Cottages for sale near Kutná Hora (Hostovlice): what to check

The Čáslav area, at the foot of the Železné hory hills, offers peace and quiet, a drive of around an hour and a quarter from Prague and prices that are nothing like those in the capital. Here is what country cottages cost and what to check before you buy.

If you are looking for a country cottage (chalupa) for sale in the Kutná Hora area, the countryside around Hostovlice and Čáslav has lower prices than the established cottage regions around Prague. It is also only about an hour and a quarter's drive from the capital. Current listings show cottages in the Kutná Hora district starting at around CZK 1.6 million, with typical properties priced between roughly CZK 2 and 5 million. However, the price of the house matters less than its technical condition and what the zoning plan allows on the plot. The key points are the water supply, wastewater, the roof and damp.

Why people from Prague are discovering Čáslav and the Železné hory

For a long time the Čáslav area was overshadowed by Posázaví, Český ráj and the Šumava. For that very reason, many of its villages have not been surrounded by commuter housing estates, and you can still find original rural buildings with large gardens. The region sits where flat farmland meets the wooded ridge of the Železné hory, so it offers both easy access and genuine countryside.

Transport links also play a part. Čáslav is about 80 to 90 kilometres from Prague by road, and the drive takes around an hour and a quarter. Trains also run to Čáslav, so you can use a cottage without a car or work from it remotely for part of the time. Do check the current timetable before you decide, though.

Hostovlice and the surrounding area: nature, peace and quiet, and access

Hostovlice is a small village of around 250 inhabitants on the eastern edge of the Kutná Hora district, in the Čáslav Uplands (Čáslavská vrchovina). It comes under Čáslav as the municipality with extended powers (obec s rozšířenou působností). Most official matters are handled there, including building and water-authority matters. The village itself has few services, so for shops, doctors and schools you go to Čáslav.

Nearby are Žleby, with its chateau and game park, and a little further on Ronov nad Doubravou and the Železné hory Protected Landscape Area (CHKO). The protected area was designated in 1991 and covers 284 km². It offers beech woods, the Doubrava valley, ponds and a dense network of hiking and cycling trails. For buyers this means two things. The landscape is stable and protected, but in and around the CHKO you should expect stricter assessment of conversions and new buildings.

What cottages and country houses cost

The market in the district is small and the listings change quickly. Treat the figures below as a rough picture based on advertisements, not as a valuation of any particular property. In autumn 2026, holiday chalets (chaty) in the Kutná Hora district are listed from around CZK 1.2 million and cottages from approximately CZK 1.6 million. Typical cottages are usually advertised at between CZK 2 and 5 million. Large farmsteads and fully renovated properties cost considerably more.

The asking price does not tell you how much more you will need to spend on the house. A cheap cottage with no mains water connection, its original roof and damp walls can end up costing more than a house priced a million higher that is in good technical condition. It is therefore worth comparing the total cost: the purchase price plus a realistic budget for repairs.

Well, septic tank, roof: a technical inspection of a rural building

Older rural buildings have typical weak points. Before you sign a reservation agreement, we recommend having the house inspected by a building surveyor, with particular attention to the following:

Well: yield during dry periods, depth, condition of the lining and a laboratory analysis of the water. Also find out whether the well is registered and permitted.
Wastewater: whether there is a cesspit, a septic tank or a domestic treatment plant, and whether there is a valid discharge permit from the water authority.
Roof and roof structure: condition of the roofing, infestation by wood-boring pests, sagging, flashing and gutters.
Damp in the walls: rural houses often have no damp-proof course, and fixing this is one of the most expensive items.
Electrical wiring: aluminium wiring and missing inspection certificates often mean it has to be replaced.
Radon: testing is inexpensive and sensible for old houses with ground-bearing floors.

The septic tank deserves special attention. A septic tank on its own treats wastewater only mechanically and usually does not meet the limits for discharge into surface water or groundwater. Water authorities therefore now require a further treatment stage after the septic tank, typically a soil filter or a domestic treatment plant. A discharge permit is also needed when the water soaks away through a land drain. If an old cottage discharges its wastewater 'through a pipe into the stream', expect a wastewater solution to be one of your first investments. A sealed cesspit does not need a discharge permit, but you must be able to show proof that it is emptied regularly.

The zoning plan and options for conversion

Before you fall in love with a house, check in the municipality's zoning plan (územní plán) which land-use area the plot falls into and what is permitted there. Municipalities around Čáslav usually publish their zoning plans on their own websites or on the website of the municipality with extended powers. To be certain, you can ask for zoning information (územně plánovací informace), which confirms whether the conversion or extension you have in mind is possible at that location.

A common pitfall is the difference between a recreational building (stavba pro rodinnou rekreaci) and a family house (rodinný dům). Under Building Act No. 283/2021 Coll., converting a recreational building into a family house counts as a change of use. It usually requires a permit from the building authority. The house must meet the technical requirements for residential buildings, and the zoning plan must allow housing on that land. If you plan to live in the cottage permanently later on, or to finance it with a residential mortgage, it is best to settle this question before you buy.

Renovation: budget and process

The cost of building work depends on the scope of the work and on the availability of tradespeople and materials. It is therefore worth working with a budget drawn up by a quantity surveyor rather than a rough cost per square metre. A tried and tested process looks like this:

A structural and technical survey and measured drawings of the existing building.
A decision on scope: maintenance, partial renovation or full renovation.
Project documentation, and confirmation of whether the work needs a permit or can be carried out without one.
Work in order from the bottom up: drainage and damp-proofing of the walls, then the roof, and only then services, windows and interiors.
A contingency in the budget, because hidden defects almost always come to light in old houses.

Also bear in mind that in smaller villages it tends to be harder to find tradespeople at short notice. For a larger renovation it is therefore worth hiring a site supervisor to represent the owner when they are not there.

The cottage as a holiday let

With Lichnice Castle, Žleby, Kutná Hora and the Železné hory, the region has potential for weekend stays. However, demand is highly seasonal and returns cannot be guaranteed in advance. For tax purposes, the key point is that the Czech Financial Administration generally treats short-term accommodation offered through online platforms as an accommodation service. That makes it business income under Section 7 of the Income Tax Act, not rental income under Section 9. As a result, you cannot use the 30% flat-rate expense deduction intended for rental income. According to the General Financial Directorate, accommodation services allow a flat-rate expense deduction of either 60% or 40%, depending on whether you hold a trade licence. Tax advisers disagree about the 40% case in particular. Social security and health insurance contributions are also payable, and accommodation services may be subject to VAT. Platforms also report data on accommodation providers to the tax authorities.

There is also a guest register to keep, and a local accommodation fee (poplatek z pobytu) to pay if the municipality has introduced one by local ordinance. The planned eTurista register is not yet mandatory, and its launch has been postponed several times. Before you start letting the cottage, we recommend discussing your specific arrangements with a tax adviser and checking the current legislation with a lawyer.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a cottage near Hostovlice and in the Čáslav area cost? Current listings show cottages in the Kutná Hora district starting at around CZK 1.6 million, with typical properties offered for roughly CZK 2 to 5 million. The actual price depends mainly on the technical condition, the size of the plot and the connection to utilities.

Can I turn a cottage into a family house and live there permanently? Yes, but it counts as a change of use, which the building authority must approve. The zoning plan must allow housing on the plot, and the house must meet the technical requirements for residential buildings.

Do I need a permit for an old septic tank? If wastewater from it flows into a stream or soaks into the ground, you need a valid discharge permit from the water authority. A septic tank on its own, without further treatment, usually does not meet today's limits. You should therefore plan for a soil filter, a domestic treatment plant or a cesspit.

If you are thinking of buying a cottage or a country house in the Kutná Hora area, DALILE LIVING can help you find and check a property, negotiate the purchase and prepare a renovation. We will also be happy to discuss off-market options with you.