Construction
Kosovars look for houses
Immediately after the construction of Durres-Kukes road, the Kosovars are showing interest to buy real estate in Tirana and Albanian coast
Construction sector increasingly is paying more attention to the demand for buying real estate from the Kosovars and Albanians in Macedonia, as some of the constructors have stated that the first buying have started.
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This is not only due to construction market saturation in Tirana, but also due to the higher interest coming from those neighboring countries, as a result of Durres-Kukes road construction. “Construction of the road has considerably shortened the time to reach the coast. Now they can come to enjoy their stay on the beach even during weekends. In the near future, I see many Kosovars and Albanians of Macedonia to come to our coast, “said Avenir Kika, president of “Kika Constructions” Company.
Meanwhile another constructor, Hajredin Fratari, president of “Fratari Constructions” company, it is not only Durresi area that is seen with higher interest by the Albanian abroad, but they are targeting Velipoja, Shengjini and wider, including Tirana as well. “Kosovars show higher interest for buying real estates in Tirana”, Fratari said. Constructor told that the Kosovars see Tirana as a metropolis, and with the new road construction they can reach Tirana within three hours, which offer much more entertainment than Pristine. According to him, presently Kosova is facing with a boom of construction as a result of the massive migration toward cities. “Intellectuals stratum in Kosovo is very attentive on developments in Tirana. They see with high attention the cultural life that Tirana offers: Opera and Ballet Theatre has been performing quite well recently. This is the foreigner impression as well. There a number of Art Galleries in Tirana with very qualitative offers. Perhaps we are not so focused on things we have, but they are very important elements in the foreigners eyes”, said the president of “Fratari Constructions” company.
Tendency to increase the demand for a second house in the Albanian coast is also confirmed by several agents in the real estate market, which however underline that the structure of the Albanian real estate market – constructors prefer to sell the constructions on their own, leaving the agencies outside the play – offer less opportunities to crease a clear idea on the demand level.
Higher interest by the Macedonians as well
According real estate agency, based in Durres and with its branches opened in some cities, there is no doubt that the demand by the Kosovars and Macedonia Albanians will mark only growth. According to her, to date most active have the Kosovars, but there is a higher interest showed by the Macedonians as well. “The real sales season has started yet. For the time being, both Kosovars and Macedonians are at the stage of expressing interest. But I see such interest as a positive signal, as in the future it would be translated into purchase”, Zoto said.
She explained that presently most active are the emigrants, both in terms of tourism and interest to buy real estate.
“This year we see more movements than the previous year, but at larger extent it is related to tourism rather for buying apartment”, said Dritan Caka, executive director of “Dev Inf” real estate agency. According to him, the buying by the part of Kosovars reached the highest level in 2005 and mostly in apartments, in particular in Durresi coastal area. Most of the cases were cheap and small apartments 1+1 or 2+1. “I do not expect any strong demand from Kosovo presently and for the coming period. I have higher expectations from Albanians in Macedonia. During this year we see a growth of demand in tourism, but I consider it as a signal for a gradual growth of demand for real estate buying in coastal area”, Caka said.
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To Ilda Biçoku, manager of “Century 21 The Point”, another real estate agency, it is a market that for the time being is not facing any big activity, but it would be revitalized in the near future. Biçoku shows that her agency was mostly contacted by the Kosovars living abroad in the western countries such as Germany or Sweden. “There is less demand from Kosovo; however, we have a set cooperation with a local agency there. But I believe that the Kosovars have started to move toward Vlora. With regard to Saranda, I believe that the demand will not be high, because the distance from their country is higher in this case”, Biçoku added.