She Left Serbia at Age 2 and Moved Back 57 Years Later — Here's What Happened

Suzanne was born in Serbia — specifically in the Novi Sad region — but left when she was just two years old. Her family first relocated to Austria, then emigrated to Australia as part of the wave of European migrants welcomed by the Australian government in the early 1970s. She grew up in Melbourne, spent 25 years in Sydney, and eventually settled in Brisbane. She built a 35-year career in management. And then, at nearly 60, she packed one suitcase and moved back to Serbia.

This is her story — and if you're an expat, a diaspora returnee, or someone considering a move to Serbia from Australia, the UK, the US, or anywhere else in the Western world, it's worth reading in full.

It wasn't a single dramatic reason. It was a slow accumulation.

Her mother — still living in Serbia — was showing signs of cognitive decline. As the only sibling realistically able to relocate, Suzanne felt the pull strongly. But there was more to it than family duty.

She had also started researching retirement in Europe. Portugal. Spain. Italy. All of them came with bureaucratic hurdles: income thresholds, minimum savings requirements, temporary visas that needed renewing, complex residency pathways.

And then she remembered: she was born in Serbia. She already held Serbian citizenship. She had a family home to stay in. No income minimums. No visa applications. No waiting lists.

"I've got the citizenship. My mom lives here. I got a place to stay. And Serbia is right at the threshold to all of Europe. Why am I looking at other countries?"

The decision crystallized during a Christmas visit to her sister in the United States. Standing in a Walmart, staring at the deli counter — and feeling, for the first time, an overwhelming desire to get back to Serbia.

Suzanne is candid about this. The scariest part wasn't the language barrier. It wasn't the bureaucracy. It wasn't buying property in a foreign-language legal system.

It was handing in her resignation.

"That was the most scariest because I'm on my own and having employment, resigning, there goes my security. What if I don't like it? Who's going to employ me at my age? I'm almost 60."

This is one of the most honest things a returning expat or late-life relocator can say — and it's something many people in the same position never admit out loud. She'd already experienced age discrimination in Australia firsthand: after a state-to-state move in her late 40s, she spent eight months unemployed despite a strong management background, even being turned down by Aldi for being "overqualified."

Her answer was to give herself a 12-month runway. She came to Serbia, experienced daily life, and gave herself the time to decide before buying property. That patience paid off.

After the Walmart moment confirmed she was home, Suzanne returned to Serbia and got methodical. She made a list. She researched towns by population bracket — 20k to 50k, 50k to 100k, 100k to 200k — and watched YouTube videos on every single one.

Her criteria were specific:

• Not a village (needs services), not a big city (too expensive, too fast)
• Medical facilities within reach
• Close to her mother
• A functioning market, shops, and public transport
• A community feel — kids playing outside, bikes, normal street life

Bačka Palanka checked every box. It's a town of around 56,000 in Vojvodina, roughly 45 minutes from Novi Sad by bus, 30 by car. It has a health center, a Lidl, markets, furniture stores, cafés — everything you'd need for a comfortable, slow-paced life without being isolated.

"I love the idea that people get out and about on their bikes. You can go to the markets. You can shop. The kids are laughing in the street. You don't get that in Australia."

This is where Suzanne's experience gets genuinely useful for anyone planning to buy property in Serbia.

First: Serbia's property listings aren't on Zillow.

Real estate in Serbia — especially outside Belgrade — is predominantly listed on Facebook and Instagram, not on traditional portals. Once Suzanne understood that, she found far more options.

Second: Realtors in Serbia work differently.

Unlike Australia, Canada, or the US — where the real estate agent hands off to a solicitor or conveyancer after a sale is agreed — Serbian real estate agents typically handle the entire transaction from listing to contract drafting to key handover. Suzanne's agent in Bačka Palanka walked her through every stage.

Third — and this is the part that catches almost every foreign buyer off guard:

"When you do buy a house, you're basically buying the shell of the house."

No kitchen units. No lighting fixtures. No fitted wardrobes. No air conditioning units (even if you saw them during the viewing). In Serbia, what is not explicitly listed in the purchase contract as included is taken by the seller. This is standard practice, not bad faith — but foreign buyers assume Western norms and are routinely surprised.

Suzanne's advice: go room by room during viewings and explicitly ask what stays and what goes. Get it in the contract. Everything.

Suzanne had discovered the Relocate Serbia YouTube channel before she even moved. When it came time to actually buy, she reached out.

The reason was practical: her real estate agent's documents were in Serbian Cyrillic script, which Suzanne cannot read. The legal due diligence, the cadastre checks, understanding exactly what she was signing — all of it needed a bilingual professional who understood both the legal process and the experience of a foreign buyer.

"I need your help with the documents. Honestly, best thing ever. I couldn't have done it without your help."

Her agent was cooperative throughout — an outcome that isn't guaranteed, and one Suzanne recognizes as fortunate. Having a relocation specialist involved from the start creates a layer of protection that no amount of Google Translate can replicate.

Suzanne is settled in Bačka Palanka. She's renovating. She's close to her mother. She's learning Serbian — finding that younger Serbs speak English and that older Serbs respond warmly to anyone making the effort to use even basic Serbian.

The lifestyle shift is stark.

"Now I can start to live my life to the fullest. The lifestyle here is just so relaxed. When I'm pottering around in my garden, I can hear children playing in the street, riding their bikes, playing basketball. You don't get that in Australia."

That's not nostalgia. That's a woman who researched her options carefully, tested her decision over 12 months, bought a property with proper support, and found what she was looking for.

If Suzanne's story resonates, here's what you need to know from a practical and legal standpoint:

Can Australians buy property in Serbia? Yes. Australia and Serbia have a reciprocity agreement in place, meaning Australian citizens can purchase residential property in Serbia as natural persons. Citizens of most Western countries — US, UK, Germany, Canada, and EU member states — can also buy property freely.

What can foreigners buy? Foreigners can purchase apartments, houses, and commercial buildings. Agricultural land purchase remains restricted to Serbian citizens. Properties in certain protected areas may also have additional restrictions — always verify before proceeding.

Does buying property give you residency? Owning property in Serbia can support a temporary residence application. However, property ownership alone does not automatically grant residency or citizenship. As of 2026, Serbia does not operate a formal golden visa program — purchasing property may help your application but is not a guaranteed path to residency. After five years of legal residency, you can apply for permanent residence and eventually citizenship.

What are the purchase costs?

• Transfer tax on resale properties: typically 2.5% of the assessed value
• VAT applies to new-build properties instead of transfer tax
• Notary and cadastre registration fees: several hundred euros
• Always budget 3–5% on top of the purchase price for total transaction costs

Annual property tax? Serbia's annual property tax is capped at 0.4% of cadastral value — significantly lower than most Western countries.

Legal due diligence is non-negotiable. Verify the property in the Republic Geodetic Authority (RGZ) cadastre before signing or paying anything. Check for liens, unresolved ownership disputes, and whether the building has proper permits. This step is not optional — it is how you avoid the most common and costly mistakes foreign buyers make in Serbia.

Suzanne's story is one of dozens we've documented at Relocate Serbia. Australians. Americans. Germans. Brits. People who left the Western treadmill — the high cost of living, the age discrimination, the relentless pace — and found that Serbia offered something they hadn't expected: a real quality of life.

It's not for everyone. The language is a barrier until it isn't. The bureaucracy moves at its own pace. Property renovations take longer than you'd like. But for people who do their homework, take their time, and get the right support, Serbia consistently delivers.

If you're in the research phase — or if you're ready to move but don't know where to start with visas, property, bank accounts, or residency — contact Relocate Serbia. We've helped hundreds of foreigners make this transition legally, safely, and without the expensive surprises that come from going it alone.