# They found their family home before it was listed > Tijana and Luka needed a larger home but did not want to leave Blok 70a. They found the right property before it was publicly listed. - Web page: https://urbaniagent.rs/en/blog/they-found-their-family-home-before-it-was-listed - Language: English - Other language: https://urbaniagent.rs/blog/pronasli-su-porodicni-stan-pre-nego-sto-je-stigao-u-oglase.md - Updated: 2026-09-01 - Published on: 2026-08-31 - Author: Urbani Agent - Categories: Our Story, Buying Property - Tags: client stories, off-market property, buying a property Tijana and Luka had already been living in Blok 70 for several years. Their work, daily routines, walks along the Sava and time spent in the park had connected their lives closely to this part of New Belgrade. When their second child arrived, their apartment with only one bedroom became too small. They knew they needed more space, but they also knew that they did not want to leave the neighbourhood where they had built their everyday life. The difficulty was that properties matching their requirements rarely became available. ## A neighbourhood that had become part of their everyday life **Tijana:** “We had already been living in Blok 70 for several years. Luka works nearby and can walk to work, while my language school is around ten minutes away. The Sava, the park — everything is here. Our lives somehow became connected to this neighbourhood.” For them, the location was more than the name of a residential block. Proximity to work, daily obligations, nature and the places they regularly used meant that moving to another part of the city would change much more than their address. They therefore knew from the beginning that their new home needed to be larger, but should remain within the same area. ## Their needs changed with the arrival of their second child **Luka:** “With our second child, the apartment we were living in became too small. It had only one bedroom, and that was when we realised it was time for more space and a calmer everyday routine.” They were not simply looking for a few additional square metres. They wanted a home that would suit their family in the long term — somewhere the children could have their own rooms, everyone could have enough space and they would not face the same problem again in a few years. ## They did not want to leave the neighbourhood **Tijana:** “We did not want to leave the area, but properties that suited us did not become available here very often. From time to time, we would look at the listings, follow what appeared and wait for an apartment that genuinely made sense for us.” The supply of larger family apartments with the characteristics they wanted was limited in Blok 70a. A listing would occasionally appear, but the apartment might have the wrong layout, insufficient space, limited natural light or another disadvantage that made it unsuitable. They did not want to purchase a property simply because it was available. They wanted to wait for a home that genuinely suited their family. ## They knew exactly what they were looking for **Luka:** “We knew exactly what we needed. The top floor, plenty of natural light, a large terrace and three bedrooms, so that everyone could have their own space. We knew we were looking for something quite specific and that it would not be easy to find.” Clear criteria may reduce the number of available options, but they also prevent buyers from wasting time on properties that do not suit them from the outset. Their priorities were: - Blok 70a or the immediate surrounding area; - the top floor; - plenty of natural light; - a large terrace; - three bedrooms; - enough space for long-term family life. This was not the type of property that appeared frequently in public listings. ## The first conversation was enough to understand their needs **Tijana:** “We called them, explained what we were looking for and already during that first conversation felt that they genuinely understood us.” When buyers have clearly defined requirements, the agent’s role is not to send them every larger apartment that appears. The agent needs to understand which criteria are essential, where compromise may be possible and which characteristics a property must have for a viewing to make sense. In this case, it was not enough for the apartment simply to be larger and located in New Belgrade. It needed to suit a very specific way of life. ## The apartment had not yet reached the property portals A few days after the first conversation, a property appeared that matched almost all their requirements. It had not yet been publicly listed. The documentation was still being finalised, which meant it had not reached the websites Tijana and Luka had been monitoring for months. **Luka:** “A few days after that conversation, the agent called and said he had an apartment that had not even reached the listings yet. The documentation was still being completed, but he thought it might be exactly what we were looking for. I told Tijana, ‘I have a good feeling about this one.’ It turned out I was right.” The apartment was on the top floor, had plenty of natural light, a large terrace and the number of rooms they needed. Most importantly, it was in the neighbourhood they did not want to leave. ## Multiple sellers made the agreement more complex There were several sellers on the other side of the transaction, which meant their positions, documentation, conditions and deadlines all needed to be coordinated. **Luka:** “There were many details to arrange because there were several sellers on the other side, but the agent took over the entire process and negotiated everything.” When a property has several owners or sellers, it is not enough for a buyer simply to state that they want to purchase it. Everyone involved must agree on the price, payment structure, deadlines and conditions for completing the transaction. Any unresolved matter can delay or prevent the sale if it is not addressed in time. Tijana and Luka did not have to communicate separately with every party or connect all the details themselves. The agreement was managed as a single process. ## They remained in the neighbourhood where they wanted to live **Tijana:** “Now we are here. The renovation will take time, but we will do it gradually. The children will have their own rooms, and we will have the terrace we spent years looking at from the street. And we are still in the neighbourhood where we want to live.” The apartment requires renovation, but that was not a problem for them. They had found the things that could not simply be changed through construction work: the right location, enough space, a suitable layout, natural light and a large terrace. They can now complete the interior gradually and according to their own needs. ## The right property is not always where you are looking **Luka:** “If you are buying a home and know exactly what you want, but it seems that nothing like it exists on the market, speak with them. We realised that the right property sometimes exists — it is simply not where you are looking for it yourself.” Most buyers begin their search on public property portals, which is entirely understandable. However, the listings currently visible online do not always represent every property preparing to enter the market. Some properties have not yet been photographed, the documentation for others is still being completed, while some owners are only beginning to consider selling. That is why an agent should not respond only to listings that have already been published. They should understand the buyer’s needs and recognise a suitable property as soon as an opportunity appears. **Sometimes the right home is not among the listings you review every day. But it may already exist — waiting for the right buyer.** ## Similar stories - [Renting out an apartment doesn't have to be a second job](https://urbaniagent.rs/en/blog/how-renting-out-his-property-stopped-feeling-like-a-second-job.md) - [The apartment was sold without disrupting his business](https://urbaniagent.rs/en/blog/the-apartment-was-sold-without-disrupting-his-business.md) - [From their first apartment to the home they truly wanted!](https://urbaniagent.rs/en/blog/from-their-first-apartment-to-the-home-they-truly-wanted.md) --- Contact: Urbani Agent · +381642420492 · info@urbaniagent.rs · Omladinskih brigada 90v, Novi Beograd