Natasa Grdinic, CEO at CMM Investment Consulting Group – For 15 years we have been connecting clients to investments and properties in Montenegro

eKapija: You have been operating with success for the past 15 years. Could you tell us more about the services you provide to your clients?

– The core idea when we started the company to mediate in real estate transactions and that service has still has a significant place in our portfolio. I think I wouldn`t be wrong in saying that we are the biggest sales team not only in Montenegro but in the entire Balkan region. We help our clients to decide how to invest their funds, whether they`re buying a land plot, a house, an apartment, office space or investing in project development.

After the land is purchased, we provide our clients with a full cycle of services including developing business concept, designing projects, acquiring all permits to start the construction, the construction itself and monitoring the process of construction, and finally, technical acceptance certificate and the listing in the register. All the while, the services of out Investment consulting sector are available to the clients. It is important to note that while the project realization is under way, the sales team prepares the sales concept during the permit phase. That way, even during the construction phase, the investor makes a return on their investment at a much greater percentage than initially expected.

We have also developed the Property Management Sector which manages our projects as well as our clients properties who leave in it our hands with full trust. Also, the clients can lease out the property purchased through us as a part of our arrangement. We started this service so the clients could best valorize their investments. In addition to the private sector, we also have hotels and apartment hotels and are successful in tourism as well.

CMM has also developed the sector for design solutions and equipping the units that our clients buy.

With our help clients can also get an economic citizenship. CMM also has its legal team, which deals with all the legal aspects regarding our clients. With its help, they can obtain stay permits, open a company, legalize their real estate and use any service of legal consultation.

CMM VIP Lifestyle Club covers all the services that the client can use after they become the owner of the real estate they buy with our help. CMM VIP Lifestyle Club is a concept we are very proud off and it offers the services of a concierge, who is only a click away for all the client’s questions regarding their stay in Montenegro.

eKapija:Since the beginning, you have gone through various challenges, economic and health crises. How did you manage to overcome those situations and retain your position on the market?

– We started the company in 2007 and as soon as next year we had to face the first huge global crisis. Our path was very challenging from the beginning. However, neither the big economic crisis of 2008, nor the following ones have discouraged us. We continued ahead, expanding our team and our sphere of business and even managed to develop the company with several additional sectors.

The Ukraine war, as the last major crisis we are currently witnessing, has had a strong impact on the whole world and Montenegro as well. The markets in Ukraine and Russia are important to us, especially for tourism and we almost lost them. However, thanks to diversification, which CMM strives for, n, and other markets we operate in, the focus and our activities have been transferred to and so this crisis hasn’t reflected too much on our business.

The good strategic management and the goals my partner and me set in the very beginning helped overcome all the difficulties we faced so far.

eKapija: The real estate market has notably changed during the years and Montenegro got on the global investors` map. Which moment was a turning point for this market to “explode”, especially when it comes to luxury properties so that there are numerous complexes across the Montenegro coast?

– Montenegro has been working hard on its development for many years. I`m not sure I can pinpoint a a specific moment when all these projects showed up. I`d rather say that a succession of decisions in Montenegro`s domestic and foreign policies helped facilitate the status of a desirable destination and resulted, over time, with such a success that now we are also on the list of the most desirable countries to invest in. Favourable investment climate, very attractive tax policy, accessible geolocation and plenty of other factors are the reason many investor make the decision to invest in Montenegro.

eKapija: Where does the majority of the investors come from and what are their conditions when entering the Montenegrin market? How do you help them pick the best investment for themselves?

– The Montenegrin market has been steadily growing in the past years and investors` interest is strong. CMM Investment Consulting Group is always promoting Montenegro as a desirable destination and due to our international offices we have clients from all around the globe. We are very active in the United Kingdom and Central Europe is also one of the markets where we have a lot of clients. Germany is especially active in that sense. But so are other countries, such as America, France, Switzerland, Poland. We also have client in Czech Republic, Scandinavia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, South Africa, China, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other former Soviet republics.

Construction and tourism are currently the most developed industries here, as well as the most accessible for investments, which also makes them the most popular. That is why investors invest the most in purchasing real estate and there’s also a great demand for hotels.

However, Montenegro is a country with an incredible natural potential, so we successfully incite investments in other industries, such as farming, agriculture and manufacture.

eKapija: CMM Investment Consulting Group also develops its own projects across the Montenegrin coast. Could you tell u something more about company`s upcoming investments?

– Great deal of our business operations is focused on the Montenegrin market and the projects developed here. We have, so far, realized a number investments, some are near completed, others are in the pipeline. Currently, we are preparing new projects on around 30,000 sqm which are to be realized in the next two years. One of them is the Royal View Resort & Spa, a lifestyle concept on over 20,000 m2, which will contain as many as three pools, a closed territory with a panoramic view to the whole Budva and numerous features with a five-star offer, of a residential character. The beginning of the construction is planned for the end of the year.

We are working on an unique project, the Pine Village complex with five villas, ranging from 250 sqm to 350 sqm in size, which we have recently presented. We expect the beginning of construction to start soon with the sale of units already under way.

We are also plannning several new projects in the Budva area. All our projects are closed-type resorts with plenty of additional features such as outdoor and indoor pools, conference halls, spa zone with a sauna, Turkish bath, a salt room, children`s play rooms, relaxing-yoga zone and others.

eKapija: Considering that the political crisis in Montenegro has been going on for a while and the world is waist deep in an economic crisis, do you notice any change in the investors interest? How interested are they to invest in Montenegro today?

– Montenegro is constantly developing, it is rich with incredible nature and resources which makes it very attractive for investments. As I`ve already mentioned, the Montenegrin market has been steadily growing in the past years and investors` interest is always present. I would mention the economic citizenship program which has had a very positive impact on the development of the north and which will last until the end of the year causing the interest to spike at the moment.

The world crisis has resulted in increased interest in real estate purchase across Montenegro. Our political instability hasn`t had much of an effect on investors` interest and they are still very active and want to invest, mainly because of the investment attractiveness of Montenegro itself.