Albania and Montenegro: Safer than Western Europe

July 6, 2008 - PRLog -- The Balkans, a region once known as a hotbed of crime and violence, has become one of the safest zones in Europe according to the United Nations.
"The vicious circle of political instability leading to crime, and vice versa, that plagued the Balkans in the 1990s has been broken," said Antonio Maria Costa, head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

The bloody breakup of former Yugoslavia — the worst carnage in Europe since World War II — left the region in turmoil throughout the 1990s, but a United Nations report says the levels of crime against people and property are now lower in the Balkans than in Western Europe.

The United Nations report says this trend of reduced crime is likely to continue as the region lacks the usual factors that lead to crime elsewhere in the world: mass poverty, income inequality, runaway urbanisation and large-scale youth unemployment.
David Stanley Redfern Ltd have properties in two Balkan countries, Albania and Montenegro. And with both countries on the road to EU accession, their property markets are safe too.

The Albanian property market is among the cheapest places in Europe to buy property, and since the market has become the focus for international investors the country has enjoyed solid capital appreciation figures. Buyers of Albanian property can expect 5-7 percent rental yields and 10-15 percent capital appreciation, perhaps even rising to 30 percent when Albania enters the EU.

David Stanley Redfern Ltd is in the unique position of having property in the most promising and sought after areas of Albania; the area surrounding Tirana's artificial lake and the first ever development in the Fresku District of Tirana near the Dajti Mountain.

Montenegro is also progressing towards EU accession. Rental yields of up to 10 percent can be achieved in popular tourist areas, and prices are expected to grow in value by 15-20 percent per year.

David Stanley Redfern Ltd have three off-plan developments in tourist hotspots. The Acacia Hills development consists of one two and three bedroom apartments in an astonishing location overlooking the Bay of Kotor on the massively popular Montenegro coast. Also overlooking the open sea are sea-facing terraces in a new off-plan development located in the village of Zambelici, on the beautiful peninsular of Lustica. While The Lakeside Park development is on the banks of [Lake Krupac?] surrounded by wilderness, yet only 5 minutes drive from Montenegro’s second biggest town, Niksic.

Find out more about Albanian property.

Find out more about Montenegro property.

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About David Stanley Redfern

David Stanley Redfern Ltd is one of the U.K.'s leading overseas property investment specialists. The reasons for this are an incomparable range of international properties spanning 40 destinations worldwide, and unrivalled customer care, which lasts long after the purchase has been completed.

Media enquiries should be directed to Liam Bailey: media@davidstanleyredfern.com.