Bulgarian Investment Property

LOVELY BULGARIAN COTTAGE FOR SALE NEAR TO COAST.

2007-11-18T17:54:00.001-01:00

PROPERTY FOR SALE

A traditional 2-storey house with incredible views to the surrounding countryside. The airport and coast just one hours drive away and a beautiful lake only ten minutes walk from the village.

The house is located at the edge of the quiet village of Komunary, one hours drive from Varna International Airport with regular flights from London (Low cost flights from just £3.99 one-way!!!! with Whizz) and the popular seaside town of Varna (Located on the Black Sea coast and is the new summer location chosen by the major Tour Operators - Thomsons etc.) and forty five minutes away from the sea at the beach resort of Shkorpilovtsi.

The house currently has a living area of 120 sq.m. and a lovely huge garden of 1000 sq.m!! (Loads of room for a swimming pool and extending the house) The house is located close to the centre of the village along a well maintained tarmac road.

On the first floor there is an entrance into the kitchen and storage room. Attached to the house behind there is an additional buildings which consists of: a room, bathroom and small room which could be converted into the new bathroom.

External staircase leads to the second floor. There is a large terrace with incredible views to the whole surrounding area. There is a corridor and three good size bedrooms. In the rear side of the house there are two outbuildings which can be connected to the house. Electricity, main drainage system, running water (outside and inside the house) and telephone line are available.

The property requires modernisation to bring it up to Western standards. Build costs are half what you would pay in the UK, so budget £3000-£5000 to bring it up to scratch. Or if you are a handyman, go to the big DIY store in Varna and do it yourself for half that price.

Outside is a large 1000 sq m plot which can be turned into a formal garden with plenty of room for a swimming pool and extending the house if required. An asphalt road passes along the property (VERY important when buying property in Bulgaria). In the yard there is a garage which can double as a large sun terrace with great views.

The village is traditional and very friendly with local shops, bars and restaurants. The cost of living is very cheap (Beer-20p Meal for 2 including local wine-less than a fiver! Council tax-£100 per year!! New Renault Clio-£3000!!). There is a bus and railway station which connects the village to Varna and other big cities in Bulgaria.

This property has it all. Easy access to airport, sea and local lake, massive garden and a house with huge potential for expansion and development. Bulgaria has very cheap labour costs and a very cheap cost of living.

Channel 4’s “A Place in the Sun” voted Bulgaria as the 6th Best Place in the World to buy a holiday home or a permanent residence. Not surprising really when you consider the advantages;
• Cheap property prices which are increasing in value at a rate of 40-60% per year (Most forecasters are predicting 100%+ when Bulgaria joins the EU next year)
• Cheap living costs (Beer-20p Meal for 2 including local wine-less than a fiver! Council tax-£100 per year!! New Renault Clio-£3000!!)
• Great Mediterranean style summer climate.
• Great Ski-ing. Perfect for Xmas and New Year holidays as well.

Bulgaria is now in the EU and Bulgaria house prices are set to rise 10-15% over the next 12 months.

Grab yourself a REAL BARGAIN, A GREAT INVESTMENT AND A LOVELY HOLIDAY HOME. Black Sea coast properties are already out of most people’s reach and investors are now looking away from the coast. These low house prices won't last much longer, so don't miss out on this great opportunity.

Price - OFFERS ACCEPTED AROUND £7000

Interested or want more photos? Email me at peterskuse@googlemail.com to make an offer, ask questions or see more pictures of the property. Sorry, I don't have the time to take enquiries by phone as I'm normally travelling. All buyers of my properties however, will be given my private number and I will be available to them at all times.

Bulgarian Investment Properties

Location Is Everything!

2007-04-12T14:34:00.000-01:00

Location is everything in foreign property market

10th April 2007

Recent reports suggest that foreign property is increasingly being looked at by Britons as a method of boosting retirement income. Workers with an eye to the future are apparently snapping up properties abroad in the hope that either the rental payments received will boost their income streams when they are no longer working, or the property will have appreciated in value by the time they retire, allowing them to sell it and collect a lump sum.

In practice, many buy to let investors will enjoy both the benefit of rental income and the bonus of a tidy profit if they choose to sell at an opportune moment in future years.

The avenue of foreign property acquisition is one that has been opened up in recent years due to a number of factors. In part, the ever-increasing price of property back home has encouraged some people to look abroad for a property that may offer a better value investment that what could be procured by spending the same money back home.

Also, according to property brokers Principal International, "it is not only investors with portfolios that are looking to expand, but also the general public who are concerned over the ever-decreasing pension funds and are securing their future by looking further afield into overseas property".

Another key factor is the rise of the budget airline. Cheap air travel has served to open up foreign markets like never before. People are now able to purchase a property abroad that can serve as a holiday hone for long weekends throughout the year – and can also be used to generate income on the buy to let market.
One report released at the end of last year by Savills Research, in partnership with Holiday-Rentals.co.uk, found that a property that is near a low-cost airline route will be on average just under 40 per cent more valuable than if that same property were located elsewhere - even if that 'elsewhere' should be an airport, but one that was not served by budget carriers.

Proximity to the airport was found to be a key factor. Although properties within ten miles of the airport were found to be around 40 per cent more valuable, when that radius was increased to 80 miles, the price benefits were fairly negligible, on average around the two per cent mark.

Jacqui Daly, of Savills Research says the statistics should be taken into consideration by buy-to-let investors, who will find a property near a budget air-route "generally easier to let and less likely to suffer from long void periods". Therefore it seems the, as with any property purchase, the oft-repeated maxim of ‘location, location, location' once again rings true.

British Interest In Bulgaria Investment Property Goes Up.

2007-02-13T14:40:00.000-01:00

Over the period of one week, two British print media published articles saying that Bulgaria’s real estate sector was among the most attractive in Europe.

On February 7, the Guardian reported that Bulgaria, together with Poland, Estonia and Denmark, was among the European Union countries with a steady increase in property prices in 2006. The Guardian quoted a survey done by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which analysed price growth in 26 European countries.

On February 5, the magazine A Place in the Sun reported that Bulgaria was the third most-popular country for investments in real estate in Europe. Bulgaria was outranked only by Spain and France. Well-established locations started to lose their market share at the expense of new destinations like Bulgaria, Dubai and Cape Verde. In such untrodden locations, prices for real estate were much lower, especially given the rising prices and interest rates in Great Britain, the magazine said. Turkey, Cyprus, Greece and Portugal were also among the top 10. However, as a result of the oversupply of real estate in some parts of Bulgaria, prices in this country would probably remain relatively low, the magazine said.

In view of this, two reports in the news about a 235 million euro British investment in Bulgaria did not come as a surprise. At the beginning of the month, Bulgarian Land Development (BLD), a London-listed Bulgarian property developer, said it would invest in five residential projects in Bulgaria, worth a total of 235 million euro. The developments are in the Black Sea resorts Albena and Sozopol, the winter resorts Pamporovo and Bansko, and Sofia, BLD managing director Hristo Iliev said.

The Harmony Hills apartment complex near Albena will include 202 apartments. Buyers have reserved 75 of the flats and signed preliminary contracts for the purchase of 53 flats, evidence of the interest shown by British clients. Construction on the Harmony Hills complex is expected to kick off in February and to be completed in 15 months. According to Iliev, all apartments in the Paradise View complex near Sozopol have been reserved. BLD developments in Sozopol, Pamporovo and Bansko feature a total of 149 apartments, as BDL bought the three projects in October 2006 for 6.8 mln euro ($8.8 mln euro).

The company’s fifth project, BLD Sofia Tower, is a luxury apartment building where flats are selling at 3000 euro a sq m.

BULGARIA TO REMOVE LIMITATIONS TO FOREIGNER PROPERTY PURCHASE

2006-12-11T09:00:00.000-01:00

Fri 08 Dec 2006

The Parliament was considering a move from forbidding foreigners to own property in the country to some special regulations.

Changes feature in ownership regulations, discussed on first reading on December 7. Voting on the new laws would take place on December 8, Bulgarian National Radio reported.

Such changes were needed because of Bulgaria's upcoming EU entry. The country accepted EU requirements for the free movement of capital.

Foreigners will be allowed to purchase property in Bulgaria, following international contracts. This would guarantee the opening of Bulgaria's property market upon the country's EU entry, the national radio said.

Bulgaria is going to introduce a new term 'citizen of EU member state' to replace the term 'foreigner' used until present in ownership regulations, the report said.

The same regulations would apply to citizens of countries that are members of the European Economic Community and of Lichtenstein, Norway and Iceland.

Current regulations for the acquisition of a second home would remain valid for citizens of EU member countries, who reside permanently in Bulgaria, the report said.

Current regulations for the purchase of property by international organisations will remain unchanged.

Sofia Echo
Bulgarian Investment Property

Fancy a property on Black Sea coast! Look at East Europe

2006-11-13T14:57:00.000-01:00

With the RBI announcing that resident individuals would be allowed to remit up to USD 50,000 per financial year (increased from USD 25,000) for any current or capital account transactions or a combination of both, a slew of overseas real estate destinations are playing on the investor's mind. Moneycontrol picks up Bulgaria, a quaint country, which is fast becoming a hotbed for real estate kind of acquisitions and the law of the land permits outsiders to buy property there albeit with some clauses.

Cities, particularly those in soon-to-be EU member states, are rapidly emerging as the safest bets. One such overseas real estate destination is Bulagaria. The country with a flourishing marketplace is being looked upon as a second-home destination by many.

Bulgaria's major draw is that it is slated to join the European Union in early 2007, following which property prices will zoom. As of today, the country is still offering low-cost real estate investment opportunities when compared to other European nation which joined the EU in 1994.

Located in South Eastern Europe, Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey to the South, Romania to the North and Macedonia and Serbia to the West. Its Eastern Border is formed by the Black Sea Coast. The Black Sea Coast is a major tourist destination and property prices are increasing rapidly with many overseas investors entering the market because of its high growth potential. Since the counrtry is not yet an EU member, it doesn't have the steep tax structure and production costs that make second homes cost prohibitive in EU countries.

Perhaps this explains the rise in demand for properties in Bulgaria. In June 2005, The Wall Street Journal reported that the prices of real estate in Bulgaria jumped 48% in 2004, a world record and the highest rise in prices registered in any country. In the same breadth, The International Herald Tribune said in March 2006 that residential prices in Sofia (Bulgarian capital city) still average only 600 euros per square metre, that is much less than the 750 euro average per square metre in Bratislava, Slovakia; 850 euros in Bucharest, Romania; and 1,500 euros in Prague.

According to an international real estate company, majority of demand for Bulgarian property currently originates from investors in overseas property from the UK and Ireland. When multinational companies look for cost-effective locations for headquarters or major distribution outlets, central and eastern European cities often catch their attention. For example, the Bulgarian capital city, Sofia, is the most popular among international companies, thus directly impacting the property market. Recent entrants include Microsoft, Deutsche Bank, and Google. Hewlett Packard too has recently outsourced its IT operations to Bulgaria. Other multinational companies investing include General Motors, Capital One and Ford, plus retail giants Marks and Spencer and Intersport.

As Bulgaria comes closer to European Union accession, financing a property purchase has become easier, and airlines are ramping up flights to Sofia and Varna. Acquiring property in Bulgaria, excluding land, is made easier by the new Foreign Investment Act (1997) which lifted the requirement to seek prior approval of the Ministry of Finance to conclude such purchases. Foreign judicial and physical persons can still acquire land via a Bulgarian registered company. The legislative intention is to provide this opportunity to foreign persons who intend to engage in commercial activity in Bulgaria. The currency (Lev) is pegged to the Euro, making it stable and less volatile. Most property can be bought and sold in Euros.

-By Jhini Sinha Phira

Bulgarian property market woos foreign investors

2006-11-06T12:35:00.000-01:00

Bulgaria will join the European Union on Jan 1, 2007, and is on the verge of becoming the Riviera on the Balkans. The improved economic conditions, political and social stability in Bulgaria over the last 3 years have culminated in a real boom of the prices of property in Bulgaria.

Other important factor for the rising property market is the huge tourism potential in the country. Incredibly, Bulgaria is now the third most popular holiday destination after Spain and France for British holidaymakers.Together with the constantly rising prices, buying property in Bulgaria is one of the best investments that one can make these days with prices likely to increase with EU membership, as well as been a great retirement home. Moreover Bulgaria has one of the most liberal investment laws in the region.

Last year prices rose by about 35 per cent, and in the lead-up to EU accession in 2007 annual rises of 25 per cent are predicted. The increase in foreign investment is set to continue because of Bulgaria’s expected EU membership perspective and the constantly expanding tourist industry.

VIDEO Bulgaria Travel Video - Part 2

2006-11-03T09:03:00.000-01:00

Here's part 2 of the Bulgaria travel video from the Bulgarian Tourist Board.

261 000 PROPERTY DEALS CONCLUDED IN BULGARIA IN 2006

2006-11-01T13:06:00.000-01:00

By the end of the year 261 000 property deals would be concluded in Bulgaria, agents said during a Southeast European economic forum.

The number represented a 122 per cent increase compared to figures for 2001, Darik Radio reported.

Price increase tendencies would continue until the end of 2006. More dynamic developments were expected on the Bulgarian property market in the coming two years, agents said.

Property worth more than eight billion euro was sold in Bulgaria in 2005, Darik reported. Bulgarians living abroad invested nearly one billion euro in the local real estate market.

Traditional foreign buyers, like British, Irish and Russians, were looking for alternative investment opportunities in other countries. Newcomers to the Bulgarian property market came from Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, Norway, Macedonia and Greece.

Brits rush to retire abroad

2006-10-23T15:10:00.000-01:00

by Simon Lambert

The number of Britons leaving for foreign climes could rise rapidly, according to study which claims a third of overseas homeowners plan to retire abroad.

Substantial numbers of Brits could opt for the expat lifestyle according to research released today by Natwest International, which says one in three current and potential overseas homeowners want to retire elsewhere.

Meanwhile, almost three-quarters of 30 to 50-year-old current and potential overseas homeowners said they would consider leaving the country permanently.

The study commissioned by the personal banking arm of Natwest International polled more than 2,600 UK adults, of whom one in eight said they did not enjoy the UK lifestyle.

Mike Freer, head of business development at Natwest International, said: 'It's evident from our research that many Brits intend to escape the hectic British lifestyle to enjoy a more relaxed standard of living overseas.

'As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, now is the time when many dream of a life abroad.

'Surprisingly however it's the 'middle ages' most keen to make the move, perhaps prompted by demanding jobs and continuous warnings to plan for the future.'

Overseas home ownership has become a major growth area over the past decade, with the rapid rise in house prices in the UK helping Britons to buy up cheaper properties abroad.

Despite the rush to hotspots such as Bulgaria, Turkey, Dubai, or the Cape Verde Islands, old favourites Spain and France remain the top choices for those looking to purchase a holiday home.

And while Spanish property market has seen substantial increases in prices over recent years, Natwest International, which offers Spanish Euro and pound mortgages, said holiday homes in Spain remain good value. It said only a fifth of Britons with Spanish boltholes paid more that £200,000 for their home, meanwhile 68% said they spent at least three months of the year there.

However, experts warn that potential overseas homeowners should not be seduced by attentive developers promising low prices, and must weigh up their purchase carefully.

Consumer group Which? said borrowers should avoid being tempted to bend the truth about their income to secure their property, and remember estate agents, lawyers and property management firms all have a vested interest in customers signing up for homes.

Which? said no matter how cheap an overseas property may first appear, it will almost certainly turn into a major financial commitment. It's overseas property pitfalls include overstretching finances, buying sight unseen, buying without a lawyer and failing to check credentials.

Bulgarian investment property

REAL ESTATE BOOM IN BULGARIA TO SPAWN CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL FACTORIES

2006-10-20T12:11:00.000-01:00

The development of Bulgaria’s property market and the consequent boom in construction would lead to the construction of building materials plants, Bulgarian-language newspaper Kapital weekly said.

Most of the foreign building material companies that already had leading shares in the market, planned to extend their business in Bulgaria.

Building materials worth 50 million euro were sold in Bulgaria every year and these figures would increase. Building materials companies would prefer to open plants in Bulgaria because it was unprofitable to import the quantities needed to satisfy demand.

Cheap labour and low taxes were among other reasons for the building materials producers to decide to construct plants in Bulgaria.Companies like Ytong Xella Bulgaria and Austroterm already has building materials plants in Bulgaria.

Bulgarian investment property Bulgaria real estate

EU membership could "boost" Romanian and Bulgarian property market

2006-10-10T13:04:00.000-01:00

EU membership could "boost" Romanian and Bulgarian property market

Bulgaria and Romania are poised and ready to host the next EU housing boom. Fly2let.co.uk has suggested the two countries in line to join the European Union will be the next big thing in property investment.

Current housing restrictions in Bulgaria make it difficult for foreign investors to own land there: a person must set up a Bulgarian company to purchase property.

Bulgaria Revealed property managers said: "We feel that the long awaited EU accession will allow Bulgaria to really compete with other European property markets."

The anticipated EU membership for Bulgaria has prompted major companies to plan expansion into the Black Sea areas.

Bulgarian Investment Property

technorati tags:Bulgarian, investment, property, bulgaria, real, estate, holiday, home

PROPERTY INVESTORS INTERESTED IN BULGARIA'S SMALL TOWNS

2006-10-10T12:59:00.000-01:00

PROPERTY INVESTORS INTERESTED IN BULGARIA'S SMALL TOWNS

The number of property investors interested in carrying out projects in Bulgaria's small towns is growing, according to Bulgarian-language daily 24 Chassa.

The newspaper said that major property contractors in Bulgaria had accumulated capital in recent years, and most had decided to re-invest it in smaller towns.

Still, the main share in the small-town property market was held by local contractors making their first investments.

The factors encouraging property investors to invest in residential property and complexes were economic stability and a high return on investment.

Investors were also taking into account population migration, the newspaper said.

The supply of property under construction increased in Veliko Turnovo, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik and Pleven. The price of one-bedroom apartments varied from 296 to 460 euro a sq m. Two-bedroom apartments went for from 291 to 459 euro a sq m, 24 Chassa said.

Investors expected that foreigners would be interested in three-bedroom apartments in Bulgaria’s smaller towns. The average price of such apartments was 350 euro a sq m.

Bulgarian Investment Property

technorati tags:bulgarian, investment, property, bulgaria, real, estate, holiday, home

2.25 million Britons over the age of 55 will be living abroad by 2012

2006-10-03T12:22:00.000-01:00

Market fresh

By Murdo McHardy, head of product development at Scottish Widows

Keeping up to date with day-to-day local and legislative changes in the overseas sector is just as important as it is in the UK market

The rise in the number of people buying property abroad over recent years has been well documented. In its 2006 Social Trends report, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that British families have invested more than £23bn in overseas property.

This is more than double the estimate in 1999 to 2000. Investment is highest in Europe, with Spain and France still the preferred locations for investment. In 2003 to 2004, 231,000 Britons had a second home abroad (see Location of second homes outside Great Britain, right). The bulk of this investment is recent with a 45% rise in the number of UK households that own second homes abroad between 2000 and 2004.

A great deal of this investment has been in the more developed countries such as Spain and France, and, while these locations still have scope for further growth, it is fair to say that the initial boom has passed as interest grows in their neighbouring eastern countries. The catalyst to interest in the Eastern bloc was the EU accession of several of these countries in 2004. Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, were joined by Latvia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Cyprus and Malta to make up the 10-strong addition to the EU, with Bulgaria and Romania set to join next year.

The expected growth potential of many of the Eastern European countries is forecasted to follow the same patterns as the West. An example being Bulgaria, which has already made exceptional progress in attracting foreign investment in property with property prices set to climb higher following EU accession next year. The Czech Republic and Hungary shared the same success story in the run-up to and following their EU membership.

A growing market

The ONS reports that there has been growing public and media interest in obtaining reliable estimates of ownership of foreign property by UK households, as increased affordability and accessibility of foreign property markets have led to anecdotal reports of growing levels of ownership. But there is still difficulty in obtaining data, preventing most countries from producing reliable estimates of the real scale and location of this kind of second property investment.

The opportunity that the ever-expanding range of foreign investment opportunities spells for a mortgage broker are pretty obvious – leveraging the value from existing client relationships by arranging the holiday home mortgage as well as the mortgage on the family home. With lower loan-to-values available on foreign property purchases, it is often the case that the client will need to release some equity on their residential mortgage, so there is additional income to be gained from arranging a re-mortgage as well. Compared to the UK, markets abroad still have a small number of lenders competing for market share – resulting in more generous income streams for those brokers who participate in this area.

Despite these benefits, this growing phenomenon remains untapped by most. There are a limited number of specialist broker firms who have seized the opportunities that exist, while brokers whose main business is arranging mortgages in the UK market appear happy to pass business on to these brokers in return for an introduction fee.

There are of course, valid reasons why some brokers want to stay clear of advising clients about buying abroad. The main barrier seems to be knowledge of the markets. Each country is different, with its own economy and legal and tax system which, not forgetting the language barriers, can be just as daunting to someone who is in the role of adviser as it is to the client.

The time and effort required to gain the knowledge needed, for what may initially be an insignificant part of a broker's business, can seem more hassle than it is worth with many adopting an attitude of leaving it to those with appropriate expertise. Add to this the horror stories in the media which bring many of the risks to light, highlighting the plight of clients who have fallen prey to a legal or tax quirk they were not aware of.

There are several peculiarities in the foreign markets that brokers should be aware of. For example, there are foreign property ownership rules in Bulgaria which prevent foreigners from buying a property. The way round this is to set up a Bulgarian company. In Spain, any debts are owned on the property and not to the individual, so unless clients want a nasty surprise, they should make sure any outstanding debts have been paid before the property is legally theirs.

There are also more obvious risks to clients who invest in countries like Romania and Bulgaria. While these countries are moving quickly to establish themselves as a mainstream destination, the reality is that they are still emerging markets and as such do not have the proven rental yield and re-sale opportunity track record that countries like Spain and France have.

There are a growing number of people buying abroad with plans to retire there in future years. According to estimates, it is believed that one in eight Britons over the age of 55 will be living abroad in 2012, equating to around 2.25m people. When deciding where to buy, advisers may also feel better equipped if they understand the pension payment implication of the countries that their client is looking at.

With the choice of countries now so vast, it is understandable that advisers may be frightened off by the sheer amount of information that they need to know to help their clients.

For those brokers that want to get involved in these markets, the actual investment needed in monetary terms is relatively small, and with the number of people now switched on to owning overseas, finding customers should not be a problem. An existing client base is probably a good place to start. Key triggers for suitability include those clients who have considerable equity in their residential property or those who have high savings balances.

The motivations for buying abroad range from longer term retirement planning to those who want to invest money and have the risk appetite to do so. It would be fair to say buying abroad has now become commonplace enough to forget customer stereotypes. A typical customer could be anyone from a 30-year-old city trader to a couple approaching their 60s who are winding down for their retirement.

As mentioned earlier, a significant contributory factor to the British boom abroad has been the rise in those preparing for retirement in the sun. GLAMs – Greying, Leisured, Affluent and Married – tend to have a grown-up family who have flown the nest, made a good profit on their family home and have no plans to spend their pensioner years in rainy Britain. So the pull of warmer climates and good property investment is often too hard to resist.

While the idiosyncrasies in local property laws can seem like a minefield, if the time and effort is given to brushing up knowledge to an appropriate level, brokers will start to reap the benefits of going international. Often a bit of field research can help to get to know the areas clients might be looking at. Brokers should also consider doing a bit of networking with local estate agents, solicitors or any other suitable professionals in the local area. Not only is this beneficial to present and future clients, it helps to clock up those air miles. key points In 2002-2003, 231,000 Britons had a second property abroad, 27% in Spain and 20% in France.

Brokers need to identify the key triggers to measure suitability of clients wishing a property abroad.

It is estimated that about 2.25 million Britons over the age of 55 will be living abroad by 2012.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Pamporovo - 44,280 euros for your own Ski Shack

2006-10-02T07:39:00.000-01:00

Pamporovo - 44,280 euros for your own Ski Shack

Bulgaria is a fast-growing ski destination with three major resorts in the shape of Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo. The season is a lengthy one with almost-guaranteed consistent, heavy snowfall between December and April. Bulgaria is not only affordable in comparison to its European counterparts but also excellently placed to cater for both beginners and intermediate sportsmen.

Just one day on the slopes of Pamporovo, the sunniest of the Bulgarian mountain resorts, is enough to give you a golden tan. Set in the magnificent Rhodope Mountains at 1,650m above sea level, the highest point being Snejanka at 1,926m, ski facilities are excellent with the ski school is ranked one of the best in Europe.

During peak season 8,500 skiers per hour use the eight lifts to escort them to the peaks where most of the 17.5km of alpine tracks start, including ‘The Wall’ which tests even the most practiced skier. The little’uns are in safe hands with the instructors at the ski-kindergarten and snowboarding, ice-skating and skidoo (motorised sledging) are also available.

By night Pamporovo ticks all the entertainment boxes with plenty of nightclubs and bars as well as dozens of restaurants offering both Bulgarian cuisine and international dishes.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Free 2006 Economic Factsheet For Bulgaria

2006-10-02T07:28:00.000-01:00

Here's a free 2006 economic factsheet for Bulgaria, which you may find interesting.

Macroeconomic Factsheet

Bulgarian Investment Property

VIDEO Tour of Veliko Tarnovo

2006-09-29T12:30:00.000-01:00


This is a short video about the beautiful city of Veliko Tarnovo. Bulgarian Investment Property

VIDEO Take a tour of Bulgaria

2006-09-29T12:18:00.000-01:00

This forty minute video shows you the beauty that Bulgaria has to offer.

Bulgarian Investment Property

The new Spanish Costas for Britons?

2006-09-29T12:08:00.000-01:00

by Clare Babbidge
BBC News

After years of talks, Bulgaria and Romania will join the EU in January under strict conditions.

For Britons, among the many areas of life which will undoubtedly be changed by this, is the property market.

Thousands of Britons have already bought homes in these countries - but will many more now join them?

Bulgaria and Romania have "gone through a remarkable transformation", said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso announcing their EU accession.

The two countries, which were the poorest of the former Soviet satellite states of Central and Eastern Europe, made changes such as tackling organised crime and corruption, and introducing farming reforms.

And while this has been happening, British investors, property speculators and those just wanting a holiday home have been buying up houses.

Paul Owen, chief executive of the Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP), said of Bulgaria: "A lot of people have already brought there. For an emerging market, it's quite a well established emerging market."

Some of the buyers were agents, while others were individuals, he said.

Jain Goodall, who runs property magazine Quest Bulgaria with her husband Chris, estimated more than 3,000 Britons lived in Bulgaria, and at least five times that figure had holiday homes there.

'Taking a risk'
The British couple, in their 40s, left the UK for France 10 years ago. They moved to Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, with their dog Peluche in 2004.

Mrs Goodall said they intend staying.

"Bulgarian people are generous and very kind," she said.

"It is like turning the clock back 50 years at least in England, to when you could leave the door open and the car unlocked. It's the quality of life."

She said many of those who had bought there had "taken a risk hoping for extremely high returns" on their investment.

Mrs Goodall said many of the magazine's readers lived in Ireland.

"The Irish market did extremely well out of joining Europe and people have learned from this," she said.

She believes the numerous reasons why Britons would seek a second home in Bulgaria include high UK property prices and worries over affording retirement.

"We have a large number of young readers, who may have no pension in place," she said.

"They might be in their 30s and 40s basically looking for places elsewhere and thinking of their retirement."

She added: "There's a certain freedom that the people have here, compared to Britain in particular, you don't feel like you are being controlled by a nanny state, saying when you can have a cigarette or a drink."

Pension worries
Mr Owen said: "People may think my pension is not doing well, my savings are not very interesting and I think these factors come together.

"There's a lot of confidence in property - the concept that if you invest in property you can't go wrong, but of course you can go wrong because property prices can go up and down too."

He said there was also much more information out there, and "the Ryanair effect", accessible cheap flights, had "opened up places" all over the world.

As the countries take on the rights and obligations of EU membership, it is expected to boost the number of Britons.

Mrs Goodall said: "It means security. It means that some of the laws here will be the same as home and there's a lot of comfort in that."

She said her magazine received an average 70 new requests per month but on the day of Bulgaria's EU approval it was around that in one day.

"I think that speaks for itself," she said.

"People feel they can come here now. It was a risk before, but not now."

However, she said living in Bulgaria had not been without problems.

"In Sofia, the pavements are so bad you want to walk on the roads, and there's a lot of bureaucracy, which feels worse when you can't speak the language fluently."

But she added the infrastructure was improving, especially in the past two years.

'Greater confidence'
Mr Owen said accession gave a "greater confidence" for the business and consumer world, but that it was just the next stage in a long development for both countries.

"In Bulgaria a lot still needs to happen in terms of the infrastructure, it is still a long way off from what Western people would be used to."

He said Romania was "significantly more advanced" in this area.
Graham Robinson, a media consultant for Romanian Business Connection, said there had been "a lot of progress" in Romania as it had tackled its problems.

He said a motorway between Budapest and Bucharest looked set to be completed, providing a key link for business and tourism.

Mr Robinson, who has invested in spa development in Transylvania, said "more and more" Britons had bought property.

But complicated laws deterred buyers - foreign nationals needed to form a Romanian company to buy land and were not able to get mortgages.

"It's definitely on the up," he said.

"But up to now it has been mainly for the pioneers who have gone out there with ready cash."

Caution advised
In March, the regulatory body the Federation of Overseas Property Developers, advised caution about buying in Romania, after it was portrayed as a "bargain" place to make money in the media.

It warned indications that properties were available for as little as £5,000 were misleading and advised people to seek professional advice.

Mr Robinson backed this call and said it was a difficult market to negotiate.

However, he felt that Romania's EU accession was a still great opportunity and would cause an "explosion" in property sales.
He believes it will attract Britons, but develop in a different way than Spain or France.

He predicted Bucharest would be a "tourist hotspot" and Romania would develop as a winter sports destination and attract people who enjoyed the quiet life or watching wildlife.

"It is absolutely stunning. I was gobsmacked when I first went there," he added.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Brits look to picturesque Bulgaria

2006-08-04T11:35:00.000-01:00

By Vessela Sergueva

British families are buying houses and settling down in the picturesque region of Dryanovo in central Bulgaria as local inhabitants escape abroad in search of work. At the foot of the Balkan mountains that give their name to this part of south-eastern Europe, former army pilot Keith Davis and his wife Angela have made a traditional house in the village of Gostilitsa, near Dryanovo, their home.

Under Bulgarian law, only foreign enterprises, as opposed to individuals, can buy land so the Davises founded a company called Outdoor Adventure and they hope to set up an adventure sports school and have horses for hire." It is a beautiful country. We sought to live in a place that is more natural, more unspoiled, where people are not corrupted by Western values," Angela said as, surrounded by her three dogs, she went about restoring faded pictures on an old chest.

The couple will have to wait to use the diving pool they have built, however, as the old infrastructure more often than not fails to bring running water to their place." When we have running water, we do not have electricity and vice versa," Scottish gallery owner Joice McGlone added with a smile rather than a frown. She and her husband Peter believe they have found a home away from home in their house with a vast courtyard and a panoramic view high up in Gostilitsa.

But the spot reserved for the McGlones' pool is also waiting for better days and Peter has had to buy plastic containers to fetch water from a nearby spring for daily household use. Their Bulgarian neighbour, Desislava Dianova, is happy to be able to practise her English and make her young son learn the language. They are helping the McGlones renovate their house and keep an eye on the property while the Scottish couple is away. "Foreigners bought more than 70 houses here, mostly the British, but also Italians and one Belgian who runs a bio-diesel farm," according to village administration official Diana Stefanova.

A government report released on Thursday showed that 1,152 British nationals applied for long-term stay permits in 2005, half as many as the year before. "Interest in buying property in Bulgaria dates back to two or three years ago as a result of more competitive prices than in Spain, Portugal and Croatia," said Julian Georgiev, a co-owner of the Bulgarian-British company SimpliBulgaria, which is now building a complex of holiday houses outside the village of Gesha. The houses are built in a traditional Bulgarian Renaissance style but British owners can still feel at home with separate hot and cold water taps on sinks rather than the usual single tap.

"We are responding to a worldwide trend of growing interest in eco-tourism. Investment project analyses in Europe show that prices for this type of tourism are two times higher than for traditional seaside vacations," according to Georgiev.Some 200 workers are helping to build the complex and between 60 and 70 people will then work in it, which does not count for nothing in a region with 12% to 13% unemployment.

In the regional centre of Dryanovo, employment is suffering from lowered production capacity at the wagon manufacturing plant, formerly the town's main employer." Many people have sought work abroad ... but we are counting on tourism to reverse the trend," Mayor Daniel Dankov said. "One out of ten inhabitants is in Greece, Spain, Italy or the United States," according to Iliana, who also used to work in Greece as a caretaker for elderly people, but who has come back to care of her grandchildren.

And for Vassil, a plumber who spends half the year working in Italy, especially in the vineyards, going abroad has made a great difference."What I earn here is not enough to live on so I go with my wife and son, who has to skip school. In two years, the work abroad earned us enough to renovate our house and buy a car," he said. -- AFP

Bulgarian Investment Property

technorati tags:bulgaria, investment, property, bulgarian, holiday, home, real, estate

Bulgaria leads the charge in European property investment

2006-08-01T17:06:00.005-01:00

27th July 2006
Bulgaria is fast becoming the hottest European property destination thanks to a raft of factors which are making it difficult for British investors to ignore this Eastern European gem. With a range of beautiful landscapes spanning the cultured capital of Sofia and the ever-popular ski resorts of Bansko and Bovorets, Bulgaria is tempting more and more Brits with its endless buy-to-let possibilities.

And it seems many investors would do well to enter into the Bulgarian property market before its planned entry into the EU membership occurs and prices are pushed higher. Mike Wellings, a British property developer based in the ancient city of Sofia, explained the benefits of entering the Bulgarian market sooner rather than later. He told the Independent: "If Bulgaria gets EU membership – widely tipped for sometime in the next three years – the city will become a viable option for firms to base their central European HQs.

That'll be a major benefit to the economy and demand for homes."And aside from the anticipated inclusion of Bulgaria into the EU, there are other plans afoot that will have shrewd investors running to line-up viewings in the area. Just last week, the Bulgarian government announced plans for a new road linking the Sofia city centre to the newly-built passenger terminal at the city's airport. With connections to the region experiencing such rapid development, many potential buy-to-let investors will be tempted by the ease with which travel to Bulgaria can be made.

There are also a number of useful tips for investors looking to develop a portfolio of properties in the region. Key areas for consideration are that investors looking to the region should ensure they are buying for the long-term rather than relying on the possibility of short-term gains - Bulgaria is also becoming an increasingly popular choice for development over more time-honoured options such as Spain and France.

Bulgarian ski regions such as Bovorets and Bansko are luring many Brits due to the great buy-to-let potential and quality European skiing facilities located around the 65km of Pirin Mountain. There is also scope for further development in these regions, particularly given the recent announcement that Bansko will install year-round skiing facilities, thus lengthening Bulgaria's season.

.Jeremy Casey, spokesman for property firm The Right Move Abroad, said that given the relatively short length of the Bulgarian ski season, the key for investors was to select properties which are "very closely situated to the ski gondola".And should investors hit the nail on the head in the Bulgarian market, there are serious returns to be made on buy-to-let properties – prices in the skiing area of Bansko alone have increased by 30 per cent in the last three years.

Source: Assetz News

Bulgarian Investment Property

technorati tags:bulgarian, investment, property, buying, real, estate, overseas, holiday, home

DEMAND FOR CONSTRUCTION PLOTS IN BULGARIA'S SEASIDE MAINTAINS HIGH LEVELS

2006-07-07T11:38:00.000-01:00

DEMAND FOR CONSTRUCTION PLOTS IN BULGARIA'S SEASIDE MAINTAINS HIGH LEVELS

Thu 06 Jul 2006
The Sophia Echo

Intense hotel and complex construction will continue despite warnings that the Bulgarian coastal region already faced problems with construction density.

The demand and supply of construction plots in the coastal region maintained high levels, 24 Chassa reported.

Southern regions attracted more investment, 24 Chassa said. Property in resort towns near Bourgas sell three times better than estates in the Varna region.

Sunny Beach coastal resort ranks highest in the list of resorts attracting property investment. The complex offers over 40 construction plots at an average price of 132 euro a sq m. In comparison, prices in other coastal resorts like Primosrsko, Sozopol and St Vlas vary from 70 to 120 euro a sq m.

Prices depended on development opportunities and construction density in the region, 24 Chassa said. Investors preferred plots in smaller villages away from the densely constructed resorts. Nearly 50 per cent of the plots on sale in Varna region were in remote villages at average prices of 90 euro a sq m.

Bulgarian Investment Property

BULGARIA CONTINUES BEING PROPERTY INVESTMENT HOTSPOT

2006-07-07T11:33:00.000-01:00

BULGARIA CONTINUES BEING PROPERTY INVESTMENT HOTSPOT

Mon 26 Jun 2006
The Sophia Echo

Property investment group Assetz reported Bulgaria confirms its standing as leading property investment hotspot.

For the second quarter of 2006 the return rate of Bulgarian property was 137 per cent, Assetz reported. In March the figure reached 116 per cent.

Decreasing mortgage rates in the country make borrowing cheaper. Deposits decreased as well, guaranteeing investors bigger returns.

All these developments confirmed Bulgarian property remains an attractive option for property seekers. The strentghening of the country's tourism sector and the availability of low-cost flights further increased the appeal of the local property market, Assetz said.

Assetz reported that the Greek and Polish property markets have also seen improvement in key indicators. Prices in Poland increased by nearly 25 per cent for the first six months of 2006.
The Spanish market also maintains its growth.

Assetz representatives said the expansion of the EU provided more options for property seekers interested in destinations abroad. Emerging markets like Bulgaria and Poland offered excellend investment return opportunities.

Traditional destinations like France and Cyprus remained attractive for property seekers looking for stability and already established buying procedures.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Properties - How much does it cost to live there?

2006-06-15T09:41:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Properties - How much does it cost to live there?

Probably the second most common question I am asked, so I thought I would put the cost of everyday things up for you all. Hope it helps.

Pete

Electricity - 0,10 euro/kWh

Water - 0,50 euro/m3

Inhabited house duty - 50 euro/year

Cleaner - 50 euro/month

Internet-LAN - 15 euro/month

Ground phone - 90 euro/once4 euro/month0,10 euro/city call

Mobile phone - "M-TEL" 6-22 euro/month 0,07-0,7 euro/min.

Petrol - 0,7 euro/litre

Diesel - 0,5 euro/litre

Gas - 0,3 euro/litre

Taxi 0,25 euro/km.

Security "NIO" - 220 euro/once 30 euro/month

Dinner in restaurant for 2: Includes: 2 juices 2 salads 2 soups 2 main dishes 2 coffees - 10 euro

Bulgarian wine - from 1 euro to 6 euro/bottle-0,75e

accountant - 50-80 euro/month

lawyer - 100-130 euro/month

secretary - 100-130 euro/month

manager - 150-180 euro/month

office manager - 150-300 euro/month

tip in restaurant - 1-3 euro

chicken - 2.5 euro/kg.

English bacon - 4 euro/kg.

salami - 1.6 euro/kg.

steak - 7,39 euro/kg.

cheese - 1.4 euro/kg.

milk - 0.5 euro/litre

olives - 1.7 euro/kg.

mushrooms - 2.4 euro/kg.

rice - 0.4 euro/kg.

jam - 0.4 euro/0.3 kg.

Coffee Jacobs Monarch - 0.6 euro/0.10 kg.

Coffee NESCAFE GOLD - 2 euro/0.1 kg.

bread - 0.3 euro/0.8 kg.

fruit - 0.6 euro/kg.

ABSOLUT vodka - 8 euro/litre

Bulgarian brandy - 1.5 euro/0,7 litre (I know!! And it's pretty good too)

Deodorant - 1.2 euro/50 ml.

NIVEA cream - 0.8 euro/75 ml.

DOVE shower gel - 1.2 euro/250 ml.

TEO soap - 0.4 euro/0.1 kg.

ELSEVE shampoo - 1.5 euro/250 ml.

COLGATE TRIPLE tooth-paste - 0.5 euro/50 ml.

ASTERA tooth-paste - 0.3 euro/100 ml.

BONUX washing powder - 0.3 euro/0.5 kg.

Bulgarian Investment Properties

This house caught my attention on my last visit - Really lovely!

2006-06-12T12:39:00.000-01:00

This house caught my attention on my last visit - Really lovely!

This beautiful new build detached house really caught my attention during my recent trip to Varna. It's really well builtand in a perfect location only 19 km away Varna and just a 10 minutes drive from the lovely sandy beach at Kamchiya.

This is the sort of place you can have as a holiday home or even retire too. The standard is that good.

The house has about 180 sq.m. of living area. There are two bedrooms, two toilets and bathrooms, fireplace in the living room and fully equipped kitchen.

The house has central heating system, BBQ area a nice veranda (summer kitchen, which is multifunctional, you can use it as a storage in the winter) and stylish patios.

The house is brand new and was built in a typical Bulgarian style. It has stone construction, the walls inside are sealed, all the tiles are granite and beautifully finished.

There are inside and outside staircase tiled in granite. All the ceilings are wooden and the double glazed windows and doors are also solid hard wood.

There is a large covered area behind the house made of stone that could serve as a wine cellar or a storage room, or could be made into a good sized apartment.

The plot of land is 850 sq.m., there are a few fruit-trees and vines, the large lawn in front of the house is aclling out to be made into a swimming pool. I could easily imagine myself sipping a drink from the poolside before diving in.

On the second floor there is a nice terrace with an amazing view overlooking the mountain and the charming surronding village (see left).

The living room on the first floor has a wooden ceiling. Internal staircase leads to the second floor.

€ 127,495 USD: $ 164,193 GBP: £ 89,284

Now I'm not easily impressed, but at this price I had to go and check it out. I was very pleasantly suprised. Very well built and very desirable (i.e. easy to sell on!).

There's a nice profit to made here within the next 12 months that's for sure.

Probably won't be around for long, but I thought I'd put the details on here anyway to see if anyones interested. You'd be mad not to at this price, let's be honest.

If you want to buy, view or ask a question contact me at peter@bulgarian-investment-details.com quoting ref: mtvd80

Peter Skuse
Bulgarian Investment Property

Note: The cost does not display the total purchase price.
The cost includes the price of the property, property check fees and legal consultancy.
The following fees and agent commissions must be added on top of the cost:
Agency commission, Stamp duty, notary fees, Company registration fee (if you have no registered company in Bulgaria)

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria a hot property destination for Welsh

2006-06-12T12:23:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria a hot property destination for Welsh

By Darren Devine

THE number of Welsh families buying property abroad is on course to double within the next seven years, with Bulgaria proving the hot destination.

Even first-time buyers priced out of the domestic market are turning to the former Soviet bloc nation to get a foothold on the property ladder, says Swansea-based Britannia Overseas Property.

Britannia - one of the UK's leading developers in Bulgaria - say impending EU membership and low property prices are helping money pour into the Black Sea resort nation.

Such is demand, Bulgaria last year recorded an average property price increase of 47.5 % with experts predicting values will more than double over the next 12 months. Britannia's Bulgarian ski and coastal development properties sell on average for £45,000.

Attracted by its long, hot summers and the Black Sea beaches' white sands the number of foreign tourists visiting Bulgaria has increased by almost 50%, with those from the EU growing by nearly 90%, over the past two years.

Andy Moore, former Wales rugby international and Britannia's joint managing director, told the Western Mail yesterday, "The majority of our local investors are buying properties on the coast or in mountain resorts for capital growth, rental income and a chance to visit for their own holidays.

"Many have previously owned property in Spain and the UK, but are moving their money to Bulgaria, as some see it as like Spain years ago, and Ireland before it joined the EU, offering the potential for similar returns."

Marc Davies and his wife Dawn bought a studio apartment in the Bulgarian ski resort of Bansko a month ago for £35,450 as an investment. The couple, from Mayals, Swansea, say they were put off buying an investment property here by inflated prices.
Salesman Mr Davies said, "If you buy property here now the rental income will not even cover the mortgage. There are very few properties here now where you can completely re-do the house and then make money on it."

Mr Davies, 32, who has never visited Bulgaria, is hoping to rent out the property during the ski season between November and February's end.
"They're building a golf course here now so there should be plenty of opportunities for a rental income," he said. "But even if I can only rent it out during the skiing season it should still make money for me."

But Melfyn Williams, a past president of the National Association of Estate Agents, whose company Williams & Goodwin has several office across North West Wales, said buying abroad also has its downsides.

He said, "The track record has shown that investment in bricks and mortar in almost any country is a sound one and at the moment some countries such as those coming into the EU are experiencing good capital growth.

"The downside is that if something goes wrong you cannot go round the corner to sort it out.

"With the poor returns on the stocks and shares market and the uncertainty surrounding pension funds, more and more ordinary people invest their hard-earned cash into bricks and mortar by buying a property abroad," he said.

Buying abroad soars. A study presented to the Association of British Travel Agents revealed that home ownership abroad will double over the next five to seven years.
The World Trade Organisation forecasts that by 2010, Bulgaria will be visited annually by at least 20 million tourists, making it one of the world's most promising international tourist destinations.

The booming demand for homes in the sun has seen Britons' spending on second homes treble in two years. The UK is now spending £6bn per year on holiday homes abroad - compared to £2bn per year just two years ago.

In the next few months alone, an estimated 80,000 Britons are expected to buy a second home.

And while most will be used for holidays and short breaks, an increasing number will be bought as long-term investments and rented out to generate income.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide to Buying Property Abroad: Part 6 - Save Yourself £Thousands£

2006-05-31T10:46:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide to Buying Property Abroad: Part 6 - Save Yourself £Thousands£

TV Shows make buying and selling property at home or abroad look very, very easy and extremely profitable.

But you don't have a research team running around for you do you? Where's the best region or even country to invest in? Which local professionals can you trust? Who do you go to when things go wrong? ...and they will go wrong believe me.

It's just an accepted part of being a property developer. When you've been at it for quite a few years, you'll know what to do because the chances are, you've experienced something similar before.

If you're new to the game, it can seem the whole World is against you and you can stand to lose a lot of money.

It just may be that you don't have enough time to find exactly what you're looking for and when you do eventually get around to it, property prices have doubled!

The solution is simpler than you think. Use an experience property finder to do all the hard work for you. Let them use their experience, local contacts and specialist knowledge to find the property of your dreams.

And of course, they should save you money. Yes, save you money. Most people buy property in established property markets. Nothing wrong with that of course. But the real returns are to made by purchasing in a up and coming area, before the house values have started to skyrocket.

The rural area arond Varna, Bulgaria is a classic example of this. Currently undervalued and set to rise raspidly as the coast gets too expensive and developers turn their beady eyes inland, just as it happened in France and Spain. You have to drive for hours from the coast to get anything resembling a bargain in Spain today.

I hope you enjoyed this short guide to buying property abroad and it has been of some use. My overall advice to you is to research, research and more research (do your homework), figure out your buying strategy and stick to it and get into your chosen market as fast as possible to take advantage of capital growth as quickly as possible.

Peter Skuse

If you would like to take advantage of my FREE property finder service, please contact me at peter@bulgarian-investment-property.com
You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. No catch. No obligation to buy. I bet I can find exactly what you are looking for at a price you won't believe.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property: Part 5 - Have A Strategy And Stick To It!

2006-05-23T10:55:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property: Part 5 - Have A Strategy And Stick To It!

The questions in Part 4 are a great starting point. I don't remember any estate agent ever advising me on how I should be buying property or what I should be looking out for.

Naturally, that's because they want to sell whatever is on their books today and want to shift it! Estate agents abroad work on similar 'principles?'. Most Eastern European agents work for both the buyer and the seller. Can you imaging using the same set up for a court case? Of course not, therefore spending time doing research is absolutely crucial.

That said, try not to spend months on researching either, because while you're deliberating and congetating, the best bargains are being snapped up and property values are soaring relentlessly.

A recent customer of mine told me he loved the look of Bulgaria, knew he wanted to buy a property but didn't have the time to do the research. One year on, he came to me. The same property he was looking at 12 months ago had risen by 60%! He was gutted when he realised how much money he would have saved and made if he had acted at the time.

Fortunately he saved the money back again as I was able to find the property of his dreams at a price he, quite frankly, couldn't believe. Saved him thousands! I also introduced him to my handpicked team of recommended local professionals and the sale went through smoothly. In fact, he didn't even come out to Bulgaria to do it. Everything was done from the UK. Easy only if you know how.

But without the inside information I could provide for him and without the access to tried and trusted local estate agents and lawyers, deciding where to invest and purchase can be a time-consuming and very frustrating business. It can also be one of the most expensive mistakes you'll ever make in your life.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property Abroad: Part 4 - Making a Sound Investment.

2006-05-15T08:18:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide to Buying Property Abroad: Part 4 - Making a Sound Investment.

There are many, many variables when it comes to buying investment property, so first it's wise to work out what your desired outcome is by looking at what YOU really want.

Here are some questions you should be asking yourself:

[1] Am I looking for a home, a second home that I can rent out occasionally or do I want a pure investment opportunity?

[2] What sort of features should I be looking out for that best suits those requirements? For example, am I looking for a return on my investment within a short, medium or long term period and which markets or countries are best suited to this strategy?

[3] Am I simply looking for something beautiful in a stunning location that will always keep it's value?

[4] Where are the property hotspots and are the price increases sustainable?

[5] Am I willing to wait while a property is being built or do I want something I can move into immediately?

[6] Do I have enough capital to renovate or even build my own place?

[7] How much time am I willing to put into the property?

[8] Which countries are the most flexible if I want to dip in and out of the market, or release equity from my foreign purchases to create a portfolio?

[9] Which markets offer mortgages, and what's the maximum loan-to-value that would suit my current budget?

[10] Where is there a high and consistent demand for rented property?

[11] Where are the places that will hold their value regardless of market trends?

[12] Which country would be most tax-effective?

[13] Which places are the easiest to get to?

[14] How risk averse am I and which countries are safer bets?

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying property Abroad - Part 3: Figure out what it is you actually want.

2006-05-08T15:03:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property Abroad - Part 3: Figure out what it is you actually want.

While it's good to learn from your mistakes, when buying property it can be a very expensive lesson when rectifying your gaffes and blunders.

On the whole, I have found the advice of agents when buying abroad pretty much as useless as they are in the UK. In fact, they can be worse, as the language barrier normally works to your disadvantage.

There are exceptions of course. With a lot of trial and error, I have found agents who are excellent in every country I have purchased in, including Bulgaria.

Their standard of service is extremely high with agents unusually tuned to their clients needs. But they're rare! I warn you now.

Generally, the property spec from emerging markets like Bulgaria offer a single picture and a setence or two. So make sure you ask all the right questions if you aren't using someone who knows what they're doing.

A good starting point is asking yourself exactly what you want from the property and where you want the property to be. If you already know that you want a villa in the hills that you can retire to or an apartment on the coast for holidays and renting, you are already two thirds through the theory behind making a successful purchase. You'll be surprised how many people don't even have this clear in their head.

But make sure you consider which areas are more desirable than others for when you want to sell on or rent out. This requires a good deal of time and effort, but it is well spent, especially if you don't want to be fobbed off with a property where the property is going down because of some, as yet unforeseen furture plan.

But what if you're not sure about what you want? Are you happy to sink your money into a flourishing, but immature property market such as Bulgaria where EU membership next year will bring it's own rewards or play safe with established markets such as France and Spain, but have smaller rewards in terms of growth.

Most locations in Europe offer better returns than the UK at the moment, but doing your homework or using an experienced Property Finder with local experience is essential.

So what questions should I be asking myself? We'll deal with that next in Part 4.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property Abroad - Part 2: Save Yourself THOUSANDS by Using An Expert

2006-04-30T11:06:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property Abroad - Part 2: Save Yourself THOUSANDS by Using An Expert

Just like a personal shopper can save you a whole day (or even an entire weekend if you're a fussy custome) looking for just the right pair of jeans, a property consultant can save you a bloody fortune in wasted time and money by finding the right property deal for you.

Obviously a pair of jeans doesn't usually offset the cost of employing a personal shopper (unless they're very good at their job), but hiring a property consultant can definately be justified and save you many thousands by giving you key local advice and insider information.

A landlord friend of mine is always on the look out for great property deals, but he's often so busy making his portfolio is constantly rented out, he doesn't always have time to find exactly what he wants on his next investment.

A year ago, he wanted to start a property portfolio in Bulgaria, but had no idea where to start looking, or even what kind of properties would give the best return and didn't have the time to spend hours researching on the internet and making dozens of calls. Even then, he wouldn't really know if he had bought a complete lemon or not

This is where he needed an experienced property consultant with local knowledge to go through his requirements and find him exactly what he wanted. So I did the research for him. I told him where the property hotspots were, potential returns, mortgages, solicitors, builders, utilities, taxation, travel details, bank account, company formation and general information just on living there.

He now has fourteen properties in Bulgarian and has seen a return of over 50% on all of them. A very happy man indeed.

Perhaps you have considered buying abroad, but decided the potential complications of navigating your way through the mine-field that is buying in a foreign country has put you off? Especially in a new emerging property market like Bulgaria.

A propert consultant can allow you to reap the rewards of being in on the property market early, before everyone jumps on the band wagon. They can provide you with a selection of the finest properties that is perfect for both your requirements and your pocket. But more importantly, they can stop you being scammed and ripped off! I'm sorry to say it happens everywhere. Even in the UK! But buying a property in a strange land with a different language can be fraught with problems.

A property consultant with experience and local knowledge of the market and it's procedures can be a real asset.

He can package the whole deal for you. You don't have to think about what comes next or shop around for the best mortgage rate or worry whether the property is in a good location. All you have to do is choose froma selection of property details which you know suit you, or you wouldn't even have been presented with them for your perusal.

Why take a risk dealing with an interested party? The estate agent, the property broker all have a vested interest in you buying what they want you to buy, NOT neccesarily what YOU want to buy.

Most of the time, an estate agent will still leave you to do all the donkey work or just palm you off with someone they always work with to make their life easier. This can mean the deal lacks transparency or even avoids highlighten negative points that may have influenced your decision to buy.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide to Buying Property Abroad : Part 1 - Don't Rely on the Estate Agents.

2006-04-25T09:48:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide to Buying Property Abroad: Part 1 - Don't Rely on the Estate Agents.

I love finding property. Especially overseas. I've been doing it since 1996.

But most people I know, despite their passion for property investing, don't share quite the same amount of enthausiam when it comes to actually finding it.

And it's easy to understand why.

Firstly, theirs the frustration of using an estate agent. I don't know how many times I've wondered what it is exactly they are doing for their commission fee. (Apologies in advance to all those estate agents I know and used. You know I love you really). But you know what I mean.

Then theres the hassle of putting all the pieces of the buying process together - a decent solicitor or a savvy mortgage advisor or even a tax advisor! Plus there could be builders, plumbers, electricians, plasterers. It seems like the whole world and his wife are involved if renovation work is required.

And if someone has already been in and done a quick revamp, then look out! You never know what proverbial cracks have been covered up.

One would assume that the finding and purchasing process is where the expertise of the Estate Agent should come into it's own. But the system in the UK and abroad, mainly doesn't work like that.

In the earlt days, I used to believe that when an Estate Agent asked you how they could help you, they actually meant it! How wrong I was. As we all know, it's just a very polite way of luring in then selling you something they simply want to get shot of and make their fee as fast as possible.

I can recall plenty of conversations with agents whose idea of matching my property requirements left a lot to be desired. A older style 2 bedroom flat in a coastal location would fall on deaf ears and I would be shown 4 bedroom off plan detached properties fifty miles from the coast or a 1 bedroom hole overlooking the local sewerage works!

And after you explain how inappropriate their suggestions are, that will be the last you hear of them. It beggars belief. Considering how established the property market is, I'm always amazed at the poor levels of service.

Buying property is probably the biggest purchase we are ever going to make in our lives, yet the buying systems in operation in most of the World obligates us to trust the information and price negotiations from someone who is being paid by the other side - and that's if they even turn up for the viewing! (Don't get me started on that)

That said, it's not entirely fair to blame the estate agents for a (potentially) frustrating finding and buying experience. They are not being paid by us, and lets face it, even if we were paying them, we'd never want the prosecution to act as our defence now would we?

We spend at least four times longer looking for the right pair of jeans than we do buying property, yet we spend hundreds of thousands more. For that reason alone, I will never let an agent rush me through a property, and I'm certainly not afraid to visit it or 'try it on for size' a good few times. Remember, an agent isn't about to point out the damp, faulty wiring, leaking taps, broken radiators ..........

Would you like me to find your dream property in Bulgaria for you for free? I will use my local knowledge and contacts to find the right property, in the right location and at the right price. And at no charge to you.

Interested? Email me at peter@bulgarian-investment-property.com with your requirements. I'll have several perfect properties for you to look at within two weeks.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Predictions for Bulgaria’s real estate market

2006-04-24T09:20:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Predictions for Bulgaria’s real estate market

An interview with Strahil Ivanov

The real estate market will this year see a further upswing in the office, industrial land and agricultural land segments, according to Strahil Ivanov, head of the Yavlena real estate agency.

He said that the constitutional ban on foreigners owning land had no dampening effect on the property market, which had been rising at an increasing pace in recent years, because foreigners found ways to purchase property in spite of the ban.

“As a real estate company, we want the ban to be ended as soon as possible, with the only remaining limitations being those in the interests of national security.”
Ivanov said that the increase in the availability of credit with which to buy property had a psychological effect that boosted the market.

“Clients feel more secure about buying property, even if they do not draw on the full amount of credit available.”

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Asked in an interview with The Sofia Echo what a real estate company had to do to secure the leading edge in a market that had become very competitive, Ivanov said that a company had to be focused not only on making a profit, but also on achieving a good name for itself.

This meant doing business in a way that was honest and ethical, and there being “full transparency” in a deal, Ivanov said.

A company should be able to offer a full range of services, by being qualified to deal with all sectors of the market, including individual residential ownership and industrial property.

Since 1993, Yavlena has been licensed by the Privatisation Agency to evaluate properties, and currently the company has contracts with 14 banks to evaluate property on their behalf.

“This is one of our strongest sides, to be able to evaluate not only real estate but also companies, in every aspect,” Ivanov said.

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He said that his company worked with others in a system of cross-referrals when a client needed a specialist service.

Asked about the risk to the market of being discredited by fly-by-night companies that do not do business in an ethical and honest way, he likened Bulgaria’s real estate market currently to “a river big enough to carry everything with it, not only the clean water”.

He said that, in the long term, those in the market that were not doing business in a professional manner would drop out of it.

Bulgaria’s property market was virtually unregulated, he said, which was “bad and good”. It was good because it enabled the market to develop rapidly, but bad because it meant that there was very little protection for the customer from unscrupulous operators.

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In addition, landlords were vulnerable from defaulting tenants because the court system did not function as it should.

“If you own a property and some tenants are occupying your property without the right to do so and without paying, it can take several years to get them out because neither the police nor the prosecutors are able to do so.”

The “rapid” court process to redress the problem was easily slowed down on technical grounds, he said.

Asked about the profile of property purchasers currently, he said that 50 per cent of Yavlena’s clients were people who were, to use the industry term, “exchanging” property, meaning that they had property but wanted something newer or bigger.

More than 60 per cent of property buyers were people aged 25 to 50, a significant change from the 1994 to 1997 period when they tended to be people in their 40s and older who were spending money earned through the restitution process or by other means, Ivanov said.

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Bulgarian Investment Property - Property investors driving Bulgaria's economy

2006-04-20T17:33:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Property investors driving Bulgaria's economy

Investment in Bulgaria is becoming an increasingly attractive prospect for property enthusiasts from the UK and EU accession in the next couple of years is likely to boost this still further

Property prices have been rising steadily for a number of years now as Bulgaria widens its appeal to a broader cross-section of the investment community. With the ski resorts including Bansko and Borovets improving annually and the Black Sea resorts also building up an impressive tourist industry, there is certainly a lot to look forward to in Bulgaria.

The Sofia Echo has today referred to reports in both the Dnevnik newspaper and the Wall Street Journal, both of which point to a significant rise in demand for properties in Bulgaria and in central and eastern Europe in general.

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Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Russia and Slovakia collectively brought in €5.8 billion through property deals last year, according to the report. This is thought to have represented a 38 per cent increase on the investment figure for 2004.

Writing for the Independent recently, journalist Robert Nurden remarked that thousands of Britons had now "seen beyond the cliches" associated with Bulgaria and were investing their money in the property market.

Mr Nurden went on to describe the sheer variety of investment opportunities in the country, with the capital city of Sofia one of the most notable. He suggests that the property boom has now reached the centre of Sofia, with locals also actively contributing to the market.

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Bansko was also mentioned in his article, with the gondola from the town to the pistes rated as "second to none".Bulgaria, largely on the basis of the potential that many see in its real estate market, is often referred to as the new Spain.

It is a comparison that will be tested when Bulgaria gains EU accession, as this progression proved vital for Spain as property prices began to soar. According to Mr Nurden, the parallel can apply specifically to Sunny Beach, which he suggests could feasibly become the new Costa del Sol.

While Bulgaria has a long way to go before this could be considered an accurate description, the potential for growth has certainly encouraged many and the extent of the investment around the Black Sea regions is testament to this. Property is generally extremely cheap in Bulgaria which is of course one of the key reasons that investors have taken such a keen interest.

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Referring to data from imoti.net, however, the Sofia Echo has indicated that a number of key areas have already risen considerably in price. Sofia's Ivan Vazov district is thought to be leading the way, with apartments in the area now more than €1,000 per square metre.

The article points to the vicinity of medical and education centres as a key contributory factor, while Darik radio is reported as saying that the nearby Southern Park is also having an effect.

Experts suggest that property investment will continue to have a significant impact on Bulgaria's development in the next few years, but EU accession will clearly be central to the extent of the progress. With a diverse range of properties available, investors considering Bulgaria as an option are advised to seek expert advice before committing.

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Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria voted best overseas property investment market

2006-04-12T09:24:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria voted best overseas property investment market

Bulgaria has just been judged the best overseas property investment market in the Assetz March Property Investment Tracker index.

The Property Investment Tracker rates the return on investment, weighed against a variety of issues in countries relevant to UK property investors, recently expanding its remit to include South Africa, Portugal, Poland, Turkey, Italy and Greece.

With a minimal deposit of only 30 per cent, along with excellent yields of 12 per cent, Bulgaria offers significant returns of 116 per cent on a small initial outlay.
According to the property investment company, the average two-bedroom apartment in Bulgaria now costs about £80,000.

Cyprus is not far behind says Assetz, with prices in southern Cyprus rising by about 15 per cent in 2005, and expected to rise further ahead of the islands accession to the euro in 2007/2008.

Rental yields remain at a confident eight per cent with a year-round rental market in some parts of the island, accumulating a total 84 per cent return on investment.
Turkey, a new addition to the Tracker, will present a new overseas opportunity for investors who are awaiting a change in legislation to allow mortgages for foreign investors, expected later this year, say Assetz.

Stuart Law, Assetz: "Overseas markets are still offering excellent opportunities for investors, with Bulgaria and Cyprus now overtaking some of the more established destinations."

Although gains are still strong, with 27 per cent capital growth and 8 per cent yield, the change of rules concerning borrowing will have a dramatic effect on the housing market, potentially pushing up prices in key areas as much as 50 per cent in one year, the group added.

Growth in South Africa has slowed from 24.6 per cent to 15.8 per cent and is likely to continue falling. Mortgage rates, already 8.5 per cent are rising, prompting serious concern over the stability of the market. Yields have fallen from 10 per cent to as low as 5 per cent in 2005, so rental income will fail to make a profit for many investors.

Stuart Law, managing director of Assetz, said: "Overseas markets are still offering excellent opportunities for investors, with Bulgaria and Cyprus now overtaking some of the more established destinations in terms of total return on cash invested.

"Cheap Bulgarian ski destinations are certainly in as much demand as quality resorts in the France Alps.

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Bulgarian Investment Property - The Rise and Rise of Bulgarian Property

2006-03-27T11:33:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - The Rise and Rise of Bulgarian Property

By Matthew Brunwasser

Anyone who has bought property in Bulgaria will tell you that the prices are so low, it is impossible to lose. Prices will continue to rise. The only uncertainty is by how much. And how long.

The Balkan country already has had 12 years of increases. And the National Statistical Institute reported in January that the average sales price per square meter for residential properties in Bulgarian cities had gone up 36.6 percent in the previous year.But residential prices in Sofia still average only EUR 600, or USD717, per square meter, or USD 66 per square foot. That is much less than the EUR 750 average per square meter in Bratislava, Slovakia; EUR 850 in Bucharest and EUR 1,500 in Prague, according to the National Real Property Association of Bulgaria.

Those numbers have pushed Bulgaria squarely into the real estate spotlight, attracting West Europeans lured by the current hot place for vacation homes and, to a lesser extent, for investment. And real estate agencies from small European countries like Ireland and Malta have opened offices in Bulgaria in an effort to expand their businesses.

Foreigners were involved in 23 percent of the 220,000 property deals registered in Bulgaria in 2005, transactions that totaled more than EUR 4 billion, according to the property association. The year before they generated 18 percent of all sales, or EUR 3.36 billion.

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Overall, real estate is one of the fastest growing sectors in the national economy, which grew by 5.2 percent in 2005. Observers say that while the foreign interest certainly has not hurt, the country itself is producing much of the change."I don't think this kind of growth can be supported by international investors," said Milan Khatri, chief economist at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in London.

"It must be driven by organic, domestic growth."Much of the interest is linked to the country's expected entry into the European Union. Bulgaria and its northern neighbor, Romania - the two poorest of the former Soviet bloc countries in Europe - are on track to join the European Union on Jan. 1, 2007.Construction costs, sales prices and incomes are all expected to jump after membership, fueling a "now or never" air of urgency among citizens and foreigners alike.

"If the prices are so low, people assume the prices must go up a lot, which means that the GDP and incomes will catch up with the EU average," Khatri said. However, he cautioned, "they may never take off."

At the end of World War II, 85 percent of Bulgaria's population lived in villages. Communism brought industrialization and blocks of Soviet-style housing, most of it concrete and all of it drab.In the years after the collapse of communism, Bulgaria adopted a post-Communist style common to much of Eastern Europe: garish construction done quickly and cheaply, unmistakably meant to impress.

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But things are changing.Deyan Kavrakov, a partner with Equest Investments Bulgaria and a specialist in luxury properties, says about two-thirds of the better properties being sold now are new construction, partly because renovations can easily be one and a half times as expensive as new builds.

Isolde Pringiers, an interior designer from Belgium who moved to Sofia with her husband and two children in 1998, said, "Some of the best work is now being done by interior decorators who are going into building.""They are traveling, they subscribe to the international magazines, they are very well informed," Pringiers said. "They go to the Milan Fair to see what's going on. They have much more of a sense of space and how you live."When she bought her house in 1999, there was far less to choose from than there is now. She searched for months before finding what she described as a house "with a spirit."

It was built in 1939 by a German architect, and she fell in love with it and renovated it. Kavrakov said he finds affluent professional Bulgarians in their 30s - the first generation to reach adulthood after communism - are developing a taste for modern minimalist interiors with integrated high-tech systems: blinds, air- conditioning, audio systems, security and lighting.

"There are excellent examples in the area of contemporary modern style with more space," he said.While Bulgaria is stable politically and economically, with protection for the rights of property owners, the regulation of the public space outside a home is chaotic. Urban planning is very much a new concept. "You don't know what's going to be next to you next year," Pringiers said. "That's the scary part."Also, the rental market is in its infancy.

The rate of home ownership is one of the highest in the world - more than 90 percent - so few Bulgarians rent. Foreigners who are thinking of investment, or who are planning to help finance the purchase of a vacation home by renting it when they are not using it, should first think about how to find tenants.

Bulgarian Investment Property

The property market is linked to tourism, one of Bulgaria's largest industries even during the Communist era, when attracting Westerners was seen as an effective way of getting hard currency into the country.

Much of the current growth along the Black Sea, for example, has its roots in those times. But now, according to Orlin Vladikov, chairman of the national property association, green spaces are being preserved and the country's policy makers have learned "not just from bad experience but also from best international practices."

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Bulgarian Investment Property - My Latest Property Trip Report

2006-03-21T08:11:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - My Latest Property Trip Report

I've just come back from another 'Property Tour' of Bulgaria and things are hotting up!

It's not even spring time yet, but the early birds are definitely out already trying to catch the worms.

The fact that EU membership is within sight for Bulgaria is attracting the otherwise cautious investor like moths to a lamp.

There are some new kids on the block.

For the first time in the years I have been going to Bulgaria, I have met primarily older couples who have been holding out until Bulgarian EU membership seemed secure. These careful investors don't want to leave it too late, but didn't want the risks associated with getting in too early.

Most of them were on a scouting mission checking out cheaper rural property inland for permanent residence. I went to one small village where there are 18 British families living there.

Now that might sound like a nightmare to some of you, but in my experience it is comforting to have that support in a new country where you may not speak the language. Safety in numbers I suppose.

I also find that all the people I have met who have the made the move to Bulgaria a permanent one are very similar in character. Got lots of get up and go! It took a lot of courage to have made the move in the first place!

There was a really friendly atmosphere and I was warmly invited in for drinks and ...well, more drinks actually. The kids were all off playing somewhere, but no one seemed concerned about where they were. It's one of those places that if Mrs Miggins cat goes missing, it makes the front page of the local paper. Know what I mean?

It reminded me of my childhood 35 years ago. Me and my mates would go and play in the surrounding fields all day and be back in time for tea. No one was concerned for our safety. Sure we would sometimes come home with athe odd cut or bruise, but that's just life. My Mum never worried I was going to be abducted by some weirdo!

There's a lot to be said for this slightly old fashioned environment. The downsides seem to be the usual things; missing friends and family, limited TV channels, the language, good fish and chip shops, marmite...etc

But they seemed to be totally eclipsed by the upsides. The cost of living being the biggest one. Everything from eating out, taxes, new cars, builders and of course property are a fraction of what they cost over here in the UK.

It may be ridiculously cheap to live here, but what are you all doing to make money I asked? Well, the majority of people I met in the village were simply living on the rental income from their UK homes and living very well indeed. It was like early retirement for them. Most people were about 30-40!!

They had released the equity in their UK homes and re-mortgaged it. Used the extra cash to buy a cheaper inland rural Bulgarian property OUTRIGHT (no mortgage there) and live there on the income generated by renting out their UK home. Brilliant!

What about the kids I enquired. What about their education? I knew they were having a great time with the local kids and other British children. I could see that for myself, but the Bulgarian language is hard.

Most home-teach, as they don't need a J.O.B (just over broke) to live their lives any more, so they have the time to spend it with their family and they love it. Who wouldn't? Having said that, the British children I met had only been out there less than a year and they were all talking Bulgarian. They do put us adults to shame. Some of them do go to the local school, but most are home taught as the parents are keeping to the UK National Curriculum so the kids can take GCSE exams.

I was well impressed with what I saw. I didn't see a lot of integration between the British and Bulgarian adults. Everyone's very friendly, don't get me wrong, lots of hellos and waving, but I noticed there wasn't any local Bulgarians at the party that night.

When I pointed this out to my host, she said that the locals were a little weary of them to start with, but thinks the language barrier is the biggest problem. Not many Bulgarians outside the tourist areas speak English and hardly anyone was seriously trying to learn Bulgarian. It's not our biggest strongpoint languages is it?

Of course, if you love the bright city lights and all it has to offer, then this lifestyle probably;y isn't for you. However, if you're looking for culture and antiquities Bulgaria is overflowing with them. The old buildings and monasteries are lovely. Most towns have beautiful old spas where you can go and have a hot soak and be pummelled into submission by a masseuse. All for the price of a cup of coffee over here. Lovely and relaxing. It's the first thing I always do when I arrive in Bulgaria.

I had a quick trip up to Bansko, as I haven't been there for a while. WOW, it's changed out of all recognition. It puts most French resorts to shame. Great new facilities. Very impressive. The slopes don't really have anything to offer serious expert skiers, but for everyone else, especially families, it's hard to beat. I wish I had more time to stay, but I had to go. Definitely going back there for longer next time.

The summer tourist season will soon be upon us and with more people coming to the Bulgarian beaches than ever, the property market is going to get interesting I think. People are starting to work out that if they wait until Bulgaria join the EU to buy property, they will has missed the boat somewhat. They already have if they want to buy on the coast of course, unless you're willing to pay top prices.

As more and more people come to Bulgaria and experience it's beauty and charms for themselves, so more people will want to live here or at least have a holiday home here. It's exactly the same as France or Spain many years ago. As soon as EU membership means buying and living here is much easier to do, the floodgates will open and I just hope you managed to get in early enough!

I personally always try to buy in the property sector that's currently undervalued and will rise in value over 2-5 years. For me, that's anywhere within 1-2 hours of the Black Sea coast and Varna International Airport that has a good road connection. Ski resort areas are good only if you are very close to the centre of the ski lift area. People are not willing to travel 1-2 hours to go skiing every day. There is also a much smaller market for ski properties than there is for properties near the sea.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria is the new 'darling of the property market'

2006-03-18T10:16:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria is the new 'darling of the property market'
by Stuart Law

Confidence in the Bulgarian property market appears to be on the rise, as growing numbers decide they are prepared to invest their money in properties throughout the country.

Few would disagree that the market possesses phenomenal potential and it has been commonplace in recent years to compare Bulgaria to Spain in the 1980s.

With EU accession to come and the country's infrastructure undergoing a comprehensive overhaul, investors have been flocking to Bulgaria to suss out possibilities for capital growth, while many have been overwhelmed by the country's natural beauty.

The latter point seems to have led to an influx of holiday home seekers, as highlighted by CNN in an interview with British businessman Dave Hunt.

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CNN argues that while stocks and shares remain popular with some, business travellers in particular are choosing property to raise extra income, not least because it offers both "healthy returns and healthy relaxation".

The report goes on to say that Mr Hunt purchased his property in the popular ski town of Bansko, with three key factors in mind.

Primarily, he wanted an impressive holiday home. With views over the country's favourite ski slopes, it is an objective that has surely been achieved.

Secondly, he hoped for capital growth – something that Mr Hunt has already seen with prices rising from €800 per square metre to €1,400 within a year. The third factor was potential for rental income and the choice of Bansko was perhaps particularly inspired in this regard.

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Bulgaria is hoping to host the Winter Olympics in 2014, but whether it succeeds in this bid or not, the attention that it will bring to Bansko will have a huge impact on tourism and on demand for rented accommodation.

While Mr Hunt may have picked a chalet in Bansko, the Sofia Echo yesterday suggested that Pamporovo is an equally sensible investment choice.

The newspaper reports that the ski season has been a roaring success, with Pamporovo enjoying average hotel occupancy higher than 80 per cent. It is revealed that English and Irish skiers have been most taken by the resorts, although Russians, Turks and Greeks have also been making regular trips to Bulgaria.

As the country's tourism industry begins to take off, property investment is becoming an increasingly secure bet, with foreign visitors necessarily impacting on the state of the economy and the country's reputation as a whole.

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The aforementioned parallel with Spain became all the more pertinent today, with representatives from both countries meeting at a two-day Bulgarian-Spanish business and investment forum in Sofia.

As picked up by the Sofia Echo, the issue has been discussed on the Bulgarian National Radio, with tourism and foreign investment central to the links forged between the two countries.

Spain is already a keen supporter of Bulgaria's EU membership and Spain's secretary of state for EU affairs has announced that his country is prepared to share its knowledge and experience of the utilisation of EU structural funds.

If Bulgaria does indeed follow in Spain's example in terms of a sustained property boom, investors who are currently getting their hands on remarkable deals will be set to make significant returns in the years to come.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Brits Fall For Bulgaria's Charms

2006-03-18T09:49:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Brits Fall For Bulgaria's Charms

By Ginetta Vedrickas

Investment has been the incentive for most buyers in Bulgaria, with off-plan apartments forming the bulk of sales.

But a new trend is emerging as a growing number of Brits encounter the charms of this diverse country and opt to move there permanently. Sunny Beach on the Black Sea Coast has so far drawn the most buyers, and signs of development are everywhere in this buzzing resort. But head further along the coast, or just a few miles inland, and you find a totally different Bulgaria where property prices are still low.

Pauline Scrace of property specialists Bulgarian Horizons says the tide of UK buyers often opt for period properties in small villages. "Many buyers come from the north of England, they may be on lower incomes and leading stressful lives, so they opt to go and live where the cost of living is so much cheaper.

"Some buyers are now letting their UK properties and finding they can live well in Bulgaria on the rental income - "For the rental income from a two bedroom flat you can live like a king over there," she said.

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With Bulgaria's EU membership scheduled for 2007, the number of Brits relocating is likely to increase, said Avatar International's Amar Sodhi. "Bulgaria has high unemployment and some of the lowest wages in Europe, around €200 per month, and this alone will attract companies to base themselves there, resulting in many more British employees being relocated."So what can buyers expect to find?

Prices on the coast have risen significantly in the last few years, many agents reporting year-on-year rises of 25 per cent in most resorts and even 100 per cent in certain hotspots but, while investors are attracted to the coastline, people moving permanently often prefer to be based inland.

Halfway between Sofia and the Black Sea Coast, Veliko Turnovo, the former capital of Bulgaria, is one of the country's most ancient cities and attracts people who come here for period architecture and a cosmopolitan lifestyle. The old city itself is situated on four hills and on the banks of the Yantra River.

Here, prices are lower than the coast, typically starting from GBP 10,000, although it is still possible to find cheaper homes, but renovation costs can add a further GBP 15,000.Many Brits are buying in this region, in surrounding villages such as Kapinovo, Mindia, Pchelishte, Ressen and Hotnitsa.

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To the west, villages such as Gostilitsa and Kereka have lovely south-facing views over the Stara Planina Mountains and attract British buyers who find that they can still pick up traditional stone and wooden houses for under GBP 20,000.

Stephane Lambert is based in Bulgaria, where he runs Stara Planina Properties, and he has noticed a growth both in retirees who discover that they can make pensions stretch much further, and in younger people who find Bulgaria offers many business opportunities, often catering to the needs of British buyers such as architects and builders.

"We are even seeing first time buyers who can't get on to the property ladder in the UK, so they decide to buy out here, use the property for a few years themselves and then cash in on the equity."

Lambert moved to Bulgaria eight years ago while working for the UN, and has noticed a recent increase in bars and restaurants catering to the influx of foreigners. "Years ago, apart from a few language teachers, there were no other nationalities but now I know of around thirty British people living in Veliko Turnovo permanently.

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"Julie Freeman, 52, from the West Midlands, recently bought a large farmhouse in a village 30km from Veliko Turnovo, which she plans to run as a small guesthouse. "The house does need renovating and I expect to spend about GBP 15,000 doing it up. Once it's done I'm hoping to be able to have my B&B, and hopefully cater to other British buyers who are looking around here." The property itself cost GBP 20,000

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Bulgarian Investment Property - Influx of property investors in Bulgarian town

2006-03-14T13:48:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Influx of property investors in Bulgarian town

Symptomatic of the general growth that Bulgarian property market is undergoing, the mayor of Avren has voiced his astonishment at the interest his small town is currently receiving.

Avren is situated in the north-east of the country by Varna and it is reportedly famous for its astronomical observatory that draws local stargazers.

The town's mayor, Krasimir Todorov, has told the Sofia News Agency that the number of foreigners acquiring properties there is now in excess of 400, thanks to 70 transactions within the last couple of months.

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This surge of investment would seem to reflect the growing optimism that house prices are set to soar throughout the country as its infrastructure is realigned to accommodate EU accession in the next few years.

As a picturesque coastal town, however, Avren and indeed Varna are also popular with people wanting a holiday home away from the more predictable European resorts in Spain and France.

Mr Todorov has said that the majority of the interest is coming from British and Irish investors, which has been true of Bulgaria as a whole over the last few years. While Spanish and French properties present less of a challenge in terms of transportation in particular, Bulgaria's unique scenery and reputation for house price inflation certainly makes it the first choice for many.

Bulgarian Investment Property

It has also been reported today that residential house prices in Sofia are looking healthy, with some of the areas in the outskirts of the city faring better than the city centre itself.

The Sofia News Agency has referred to statistics from a local real estate website which show that residential apartments in Ivan Vazov are now some the capital's most expensive, while the Lozenets district is only marginally behind.

Apartments in particular will presumably be in great demand after Bulgaria joins the EU, simply because of the number of workers who will be attracted to Sofia as it emerges as a more central player in the European business scene.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Irrespective of Bulgaria's standing within Europe, however, the ski resorts continue to expand and grow in popularity, making the acquisition of ski properties a tempting proposition for a number of investors.

Research has indicated that property prices have increased by an average of 20 per cent each year since 2003.

If Bulgaria gets its wish and is chosen to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, the likes of Bansko and Borovets will become more popular still and it is a fact that has persuaded thousands already to buy houses in the surrounding areas hoping to gain rental income or to sell in a few years' time.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Don't let your heart rule your head

2006-03-13T10:09:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Don't let your heart rule your head

A luxury ski-chalet in Bulgaria. An eco-house in Venezuela. An elegant terraced apartment in Paris. These are just a few of the hottest properties that UK investors are snapping up as they increasingly rebuff their home market in search of racier returns overseas.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors estimates that up to 225,000 UK households now have at least one property overseas. Many of these are holiday homes but, as buy-to-let investors have grown tired of relatively low rental yields and sluggish property prices in the UK, a growing number are turning abroad for investment opportunities.

They do not have to look far. Parts of eastern Europe such as Bulgaria and Croatia are seeing yields of 10 per cent or more, compared with around 4-5 per cent in the UK. Evolve, which specialises in international property investment, has in recent months seen a sharp increase in inquiries on buy-to-let opportunities in Poland, where capital growth has equated to around 25 per cent annually over the last 18 months.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Some countries also have lower interest rates – the euro base rate is currently 2.25 per cent, compared with the Bank of England base rate of 4.5 per cent – and there is growing demand for long-term rentals from foreign businesses and embassies. The advent of cheap flights has also enticed investors to property hotspots such as Dubai, Morocco, Latin America and Cape Verde – a group of islands off the coast of West Africa. But property prices in these newer markets are already rocketing – a two-bedroom luxury apartment in Bulgaria can go for as much as €120,000. Investors are also returning to more traditional markets – Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the US – after a quieter couple of years.

Experts warn that channelling money overseas is not for the fainthearted. Simon Conn, managing director at Conti Financial Services, specialists in overseas mortgages, says: “There are a lot of risks attached to buying properties abroad and investors must buy with their head not their heart. They are buying in a foreign jurisdiction where the rules are just not the same.”

Each country has individual risks and costs that differentiate it from the UK. As a general rule, buying property abroad is more expensive. Nia Jones, a lawyer at Goldsmith Williams Overseas, a firm of solicitors, says investors should expect the total costs of buying a property overseas to be around 12 per cent of the purchase price, once stamp duty, local taxes and notary fees have been factored in. UK housebuyers generally pay a fixed fee rather than a percentage charge but the total costs are normally a fraction of overseas purchase costs.

Bulgarian Investment Property

There is also little concrete evidence of the kind of rental demand you can expect in many of these overseas markets and although some estate agents promise high rental returns, there are few guarantees.

Mike Boles, head of international at Savills Private Finance, the mortgage broker, says: “The high rental yields in certain markets reflect the risks of unstable currencies and economies and low access to credit.”

Although European lenders have become more flexible, it is still generally harder to take out a mortgage abroad than in the UK. Overseas lenders are generally unwilling to base a mortgage on potential rental income but require details of your actual earnings. This means it is still difficult to build a portfolio of properties abroad unless you have large sums of disposable capital.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Investors therefore either siphon money out of their UK property or use cash. Rightmove Abroad, which specialises in Bulgarian properties, has also seen UK landlords selling buy-to-let properties in the UK to fund their overseas investments.

However you finance your purchase, one of the main considerations is currency risk. To minimise your exposure to currency movements if you are using sterling assets to buy overseas, you could use a foreign exchange specialist such as Moneycorp or Currencies Direct, which generally offer better rates than high-street banks and have lower fees.

If you do need a mortgage you may be restricted to more established markets and should note that the rates can vary enormously, even within the Eurozone.

Bulgarian Investment Property

If you want to let your property, a management agent will administer the rental and, in some cases, give you a guaranteed return. Tenancy rights are often stronger overseas than they are in the UK. In France, for example, specific rules make it difficult to evict tenants in the winter months even if they have not paid their rent.

There are also a number of legal loopholes that could trip up UK investors. For example, the National Association of Estate Agents has warned about buying property in northern Cyprus as most of the developed land is still owned by Greek Cypriots who could try to reclaim it. In Dubai, all property is currently available only on a leasehold basis – usually with leases of 99 years.

And in countries such as Croatia and Slovakia, investors could also face difficulties in proving they are the rightful owners of their properties.

By Sharlene Goff

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - £200,000 for a UK Property? I'd rather have a Bulgaria Property Investment!

2006-03-08T16:05:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - £200,000 for a UK Property? I'd rather have a Bulgaria Property Investment!

By RISMEDIA

According to Rightmove, the average UK house price surge past £200,000 for a house during the last four weeks. However, breaking the barrier of £200,000 is more welcome by the sellers than by the investors as “the current dynamics are favorable to sellers as the amount of property available to buyers remains limited,” Ian Perry from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) commented.

Less encouraging for the property agencies in UK though, is that the rising costs of UK properties seem to determine more and more Brits to look for homes or vacation resorts abroad. Spain and France are still amongst the top places to go outside Britain, however “interest has shifted as British consumers want to travel beyond the traditional European borders,” reported Alex Wright, the HIFX director, referring to Australia.

Apparently, Eastern Europe has become a favorite “escapist” solution as well, Western Europeans seeming to be more and more interested in investment in the property market of Eastern countries, the Bulgarian newspaper Sofia Echo suggests.

Bulgaria is mostly favored by the British though. This shift of interest is due to the advantageous policies of Bulgarian government towards foreign investors by allowing banks to offer part-mortgages; it is as well due to the cheap Bulgarian properties, compared to those of UK, and ultimately to the promising holiday places of Bulgaria.

Not surprisingly, “the Black Sea Property Fund was listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM in March 2005. Some 40% of the proceeds from the flotation have been invested in 5 projects in Bulgaria, including schemes for a combined 2,800 apartments,” Premier Property Bulgaria announced in October, last year.

Also, it is believed that Bulgaria property investments will be one of the top choices for European property markets in 2006, according to the South China Morning Post, with many different types of properties available. Cheaper Bulgaria properties therefore make better returns pound for pound compared to the UK, making this country a nice and affordable place to live.

Retirement value also seems noteworthy for choosing to make property investment in Bulgaria when UK has a considerable ageing population. Bulgaria fits the British elders’ expectations related to location because of its renowned resorts by the Black Sea, such as Varna, as it appears that a “new research by the over-fifties magazine Yours shows most of Britain's 10 favorite retirement locations are by the sea,” Graham Norwood from The Independent reports but, also, that the most expensive retirement places in the UK are indeed coastal properties.

Beyond its holiday and retirement value, property investment in Bulgaria is valuable for rents and capital appreciation. The anticipated entry of Bulgaria into the UE will surely drive up prices. The political change will however surely contribute to the further development of the infrastructure of this country.

According to HIFAX, Bulgaria is fourth place on the top destinations for people looking for a home abroad, after Spain, France and Australia. The enquiries for the first 2 countries on the list decreased by 5% from the last month, and are expected to further go down as the “British public is becoming more adventurous when looking to buy a home abroad.”

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Can you say pied-à-terre in Bulgarian?

2006-03-07T15:17:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Can you say pied-à-terre in Bulgarian?

Three days, $30,000, and a romantic cliffhanger of a real estate expedition.

By Amelia Thomas

PAMPOROVO, BULGARIA – Bulgaria is touted as 'The New' Tuscany or Provence. Westerners are flocking to buy cut-price vacation homes here near Black Sea beaches or budget ski resorts. Summers are long and hot; skiing is Europe's cheapest and sunniest.
Following the fall of Communism, young Bulgarians left their rural hometowns, seeking their fortunes in cities newly open to commerce. Now, older generations are dying away, leaving country homes vacant. But young Bulgarians wouldn't dream of vacationing in decrepit old homes: They want the glitz of Cancún or Bangkok. So, many villages are abandoned until "discovered" by Westerners who relish tranquility at rock-bottom cost.

Old country cottages are now on the market for as little as $25,000, but Bulgaria's entry to the European Union next January is expected to send prices soaring. The country is well connected to budget airline flights from Europe and beyond. It's adventurous and outdoorsy with great food, and, so I'd read, friendly locals and picturesque villages: the perfect antidote to a hectic Western lifestyle, and a good potential investment.

So, with three days, $20,000, and romantic notions of the perfect retreat, my husband and I set out last month to find a dream cottage.

Day 1

4 p.m.: It's spitting snow in the southern ski resort of Bansko, the first destination on our whistle-stop mission. Described by the Lonely Planet guide as "one of the shiniest jewels in Bulgaria's tourism crown," it's gray and unpolished: a Soviet-style town about 170 miles south of the capital, Sofia. Garishly outfitted skiers are the only color in the drab scene. Billboards announce new condo projects: "Tranquility Vistas" or "Mountain Nook." Bars churn out burgers, karaoke, and cheap beer. My spirits sink, as do my feet, into the gray roadside slush.

We're four hours late, due to poor roads and a dearth of signs (the ones that do exist are printed in Cyrillic, undecipherable for us). But our first real estate agent, Petar, is unperturbed. He revs his car alarmingly. But as we round the first hairpin bend at high speed, a siren wails. Bulgarian police, notorious for bribery, spend the next hour negotiating a fine. With dusk descending, Petar is back behind the wheel, leading us to a half-finished concrete shell beside a busy road. No thanks.

The sunset blazing, we zigzag up a mountain to the village of Obidim. Greek and Macedonian mountain ranges loom into view. The only traffic is some scrawny goats, herded by a withered old lady in flowered dress, thick stockings, and a head scarf.

Village houses are largely plain brick. Nailed to every front door are handbills bearing black-and-white portraits. "What are those?" I ask. "Death notices," says Petar breezily. "Lots of old people dying; lots of houses empty."

In the main square, a handful of old people stare at the intruders in their midst. We tramp around five eerie, tumbledown shacks, arriving back at the square to cackles of laughter. Images of an Eastern-European "Deliverance" spring to mind. So much for "friendly locals."

We drive off, dispirited, into the Bulgarian night.

Day 2

7 a.m: Due to heavy snow, we're forced to change our route, cutting our second location from the itinerary. Slow-moving trucks and horse-drawn carts stretch a 150-mile trip to 10 hours, most of it through miserable concrete cities, and bleak scrubland.

Stopping for refreshment at several mekanas (inns) we're impressed by how amenable Bulgarians actually are. Lack of common language makes for much hilarious gesticulating. But one odd thing is the toilet facilities. Public toilets in rural Bulgaria seem to be unisex, with holes in the ground arranged directly facing one another. I refrain from coffee the rest of the day.

Pressing on to Pamporovo a modern resort the Lonely Planet author describes as "charmless," we're surprised to find a forested town with twinkling lights and large but pretty hotels. Perhaps there's hope.

6 p.m.: After finally locating Dimitar, our second real estate agent - "We're in a hotel," he yells over a cellphone, "In the lobby!" - night has closed in and with it our chance to view properties. Instead, we follow Dimitar to a bare, neon-lit office, and flip through pictures of unpromising old houses. Some are too close to neighbors (we want solitude), others have no yard (we want barbeques). Others are just piles of old stones (we don't mind renovating, but prefer a few walls), or soulless concrete blocks.

"With a bigger budget, you could have a real investment," Dimitar beams, showing us new condos, hotels for redevelopment, and plots of virgin forest beyond our price range.

Day 3

7 a.m.: We set off early to rendezvous just 20 miles away with our final agent at 9 a.m. But after five hours of wrong turns and dead ends, we arrive at noon, flustered and irritated. Our flight home leaves Sofia in just 12 hours: It seems we were naïve to think this whole escapade might be even remotely possible.

Deso, the agent, is 20 years old and greets us in MTV English: "Hey,crazy guys!" He climbs into the back of our car: "Let's go, mates! Put this CD in: It's cool!" With gangsta-rap blasting, we head off to the first viewing. He's the worst back-seat driver in the world. "Ooh! Watch this bump, dude." We glower silently.

The first viewing: an ugly Communist-style schoolhouse, the roof caved in under snow. The views are terrific, the building is not. The second house is the opposite: a pretty place sandwiched between a gas station and a butcher. Maybe that's the catch: there are certainly bargains to be had, but all involve compromise. We're resigned to going home and crossing Bulgaria off our list.

"Guys," muses Deso from the backseat, "there is one last place..." Sure. We don't want to get to Sofia's dismal international airport with too much time to spare.

We turn onto a frozen, bumpy farm track and climb about three miles to the top, where a small, picture-perfect village appears. It's almost completely depopulated - of roughly 80 houses, 10 are inhabited. Most are unsellable, because no one even recalls who owns them.

We wander down overgrown tracks leading to pretty stone houses along a mountain ridge. An old stone fountain burbles away to itself; moss and ivy creep up undulating walls; in the distance, a solitary rooster crows. It's as if we've entered a fairytale - or the set of "Lord of the Rings."

"This one's for sale." We stop at a cute stone cottage, its windows commanding incredible mountain views. Its roof needs repair; its chimney has fallen in, and window glass is long gone. There's no bathroom, plumbing, or electricity. Below spreads an overgrown acre filled with fruit trees.

As if on cue, sunshine breaks the cloud cover: "We'll take it."

8 p.m.: Driving back to the airport, we consider the next steps: Bulgarian bureaucracy, attorneys and notaries, stamp duty, taxes, and local builders to do the repairs. But, just 20 miles from the ski slopes, and four-hour drive (in theory) from Sofia, Istanbul, Turkey or Thessaloniki, Greece, we've found our hidden slice of paradise. And Deso says he'll throw in a copy of his CD, too.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Jet-to-Let!

2006-03-03T11:24:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Jet-to-Let!

The British "Jet-to-Let" Set

With prices at home prohibitively high, even first-time real estate buyers are looking abroad for investment opportunities on the Continent.

When Katryn Mercer sold her first home in Britain three years ago, she pocketed a tidy profit. Nonetheless, Mercer found herself priced out of her hometown of Loughborough in the East Midlands. "I couldn't afford to buy a bigger property here," she says. So the 32-year-old project manager for a construction company decided to rent in Britain and buy in France. Mercer snapped up a one-bedroom apartment in the ski resort of Tignes for $148,000, which she rents out during the ski season to cover her mortgage costs. Advertisement

Owning property abroad used to be the exclusive preserve of an older, wealthier generation in search of second homes in sunnier climes. But today a growing number of younger Brits are shunning pricey property at home and buying cheaper homes overseas to rent out for a profit. Many, like Mercer, are the beneficiaries of Britain's real estate boom, with more than a decade of annual double-digit increases in housing prices. British TV is replete with shows showcasing British buyers who have made a mint by buying abroad.

Bulgarian Investment Property

EMERGING MARKETS. This new breed of investors are part of an emerging trend dubbed "jet-to-let." Thanks to the proliferation of such low-cost carriers as Ryanair (RYAAY ) and easyJet (EJETF ), the British can now hop the channel for as little as $30 round-trip. Today, an estimated 550,000 Brits own a home overseas, a threefold increase over the past decade. According to the Office for National Statistics, the total value of those homes now exceeds $40 billion. And recent research from British bank Barclays predicts the number of British owning property abroad will double within the next few years.

It's easy to see why. Buying in Britain is incredibly expensive. The median home costs $324,000, a figure that rises to a hefty $470,000 in London, according to government research. At the same time, the British property boom is finally showing signs of a slowdown, making it a lot tougher to earn the big returns to which Brits have become accustomed. Economists expect that annual growth in housing prices will slow to a modest 4% this year and next.

France, Spain and Italy have long been among the preferred destinations for Brits looking for a weekend or retirement home. But many now are looking further afield at more exotic and less developed markets such as Eastern Europe, where the potential for appreciation is much greater. "There's a lot of opportunity, especially in emerging markets where if buyers get in early, property can be a good long-term investment," says Suzanne Clay, European business development manager at Barclays.

Bulgarian Investment Property

POUND FOR POUND. Going forward, the trend will be driven by younger buyers. A survey by Internet polling outfit YouGov for the Portuguese property developer Oceanico Development found that nearly half of the 4,000 18- to 29-year-olds polled were planning to buy a property abroad to rent out. And for two-thirds of these young property investors, it will be their first real estate purchase.

"As property prices in Britain remain prohibitively high and the rental market approaches saturation, it's only natural that first-time buyers look abroad, where their pound travels further," says Oceanico Developments Director Simon Burgess. Property companies in Europe report an increasing number of inquiries from first-time buyers, many of whom are unable to qualify for a mortgage in Britain.

Simon Conn, managing director of Conti Financial Service, an international mortgage company in Hove, says his firm has witnessed a huge increase in interest in buying abroad from first-time buyers. "People have seen their parents do very well out of property here in Britain," he says. "And they are frustrated they can't get on the ladder here, so they buy overseas as a first step."

Graham Tennant, director of International Mortgage Solutions, a lender specializing in Spanish mortgages for British buyers, says he recalls one couple in their early 20s who did just that. With a combined income of $54,000, they were priced out of the market at home. So they bought a one-bedroom apartment on Spain's Costa Blanca for $179,000, substantially less than they would have paid for a comparable property in Britain.

Bulgarian Investment Property

EASTERN UNION. For the best deals, many real estate experts are directing their clients to Eastern Europe, where recent or imminent membership in the European Union is expected to boost economic growth. Take Bulgaria, which is to join the EU in 2007. Property prices there rose more than 36% in 2005 and are expected to keep climbing by 25% a year in the lead-up to accession.

William Glaros, manager of Bulgarian Home Loans, a British property finance outfit, says investors can snag a one-bedroom apartment in popular beach or ski resorts for less than $60,000, with rental yields often exceeding 12%. For the more adventurous, homes outside the touristy areas in Bulgaria can be had for around $18,000, although there's less rental or resale demand.

The mania shows no signs of letting up.

Kerry Capell

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Buyers start to call the shots.

2006-03-03T10:24:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Buyers start to call the shots.

Investing in cities is very competitive as there is only so much space available. As everything gets taken up and quality properties get in short supply, so the demand and price will rise. Sophia still has a little way to go to catch up on cost per square metre with cities like Prague, but when the space or the permission runs out for new construction, then it gets really cut throat.

I prefer buying in desirable rural locations. It's less stressful and the views are nicer. I'm not a great city fan, but if you like the hustle and busy, there's big profits to be made. The trouble is you normally have to fork out a large sum of money in the first place.

Peter

Buyers call the shots

With high levels of construction in the Bulgarian capital, buyers are beginning to call the shots, the estate agency firm Colliers International has reported.

Planning consent was given for approximately 1m square metres of new residential accommodation in Sofia last year, mostly in buildings comprising between 4,000 and 6,000 square metres.

New construction has been most intense in Lozenetz and around Juzhen Park, as well as in the Ivan Vazov area and in the vicinity of Bulgaria Boulevard. In response to a shirt in demand, most new units were of two or three bedroom, said the firm

In general, sale prices in prime residential areas remained in the range of £750 to £1,100 per square metre, while rental levels also remained steady. For unfurnished apartments rents are in the range of £3.50 to £5.50 per square metre per month, and for furnished units they are in the range about £5 to £8 per square metre per month, according to Colliers’ latest Market Overview, covering the second half of 2005.

The firm detected a shift in preference from purchasing at an early stage of construction towards buying residential units when almost completed. ‘With the increasing supply and competition among developers, buyers preferences shifted towards completed construction because of the available deferred payment schemes, low payment instalments, increased grace periods offered by the developers, as well as the availability of mortgage loans’, it said.

Supply of residential units is forecast to continue to grow this year. ‘Prices are expected to continue to increase, however, at a slower rate compared to previous years’, said Collier ‘In several up-scale areas properties may exhibit larger price growth because of limited supply’.

Rental levels are forecast to ‘decrease slightly’ as ‘an improved quality of supply’ comes on line due to ‘the sophistication of tenants’ requirements’

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - New Bill offers new opportunities

2006-02-27T13:03:00.000-01:00

Black Sea law to tame coastal construction in Bulgaria

About time too! In my opinion, Bulgaria was about to shoot itself in the foot with all the construction work shooting up all along the Black Sea coast. They were forgetting why tourists were finding it so attractive in the first place!

This new bill will go someway to curbing the constructors enthausiam. However, for us property developers it's very good news.

Property developers who now cannot build on the coast have only one option....inland! Start purchasing property 30 minutes - 2 hours (Depending on mid-term or long term investment opportunity) away from the coast (particularly Varna) before the bigger developers get there first.

Pete

Black Sea law to tame coastal construction in Bulgaria

THE Cabinet approved a Bulgarian Black Sea Coast Development Bill on February 17 in an attempt to counter excessive construction along the coastline that is jeopardising tourism.
The bill envisages the introduction of two construction zones - Zone A and Zone B, along the coast, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Assen Gagauzov told a news conference after the Cabinet’s decision.
Zone A will be an area of special protection regarding permissible construction. It includes the beaches, dense forests, sand dunes, coastal lakes, lagoons, firths and wetlands as well as part of the agricultural land and forest areas bordering the beaches. In these areas construction density cannot exceed 20 per cent. The height of constructions cannot be over 7.5 m.
Zone B will include agricultural land and forest areas two km inland from the border with Zone A. Building waste dumps and waste treatment facilities will be forbidden, as well as discharging effluence, used plant protection materials and fertilisers and developing new productions emitting harmful substances. The height of constructions in Zone B should not exceed 15 m and construction density should not be higher than 30 per cent.
“Over the past few years we have witnessed a strong investment interest and excessive construction along the Black Sea coast which resulted in the excessive urbanisation of valuable territories and illegal construction on protected territories,” Gagauzov said.
He said that environmental problems were deepening, there were no purification facilities and forests and green areas were being destroyed.
“The bill will not have a retroactive effect, which means that what has been built so far will not be demolished,” Gagauzov said.
His comment triggered serious criticism as it appeared to show the state’s unwillingness and even inability to deal with illegal developers and their buildings. Local media commented that the Government had given up looking for “revenge from those who had illegally seized public property”.
The new bill gives the first-ever definition of “sea beach” and “sea shore”. This way, the Cabinet will for the first time vest in a law the statute of territories that are its exclusive property. Lacking definitions has allowed so far the construction of tall hotel buildings even on the sea sand, with their developers showing documents of constructing on agricultural land.
It is not clear yet, however, where the division line between the beach and the shore will run, and this is also needed in order to define the public state-property’s borders. Despite saying that his ministry had information on the shore and beach territories, Gagauzov would not elaborate on what would be done if a private property is in the state-property area.
The new bill would soon be submitted to Parliament for approval, where heated debates could be expected, Gagauzov said. His expectations are that fierce attacks may be launched against the Cabinet because of “lobbyist interests”. Owners of land that bought with the perspective of selling at much higher prices will be hardest hit by the new law.
Lydia Stankova, a specialist with the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry, said that the real estate already built in the future Zone A would hardly see a drop. The new restrictive measures are even expected to boost up the prices of these properties, especially since they will receive legal approval.

Black Sea law to tame coastal construction in Bulgaria

Bulgarian Investment Property - New low cost flight announced

2006-02-20T13:17:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - New low cost flight announced

Wizz Air opens new routes from Sofia and Bourgas to London
Wizz Air the largest low fare - low cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe announced at a press conference in Sofia today that it would start new flights from Sofia and Bourgas to London and from Bourgas to Budapest.

The flights to London will start on 1 May 2006. The route between Bourgas and Budapest will be operated from 18 June 2006 during the summer on a seasonal basis.

The news comes just a day after Wizz Air revealed its expansion plans in Croatia and Slovenia by starting flights from Split (Croatia), Ljubljana (Slovenia) and increasing frequencies between Zagreb and London Luton.

Tickets for the flights are already available on the airline's website, wizzair.com or via call centre on +36 1 470 94 99 from as low as EUR 26.99 including taxes and charges. This promotional offer is valid for bookings made between 1 and 14 February 2006.

József Váradi, Chief Executive Officer of Wizz Air said: "We are very happy to have started the low fare revolution in Bulgaria and now we are offering more routes and more low fares to the people of Bulgaria and those who wish to visit this beautiful country. We are strengthening our market leadership in the low cost airline sector in Bulgaria."

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Further optimism for Bulgarian property market.

2006-02-17T10:57:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Further optimism for Bulgarian property market

Property investment throughout Europe remained strong last year (2005), with the likes of Bulgaria and Cyprus continuing to offer viable alternatives to traditional investment options in Spain and France.

In an evaluation of some of the most popular locations, fly-2let has reaffirmed recent reports that Bulgaria's stature in the European property market is continuing to rise, referring to findings by the BulgarianNational Statistical Institute that the average house price rose by 36.6 per cent last year.

One of the most important and perhaps underestimated factors in a country's potential as an investment hotspot is its capacity to attract tourists and this is something that Bulgaria has rapidly addressed in the last ten years.

With a thriving season and the Black Sea region growing more popular each year, money is currently pouring into the Bulgarian economy and the effect on the housing market has been pointed. The marketing of Varna has been particularly impressive, with tourists now exploring the previously underappreciated city.

A travel report in the Times has acknowledged the importance of building a solid tourist industry.

"As Bulgaria approaches full membership of the European Union (scheduled for next year), many of the restrictions that have so far held back Sofia's potential as a weekend-break location will be eased. There are, for example, no low-cost airlines operating directly between Britain and Sofia. Once an 'open skies' market exists, it is hard to believe that others will not explore this virgin territory."

With annual house price increases of 70 per cent in some of Bulgaria's smaller cities, the progress has clearly already begun, but prime minister Sergey Stanishev has reaffirmed today that every effort will be made to update the country's infrastructure to ensure there is nothing to deny EU accession next year.

It is generally agreed that a successful bid for the 2014 Olympics will also have a huge influence on property prices in Bulgaria.

According to GamesBids.com, Mr Stanishev has confirmed his commitment to bringing the Games to Bulgaria in a letter to the International Olympic Committee.

"Bulgaria's government will support the initiative and the institutions in the country will do their best for the organisation of the Olympic Games and the preservation of the Olympic movement values," he said.

Novelty and originality is certainly playing a much greater role in the decisions made by property investors than it did five or ten years ago, with investors much more likely this year to explore the less predictable property markets. Better and cheaper access is unquestionably a factor, although there is also a discernible culture of adventure that is persuading many people to look more closely at Europe's developing and relatively undiscovered markets.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - The best mid-term property investment

2006-02-17T10:47:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - The best mid-term property investment

As authorities in Bulgaria prepare to debate legislation on the Black Sea building regulations. Bansko gains momentum. Bulgarian property is still gaining momentum. The number of Britons buying Bulgarian property in 2005 rose by 77 per cent on the previous year.

With E.U. entry in 2007 and flight increases to regional airports, and analysts' expecting a 15-20 per cent rise over the next year, demand is set to soar even more. However according to some property abroad experts, the outlook for investment property in some of Bulgaria's Black Sea Coastal resorts, may not be as viable as some investors had hoped.

Some property abroad experts are warning investors against the risks of buying Bulgarian property along the coastline. Locations like Sunny Beach are completely over-developed. All the prime coastal land was developed a few years ago. Now the new developments are being built approx three kilometres inland from the beach and already many developers are struggling to sell them.

Many short term British investors that purchased investment property right on the coast have been having some trouble trying to quickly 'flip' their plots of land and properties.

However there is light at the end of the tunnel as authorities in Bulgaria prepare to debate legislation on Black Sea coastal regulation which prevents excessive construction.

This can only create a positive outcome for Bulgarian property investment, as the objective is to prevent supply outweighing demand.

When legislation changes, then the prices could soar even more as the balance will shift the other way. This is good news for current Bulgarian property owners as well as anyone looking to invest in 2006.

The best time to buy is definitely right now!

Property around Varna is a mid to long term property investment now. Treat it as such.

Bulgarian Investment Property - The besy mid-term property investment

Bulgarian Investment Property - Foreign investors push up Bulgarian property prices

2006-02-17T10:10:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Foreign investors push up Bulgarian property prices

As the growth of the property market in Bulgaria begins to build up momentum, property experts within the country have predicted a sharp increase in property prices in 2006.

According to the Sophia News Agency, sales prices in prime residential areas in the last six months have been somewhere in the region of €820 to €1,650 per square metre and investors from Europe and further afield are beginning to take advantage of the potential for considerable capital gains.

Demand in Bulgaria is currently high for both commercial property and residential property and EU accession in the next couple of years will only add impetus to the already healthy market.

With the UK set to complete parliamentary procedure on the ratification of the accession treaties for both Bulgaria and Romania in the next few weeks, it is looking as if both countries will be ready to enter the EU sooner rather than later.

Atanas Garov, managing director at Colliers International Bulgaria, has told the Sophia News Agency that the number of foreign investors is now crucial to the growth of the market. He revealed that new companies looking for more space and residents moving to Bulgaria would both have "a positive effect on the property values and prices".

Mr Garov conceded that residential property investment had attracted most interest in 2005 with construction permits issued for around one million square metres of residential buildings during the year. He also highlighted a distinct split in demand, with portfolio investors buying properties in resort areas and locals tending to snap up the property in Sofia.

As Bulgaria begins to strengthen its reputation within the European community, business links will also be boosted, with many expecting Sofia to develop into one of Europe's key commercial centres. The knock-on effect in terms of demand for office property is perhaps inevitable and Mr Garov has seen signs of the office market improving already.

"The office market has been stable for more that two years in terms of prices, while demand has been growing faster than supply. This has resulted in much lower vacancy rates at the end of 2005," he observed.

"The overall vacancy rate for Class A and Class B offices in Sofia has fallen in the second half of 2005. Mirroring higher demand for quality premises throughout the second half of 2005, the overall Class A vacancy rate marks a decrease to 10.6 per cent. This gives very good prospects for developers in 2006."

Looking beyond the capital city, Mr Garov has picked out Varna as a city to watch, with a thriving social scene and burgeoning commercial reputation.

As is inevitably the case in emerging property markets, cautiousness and forethought are advisable when purchasing property in Bulgaria as some areas develop much more rapidly than others. Nonetheless, with properties around ski resorts proving popular and both Sofia and the Black Sea regions also attracting investment, it is certainly one of the most significant and attractive emerging markets in Europe.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - Varna leads Bulgarian property market

2006-02-16T12:30:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Varna leads Bulgarian property market

Varna leads Bulgarian property market price-wise
Dnevnik Daily, 2nd November 2005

"The value of homes in the coastal Varna area outpaced the residential market in the capital Sofia in Q2, according to data supp[lied by Bulgaria's National Statistical Institute.

The value of homes in the big cities has slowed versus the same period last year when it was rising at twice the current rate, forecasting a 15% increase in the price of luxe homes for 2006.
The agencies noted the increasing popularity of gated residential communities with at least 30 such developments currently under construction in the Sofia area. Upon completion, they are expected to place on the market some 5,000 apartments."

Varna is the place to be!

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - EU to pump in billions

2006-02-16T12:18:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Eu to pump in billions.

Europe to Pump E 12,3 Billion into Bulgaria by 2013
Standart News, 18th Nov 2005

"Bulgaria may receive some E12,352 billion from European funds by 2013," Georgi Stoev from "Programming of the Regional Development" Directorate with the Bulgaria's Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW) informed at a conference on the project 'Balkans without Borders'.Bulgaria will add between 25% and 50% of its own financing to the negotiated sum. Thus, the money on the 8 EU programs will reach nearly E16 billion. The largest share of the resources will go on the development of rural regions - E5.286 billion. Over E3 billion have been envisaged for road network improvement under 2 programs of the MRDPW. Some E2.354 billion will be allocated on the environment protection.

The Bulgaria's national financing in this sector will be about 50%. The same amount of money has been envisaged for the improvement of transport. Bulgaria will get funds for 3 other programs - human resources (E 1.229 billion), administration capacity (E 148,64 million) and fishing (E 48 million). "It is expected that Bulgaria will manage to absorb over 75% of these 12 million," Georgi Stoev forecast."

Most of this money is for improving roads in rural areas by 2013. More great news for people purchasing properties away from the coast looking for a mid term investment. Better roads to your property means easier access. Easier access makes your property much more desiriable.

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - 'Bumper Year' article

2006-02-16T12:04:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - 'Bumper Year' article.

Bulgaria breaks property records with bumper year
Article by Irish Sun, 24th Nov 2005

"Bulgaria's growing property market has experienced yet another record breaking year of investment, with around 250,000 homes expected to be sold and finalised by the end of this year.

The figures mark the former Eastern bloc country out as one of the principal growth property markets in Europe. At a time when most countries are seeing the growth of the past few years ebbing away, Bulgaria expects this year to bring a 28 per cent increase on the number of homes sold last year – which had also been a bumper year with 196,000 properties sold.
Bulgaria was also singled out this week by leaders in the real estate market at a major international forum in Vienna. Although investors are set to see prices slightly down this year, properties are still set to raise 15 per cent more year-on-year, making it one of Europe's highest growth markets.

After years of economic struggles in the late 1990s after the country transformed itself into a market economy, Bulgaria has experienced a resurging economic profile. It joined the European Union last year along with nine other countries under strict targets set by the Union. In the past few years, it has seen the economy expand for the first time in years, unemployment fall from highs of nearly 20 per cent and inflation come under control.
Investors are now being encouraged to take advantage of property opportunities while supply is still strong. After an all-time low of property purchases back in 1998 when the number of deals was only 65,179, the market is soaring thanks to foreign investment and the return of the Bulgarian diaspora, who went abroad to seek work during more difficult times.

Bulgaria, together with Romania, holds significant potential in the commercial and holiday real estate sectors, where it is joined by Croatia. These will be the most prospective sectors for the next three years.

Analysts forecast that price growth in the residential sector will slow down and to around 15 per cent next year."

Slowing down to 15%!! Theres a lot of financial sectors could wish they could say the same. I also think that the slowdown will happen only in areas where it has risen sharply over the last year, like beach resorts, ski resorts and the capital.

When Bulgaria officially joins the EU next year and the new regulations come in making it really easy to purchase property and live in Bulgaria - "watch out" is all I'm going to say. I think the floodgates will open and every Tom, Dick and Harry in Europe will be making a beeline for Bulgaria.

I'll be really surprised if next years growth is only 15% outside the main areas.

Bulgarian Investment Properties.

Bulgarian Investment Property - Getting started

2006-02-16T09:06:00.000-01:00

Bulgarian Investment Property - Getting started.

I've been buying property in Bulgaria for the last two years now and have seen their value go up by 70%. There is still a lot of money to be made with investment properties in Bulgaria, especially with Bulgarias entry into the EU next year.

Everyone who is waiting for the property purchasing laws to become easier when Bulgaria join the EU (They're really not complicated now, as long as you know what you're doing) and then everyone is going to jump on the bandwagon.

Every Bulgarian property professional that I have spoken to believe property value to increase by 70 - 100% in 2007. I believe the same, but I think that the mid to long term property investment is the smart thing for the small investor to be doing now.

Look, if you got millions to play with, go and buy Bulgarian invesment properties in the capital (Sophia) and develope right on the beach and in the heart of the ski resorts. You will make a killing no doubt, but I don't have that sort of money (yet!) and I'm guessing you don't either.

My investments are for the mid to long term. Say three to fifteen years. Look at France and Spain. All the prime real estate was snapped up early on. The same with Bulgaria. Don't even think about spending less than $180,000 for a decent property in a decent location. The initial bargains in the prime spots are gone and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

So what happened next in France and Spain. People started buying property further and further away from the coast. You now have to drive for three hours from the coast in France and Spain to get anything resembling a bargain. Not so in Bulgaria.

Property developers in Bulgaria are still firmly focused on the beach resorts, ski resorts and the capital. And they're right too, but as I've said before, you've missed the boat there unless you have a load of money to invest.

For ordinary property investors like you and me who don't want to risk everything, but still want to made a tidy profit after a couple of years, I believe the way to go is to buy property about one to two hours drive from the main coastal resort, in particular, Varna.

Why Varna? Well, it has the best beaches and facilities for a start, but more importantly, it has an International Airport which is being extended and will have direct flights from the big and low cost flight operators from all over the World within the next twelve months.

Easy access is the key. If you can get to your Bulgarian investment or holiday property within one or two hours of landing from anywhere in the World, you have a global potential market who will be interested in purchasing your house. It's that simple.

Look at what happened to the value of remote, previously ignored, French property when the low cost flight operators started flying to French regional airports. It went through the roof. Why? Because people could get to them easily now and so were desirable all of a sudden.

It's all about access. The only bargains to be found anywhere in the World are properties that take a plane, a boat, a car and a donkey ride to get to.

And here's the exciting bit for me. Bulgarian investment properties one to two hours from Varna are still dirt cheap. The same thing that happened in France and Spain and will happen here in Bulgaria, hasn't really started yet!

Bulgarian investment properties in this catchment area can be had for around the $15000 - $20000 mark at the time of writing this. But not for long I warn you now. The smaller property investors, like myself are moving in, shoved out of the beach resorts by high property values that are too rich for my blood. $100,000 for a newly developed box studio apartment! Not what I'm looking for.

So how do you do it? Let me tell you I have made a ton of costly mistakes along the way and my objective with this Blog is to help anyone thinking about buying an investment property in Bulgaria avoid these mistakes and provide you with great 'inside' information and generally point you in the right direction.

I have several great contacts in Bulgaria now which means you will benefit from local inside knowledge.

I have concentrated my property purchases around the Black Sea coast, particularly just inland around Varna, because, as I said earlier, this is where I believe the greatest gains are to be had in the mid and long term future.

So the Varna area will feature heavily in my posts as this is the area I know best, but I will provide a lot of general information that will be invaluable to purchasing investment property antwhere in Bulgaria.

Even if you are looking for a holiday home rather than an investment property in Bulgaria, you will find the is Blog very helpful in assisting you in your search.

I have dealt with a lot of Bulgarian Real Estate Agents and Bulgarian Solicitors and they are NOT all the same. The biggest problem you will face is the language barrier, which can result in huge misunderstandings.

Having people who speak really good English is essential when buying Bulgarian investment property. I will recommend professionals with who I have had dealings with and have had a good experience. I will also tell you who to avoid like the plague.

Anyway, thats enough to be getting on with.

Peter

Bulgarian Investment Property

Bulgarian Investment Property

LOVELY BULGARIAN COTTAGE FOR SALE NEAR TO COAST.

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British Interest In Bulgaria Investment Property Goes Up.

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Bulgarian property market woos foreign investors

**VIDEO** Bulgaria Travel Video - Part 2

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Brits rush to retire abroad

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EU membership could "boost" Romanian and Bulgarian property market

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2.25 million Britons over the age of 55 will be living abroad by 2012

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Free 2006 Economic Factsheet For Bulgaria

**VIDEO** Tour of Veliko Tarnovo

**VIDEO** Take a tour of Bulgaria

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Brits look to picturesque Bulgaria

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DEMAND FOR CONSTRUCTION PLOTS IN BULGARIA'S SEASIDE MAINTAINS HIGH LEVELS

DEMAND FOR CONSTRUCTION PLOTS IN BULGARIA'S SEASIDE MAINTAINS HIGH LEVELS

BULGARIA CONTINUES BEING PROPERTY INVESTMENT HOTSPOT

BULGARIA CONTINUES BEING PROPERTY INVESTMENT HOTSPOT

Bulgarian Investment Properties - How much does it cost to live there?

Bulgarian Investment Properties - How much does it cost to live there?

This house caught my attention on my last visit - Really lovely!

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria a hot property destination for Welsh

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria a hot property destination for Welsh

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide to Buying Property Abroad: Part 6 - Save Yourself £Thousands£

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property: Part 5 - Have A Strategy And Stick To It!

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property: Part 5 - Have A Strategy And Stick To It!

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property Abroad: Part 4 - Making a Sound Investment.

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide to Buying Property Abroad: Part 4 - Making a Sound Investment.

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying property Abroad - Part 3: Figure out what it is you actually want.

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property Abroad - Part 3: Figure out what it is you actually want.

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property Abroad - Part 2: Save Yourself THOUSANDS by Using An Expert

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide To Buying Property Abroad - Part 2: Save Yourself THOUSANDS by Using An Expert

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide to Buying Property Abroad : Part 1 - Don't Rely on the Estate Agents.

Bulgarian Investment Property - Guide to Buying Property Abroad: Part 1 - Don't Rely on the Estate Agents.

Bulgarian Investment Property - Predictions for Bulgaria’s real estate market

Bulgarian Investment Property - Property investors driving Bulgaria's economy

Bulgarian Investment Property - Property investors driving Bulgaria's economy

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria voted best overseas property investment market

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria voted best overseas property investment market

Bulgarian Investment Property - The Rise and Rise of Bulgarian Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - The Rise and Rise of Bulgarian Property

Bulgarian Investment Property - My Latest Property Trip Report

Bulgarian Investment Property - My Latest Property Trip Report

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria is the new 'darling of the property market'

Bulgarian Investment Property - Bulgaria is the new 'darling of the property market'

Bulgarian Investment Property - Brits Fall For Bulgaria's Charms

Bulgarian Investment Property - Brits Fall For Bulgaria's Charms

Bulgarian Investment Property - Influx of property investors in Bulgarian town

Bulgarian Investment Property - Influx of property investors in Bulgarian town

Bulgarian Investment Property - Don't let your heart rule your head

Bulgarian Investment Property - Don't let your heart rule your head

Bulgarian Investment Property - £200,000 for a UK Property? I'd rather have a Bulgaria Property Investment!

Bulgarian Investment Property - £200,000 for a UK Property? I'd rather have a Bulgaria Property Investment!

Bulgarian Investment Property - Can you say pied-à-terre in Bulgarian?

Bulgarian Investment Property - Can you say pied-à-terre in Bulgarian?

Bulgarian Investment Property - Jet-to-Let!

Bulgarian Investment Property - Jet-to-Let!

Bulgarian Investment Property - Buyers start to call the shots.

Bulgarian Investment Property - Buyers start to call the shots.

Bulgarian Investment Property - New Bill offers new opportunities

Black Sea law to tame coastal construction in Bulgaria

Bulgarian Investment Property - New low cost flight announced

Bulgarian Investment Property - New low cost flight announced

Bulgarian Investment Property - Further optimism for Bulgarian property market.

Bulgarian Investment Property - Further optimism for Bulgarian property market

Bulgarian Investment Property - The best mid-term property investment

Bulgarian Investment Property - Foreign investors push up Bulgarian property prices

Bulgarian Investment Property - Foreign investors push up Bulgarian property prices

Bulgarian Investment Property - Varna leads Bulgarian property market

Bulgarian Investment Property - Varna leads Bulgarian property market

Bulgarian Investment Property - EU to pump in billions

Bulgarian Investment Property - Eu to pump in billions.

VIDEO Bulgaria Travel Video - Part 2

VIDEO Tour of Veliko Tarnovo

VIDEO Take a tour of Bulgaria