Slovakia’s property market has been going from strength to strength pretty much since the nation’s entry into the European Union in 2004. Since then, trade ties have strengthened, tourism has boomed and what was once considered a relatively unknown neighbour of the Czech Republic is becoming a key player for the continent. From the investor’s point of view, buying in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava is unsurprisingly the biggest pull for foreigners – the good news being no specific buying restrictions in place. However, buying costs can be quite steep with VAT and income tax both being set at 19 per cent. On the plus side, house prices are rising as too are rents and the demand for higher-end properties across Slovakia’s key cities – it’s a generally optimistic picture on the whole.