Houses in Rural Locations

Are Excellent Properties in Bulgaria to Buy

The charms of owning a house in Bulgaria are attracting an increasing number of foreign buyers from all over Europe, particularly Britain.

As the price of houses in western European locations such as Spain, France, and Italy has now escalated beyond the reach of the average property investor, many second home owners are now searching for more affordable locations in emerging Eastern European markets.

After the collapse of communism, Bulgaria’s market economy initially suffered many social and economic problems. Many people lost their jobs, and the young, who could not see any future potential in Bulgaria, decided to migrate to more stable countries in search of employment. The villages became deserted, leaving only the older generation working in agriculture and farming.

Rural House

Times have changed during the last 10 years; Bulgaria has successfully embraced political and economic stability, tourism is thriving, and foreign inward investment is increasing year after year.

It is easy to find a house in Bulgaria for sale in many villages, and many parts of Bulgaria’s countryside are still unexplored by foreign buyers looking for properties in Bulgaria to buy.

Southwest Bulgaria is dominated by the Rila and Pirin mountain ranges, with their beautiful forests and great lakes, and many villages are located in picturesque locations. Winter is cold here, but in good weather, it’s a beautiful area for hiking and trekking.

North of Sofia is the Balkan range, Bulgaria’s longest mountain chain, which flows down to the Danube. In the summer, the lowlands are ablaze with sunflower fields, while the rural Northwest is peppered with beautiful villages snuggled between the mountains. Most favored destination areas are the medieval town of Veliko Turnovo and the Ruse area.

In the Sredna Gora Mountains, south of the Balkan chain, are some of the country’s most historic towns and villages. This region is home to the beautiful Valley of the Roses, named after its huge rose plantations.

Further south lie the Rhodopes, the greenest and most picturesque Bulgarian mountains. Here you will find snow, sun, clean air,and a mild climate. The Rhodope region is strongly influenced by the Mediterranean, and it offers superb cuisine.

For sun and sea, head for the Black Sea Coast. The northern region boasts clean, calm and shallow seas, wide beaches with fine-grain golden sands, venerable forests, and numerous mineral springs. This region is the most sought after by Britons looking for housing properties in Bulgaria to buy.

The southern section of the coast is home to picturesque bays, spacious beaches, dunes, and warm seas. There are many large, purpose-built resorts along the coast’s whole length, but the region also has many peaceful towns and villages. In most of these regions, it’s still possible to find Bulgaria houses for sale at low price tags, but they require refurbishment work to bring them up to living standards - from installing a new bathroom, new kitchen, drainage works, complete electrical reworking, new foundation, and so on.

Rural House

As a general guide, the cost of refurbishing a house in Bulgaria will cost about 250 EUR per m2. To build a new house in Bulgaria from scratch, including foundations and structure and internal fittings costs about 375 EUR per m2.

Be cautious when dealing with estate agents in Bulgaria; don’t be rushed into making hasty decisions on properties in Bulgaria to buy or placing a deposit on a house in Bulgaria because it’s much cheaper than the more traditional markets of Spain, Portugal and France.

You need to spend some time in Bulgaria, and decide whether it’s a country you see yourself either living in or spending your holidays.

There are many properties in Bulgaria to buy. Just take your time! Many people fall into a trap and buy on their first visit, then regret their decision. Don’t let that be you. You need to carry out proper market research.

Bulgaria offers a lot of potential, and there are a lot of eager property investors flooding the country. Don’t be caught up in the hype - Bulgaria is still a largely unregulated market. Seek independent legal advice on the house in Bulgaria you are buying, not the least on newly built projects, where it is important to look carefully at what safeguards are in place should a developer go out of business before the project is completed.

We have all heard of the phrase "location, location, location" - the three most important factors when buying a property. However, when selecting properties in Bulgaria to buy, you also need to factor in the phrase – research, research, and more research!

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