Higher Property Taxes in 2022 – Vacation Houses Might Be Most Affected

Unlike some other markets, the real estate market has remained immune to the coronavirus pandemic, that is, the interest in purchase has not dropped, so the prices of square meters in Serbia have grown around 15% on average. That is why, in nearly all local self-governments, there will be an increase of the property tax in 2022.

It is not yet certain by how much the charge will increase, because the local self-governments have not yet adopted decisions on the average price of a square meter, but what is certain is that these documents should be adopted by the end of the current month or the beginning of the next one. To be fair, some towns and municipalities, like Nis and Kragujevac, have already proposed the principal amounts, but these documents have not yet been adopted.

Even without those official documents, it is clear that the principal amounts for the calculation of taxes will be higher in 2022 for most taxpayers, because there is nearly no area in Serbia where an increase in the price of a square meter has not been recorded. However, as has been the case in the past years, there is real estate in some zones which is not interesting to purchasers, so those who live there will pay less that they did this year.

What is likely to remain the same are tax rates, which, at least according to the announcements made by local self-governments, will not increase. They range between 0.3% and 0.4%.

Real estate experts say that the sale of vacation houses has experienced a boom in the past year, due to which a considerable increase in taxes on this type of real estate can be expected.

What was implemented this year is the taxation of inherited or gifted digital property. More precisely, the old law regulated the taxes on gifts, money, savings, immovable property and so on, and now it also includes the tax on digital property. That means that, if bitcoin is inherited, it is also subject to taxation. At the same time, in selling cryptocurrencies, capital gains tax is now paid too, just like with real estate, and it is 15%.