Top 5 Reasons Why Investors Regret Not Buying in Albania Earlier

I’ve been saying this for years — South Albania was always going to take off.
Maybe not everyone believed me back then. But those who bought early? They’re smiling today. And the ones who didn’t… well, they often tell me they regret it every time they visit Saranda or Ksamil and see how fast prices have changed.

Let me walk you through the reasons why.
And trust me, these reasons come straight from real conversations I've had with investors — some excited, some frustrated, and some wishing they could turn back the clock.

Prices Increased Faster Than Anyone Expected

If you had told people 6–7 years ago that Saranda apartments for sale would reach €1800–€2200 per m² in many areas, they might have laughed.
Not in a bad way — just in disbelief.

But here we are.
And the rise wasn’t slow. It was steady, sudden, and very real.

I still remember an Italian client who visited me this spring. He had been coming to Albania for years. “I should have bought that seaview apartment you showed me back in 2018,” he said, shaking his head while sipping a macchiato near the old part of town. “The one on the hill with the view of Corfu. But I thought prices would stay low longer.”

They didn’t.

Saranda, Ksamil, Borsh — all of them experienced the same curve:
tourism exploded → demand grew → new buildings improved → prices followed.

And honestly? I’m surprised they stayed low for as long as they did.
I truly believe Saranda offers the best value on the entire Mediterranean coast — even today. But the early days? Those were golden.

You can still find affordable properties, but not at the old “secret destination” prices. And those who waited feel it the most.

The New Wave of Quiet Luxury Arrived Sooner Than Expected

The biggest misconception people had was assuming Albania would stay “simple” and “untouched” forever. But investment brings quality, and quality changes everything.

Modern buildings, private pools, better infrastructure, high-end finishes — they all arrived much faster than people predicted.

Just walk around the new neighborhoods in Ksamil. You’ll see what I mean.

I showed a client a KSAMIL property recently — not the one everyone sees on social media, but a quiet, elegant building tucked into one of the newest residential areas. Their first reaction was:
“Are we still in Albania?”

I smiled. Because I hear this almost every week now.

Take for example this modern 1-bedroom apartment in Ksamil.
It’s brand new, finishing in 2025, with a private pool for all residents and a location just seven minutes from the beach. The neighborhood is calm, clean, and has that subtle luxury atmosphere investors always look for. These kinds of residences simply didn’t exist years ago — and people regret not buying before this shift happened.

The same goes for duplexes.
Properties like this 2025 luxury duplex in Ksamil, with two private swimming pools (one exclusively for the duplex), underground parking, and a quiet setting only 300 meters from the beach — these would have been unimaginable here 10 years ago. Now they set a completely new standard.

When the quality rises, so does the price.
And early buyers now own something that’s doubled — or sometimes tripled — in value.

Tourism Exploded Thanks to Social Media

I won’t lie. TikTok and Instagram did half the work for real estate agents in Albania.

One viral drone shot of Ksamil.
One video from the promenade in Saranda during sunset.
One clip of Borsh beach stretching for kilometers without interruption.

Suddenly, everyone wants to book a flight — and investors start Googling things like “beachfront property in Albania” or “seaview apartments Albanian Riviera”.

Just last season, I met a German couple who literally discovered Albania from a YouTube travel video. They had been planning to invest in Spain, but after seeing the water near the Ksamil islands, they redirected their budget here instead. And when they saw the prices? Their exact words were:
“We wasted years investing in the wrong places.”

A bit dramatic, maybe. But I get their point.

More visibility means more demand.
More demand means higher ROI.
And higher ROI pushes real estate prices up.

Those who bought early feel lucky. Those who waited? You can imagine how they feel.

The Best Plots and the Best Views Were Sold First

There’s something locals always know:
The best views are limited. And once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Saranda’s hillsides?
The first buyers got the best angles toward Corfu.
Ksamil’s central zones?
The earliest investors secured walking-distance access before the area became the hottest spot in the country.
Borsh’s mountain slope areas?
Those natural terraces with sea views were cheaper years ago — now they’re premium.

Even now, when I drive to Borsh early in the morning, I pass a little spot on the main road where you can hear nothing but the sound of olive leaves moving with the wind. That’s where the White Villas in Borsh are being developed — a residential paradise created by our construction company after 15+ years of experience in the field.

Four luxury villas.
Each with 300 m² of land and interior area.
Three floors, private swimming pool, big veranda overlooking the sea, private parking.
And surrounded only by nature.

A seven-minute drive from Borsh beach.
The definition of quiet luxury.

Every time someone sees them, the first question is:
“Why didn’t I buy land here earlier?”

And I never have a perfect answer.
Because the truth is — they should have.

ROI Grew Dramatically — Much Faster Than Traditional Markets

This is the part investors regret the most.
Not the missed sea views.
Not the increased prices.
The ROI.

Because Albania didn’t just grow steadily — it grew fast.

Ksamil rentals?
The ROI can reach 12–16% annually for the right property.
I’ve seen owners cover their full yearly mortgage just from July and August bookings.

Saranda beachfront apartments?
Some earn more in 5 months than properties in Greece or Italy make in a whole year.

One of the best examples is this seaview 1-bedroom apartment in Saranda.
Quiet neighborhood.
A private swimming pool.
Unobstructed sea views.
High-end finishes.
A residence built with the level of detail you normally see in Italian or Croatian coastal towns.

Perfect both to live in and to list for rentals.

A few years ago, apartments like this were cheaper, and the competition in the rental market was minimal. Buyers who acted then now enjoy huge returns — something investors often mention with a mix of admiration and regret.

A Small Tangent — The Coffee Culture That Clues You In

Sometimes, if you want to understand the real estate market, just sit at a local coffee shop early in the morning.
I often stop at one on the hill above the port — a place tourists rarely find. You’ll see builders finishing their first espresso before work, developers discussing materials, agents comparing notes, older locals reading the news.

And the conversations?
They tell you everything.

When people start talking about “the last few plots near the water” or “that new road they’re improving,” it’s a sign the market is shifting again. This past winter, nearly every conversation was about Ksamil — specifically how fast prices were moving. And that’s usually a sign that regret is coming for those who delay.

Anyway, back to the main point.

What Investors Say Today

“When I first came in 2019, I should have bought.”
“I didn’t expect the Albanian Riviera to grow this fast.”
“I thought prices would stay low for many more years.”
“I kept waiting for the ‘perfect’ moment — and now it passed.”

I hear these phrases almost weekly now.

But the truth is — the next “early wave” is now.
Not because prices are low (they’re not what they used to be).
But because demand is about to increase even more as Albania continues its rise.

Final Thoughts — And a Bit of Honesty

As someone who has lived and worked in Saranda for years, I’ve watched the entire coast transform.
And despite all the changes, I still feel like Albania is in the early chapters of its real estate story.

People regret not buying earlier — yes.
But you won’t find many who regret buying when they finally did.
That says something.

And to be completely honest, I truly believe Saranda offers the best value on the entire Mediterranean coast. Not because I work here — but because I see what buyers get for their money, and I compare it to Italy, Greece, Montenegro, Croatia… all of them.

If you’re reading this and thinking “maybe soon,” don’t wait too long.
Opportunities don’t return in the same form twice.