties sell before buyers ever see them. That speed is exactly where mistakes happen. The agent normally works for the seller. I work for you.

  1. Built without a permit

    Some buildings or extra floors have no building or use permit. Legalisation can take years, and banks often refuse a mortgage.

  2. More owners than you think

    Land and old houses often belong to several family members. Every one of them must sign. One missing signature can stop the sale.

  3. Debts that come with the property

    A mortgage or a lien can still be in the register. Unpaid utility or building fees can also pass to the new owner.

  4. Photos that are not the property

    Wide angles hide the road, the construction site next door or the damp corner. A video walk shows what is really there.

Packages and prices

Pay for a clear answer, not for a sale.

Fixed prices per property. Travel within the coast and Podgorica is included. You get everything in writing.

Basic

A first honest look
  • On-site visit with the agent or owner
  • 30 to 50 photos, unedited and real
  • Short written report (2 to 3 pages)
  • Location check: road, noise, parking

€ 250per property

Plus

See it as if you were there
  • Everything in Basic
  • Video walk-through with commentary
  • Neighbourhood and view from the balcony
  • Detailed report with a red / green list

€ 450per property

Premium

Most chosen before an offer
  • Everything in Plus
  • Live video call during the visit
  • Document pre-check with partner lawyer
  • Title deed and cadastre extract
  • Price comparison with nearby sales
  • 30 minute call to discuss the result

€ 750per property

Purchase support

From offer to keys
  • Full legal check by partner lawyer
  • Negotiation support
  • Notary appointment and court interpreter
  • Tax ID, bank account, transfer tax
  • Handover, meter readings, utilities
  • Power of attorney if you cannot travel

1.25 %of price, min. € 2,000

Lawyer, notary, interpreter and state fees are paid directly by you, so you always see the real cost. The Premium fee is credited against Purchase support if you buy the property.

How it works

Four steps. You decide after each one.

Send the link

Send me the listing and your questions. I reply quickly and confirm the package and the price.

I visit

I book the viewing with the agent and go there as soon as the agent and the owner allow.

You get the report

Photos, video and a written report with a clear red / green list. We talk it through.

You buy safely

If you go ahead, I organise lawyer, notary and interpreter. Nothing is signed that you do not understand.

Coming to see it yourself?

I plan the trip. You look at houses.

I plan a full day of viewings with different agents and owners, pick you up at your accommodation and drive you from one property to the next. I translate every conversation, so nobody talks about you in a language you do not speak. For the way from and to the airport I recommend reliable taxi and transfer services, or book one for you, so you do not pay tourist prices.

ENDEME / HR / SR

€ 190per viewing day - what is included is listed below

Example day

08:30Pick-up at your hotel in Tivat
09:30Apartment, Dobrota - agent A
11:00House with garden, Prčanj - owner
13:00Lunch, notes, first impressions
14:30New build, Budva - developer
16:30Land plot, Luštica - agent B
18:00Short summary, back to the hotel

Included in € 190 per day

  • A full viewing day with you, from pick-up at your accommodation to drop-off
  • Planning the day and booking all viewings with agents and owners
  • Driving you in my car, fuel included, up to 150 km per day on the coast and to Podgorica, for up to 3 passengers
  • Recommendation or booking of a reliable airport taxi or transfer at the normal price
  • Interpreting English, German and Montenegrin at every viewing
  • Short notes and photos for each property, sent after the viewing day
  • My own meals and parking

Not included - you pay directly

  • Flights to Tivat or Podgorica
  • Airport taxi, transfer or rental car to get to your accommodation
  • Hotel or apartment (I book it for you at the normal price, no mark-up)
  • Your meals and drinks
  • Tourist tax, about € 1 to 2 per person and night
  • Extra kilometres above 150 km per day: € 0.40 per km
  • Inspection reports and purchase support (see packages)

Example: 3 viewing days for 2 people in Kotor

October, 4 nights, 4-star hotel in Kotor or Tivat, about 12 viewings in total.

Viewing days with me3 days x € 190€ 570
Hotel, double room4 nights x approx. € 110€ 440
Meals and drinks for 24 days x approx. € 60€ 240
Tourist tax2 people x 4 nights x approx. € 1.50€ 12
Rental car (optional, e.g. for the airport)4 days x approx. € 35€ 140
Total without flights and rental carapprox. € 1,262

Hotel and restaurant prices are estimates and change with the season. In July and August hotels cost about twice as much. You get a written cost estimate before you book.

Thomas, independent property advisor in Montenegro

About me

I live here. I am not selling anything.

Hi, I am Thomas Nenad Leibel. I live in Montenegro and speak English, German and Montenegrin. I know how things work here, from the cadastre office to the notary. Buyers from abroad often depend on the people who earn money from the sale. I changed that: you pay me, and my only job is to tell you the truth about the property.

No agent commissionFixed pricesEverything in writing

The market

2028

Montenegro's target year to join the EU

  • Euroalready the currency, no exchange risk
  • No. 1most advanced EU candidate country
  • Nowbuyers from abroad arrive before the rest of Europe does

The window is open now. Nobody rings a bell when it closes.

Montenegro already uses the euro and wants to join the EU in 2028. Buyers who know this are here today. Good properties with a real view and clean papers rarely stay online for long. The people who wait for the headlines usually buy what is left.

There are two ways to lose here:

  1. You wait too long. The apartment you liked is sold. The next one costs more and has a worse view.
  2. You buy too fast. You pay a deposit before anyone checked the permit, the register and the co-owners. This mistake stays with you, EU or not.

I help you avoid both. You move fast because someone is already on the ground. You move safely because every document is checked before you sign.

€ 750Premium inspection
vs.
€ 61,000one forgotten bank lien in our sample report

On a € 285,000 apartment, a Premium inspection is about 0.26 % of the price. I visit every property myself, so I can only take a limited number of inspections each week.

Send me the listing before you send a deposit

General information only. This is not investment advice and no forecast of future prices. Legal checks are made by a licensed partner lawyer.

FAQ

Questions buyers ask first

Can foreigners buy property in Montenegro?

Yes. Foreign citizens can buy apartments and houses in their own name. Agricultural land, forests and some border areas have limits; a company can be the solution. The partner lawyer checks this for every case.

Are you a real estate agent?

No. I do not sell properties and I take no commission from agents, sellers or developers. You pay me a fixed fee, so my advice is not linked to whether you buy.

Do I have to come to Montenegro to buy?

No. With a notarised power of attorney the purchase can be completed for you. Many clients only come for the handover of the keys.

What costs come on top of the price?

On resale property the buyer pays a progressive transfer tax since 2024: 3 percent up to €150,000, 5 percent on the part up to €500,000 and 6 percent above that. New builds from a developer carry 21 percent VAT in the price instead. Add notary, lawyer, interpreter and registration fees, which vary by case.

How fast can you visit a property?

As fast as the situation allows. The date depends on the agent and the owner. If an offer is urgent, tell me and I do my best to see the property first.

Book an inspection

Send me the listing. I get back to you quickly.

No obligation. Tell me what you found and what worries you, and I suggest the right package.

Or write directly to thomas@investinginmontenegro.com.