Cheap Bulgarian properties for Sale, Invest in Bulgaria

.....the good, the bad and general advice from someone who has been there, done it, been through it and survived....just!

thetravelbug.org

Farm Land As An Attractive Investment

Farm land has become an attractive investment in the last few years. As the old saying by Mark Twain goes, land is the one thing we cannot create more of (unless you count building massive sand banks in Dubai to building on reclaiming land from the sea!). Agricultural land prices have continued to climb steadily [...]

Welfare of Laying Hens Directive Will Lead to Millions of Ex-Battery Hens Needing Rehoming

Whilst the regulations to improve the conditions in which battery chickens are kept were approved and voted on by MEPs over ten years ago, the directive is only coming into force in January 2012. From January onwards farmers who keep over 350 chickens will have to ensure these chickens are kept in ‘improved’ cages. The [...]

Farmers Urged to Keep on Top of Paperwork or Risk Heavy Fines

A leading lawyer is urging farmers and any business owner trading in animals to keep up to date with the increasing burden of paperwork or risk losing their livelihoods. Solicitor David Kirwan, head of the agricultural unit at North West law firm Kirwans, has seen a rise in RSPCA and trading standards prosecutions for administration [...]

Gofarmer Ditches MoneyBookers for Paypal

Back in 2010 it was decided that due to high annual fees and large transaction charges, Gofarmer would move away from Worldpay (RBS) credit card acceptance system and opt to use Moneybookers, which offered the same Merchant service but for free. Unfortunately Moneybookers has now become Skrill and along with a name change comes a [...]

Pair of Saddleback Pigs

1 year old pair of unrelated and unregistered saddleback pigs, been together since 4 months old so sow should now be in pig. £170 plus VAT. Need to be collected. Somerset area.

I moved to Bulgaria in 2006, after visiting the country for a year or so. I lived there permanently for around 3 years before deciding I needed a break and then headed for France. Now I split my time between France and Bulgaria. The aim of this site is to give people an insight into life in Bulgaria and the problems and issues you can and quite likely will face there, as well highlighting the beautiful nature, amazing culture and history of the place and showing what Bulgaria has to offer - either as a holiday destination, somewhere to relocate to or just invest in. I am not an agent, although did spend a few years arranging viewing trips, sourcing property for people, helping others relocate and renovate houses and worked in partnership with a couple of real estate companies. I have faced horrendous problems with builders, been dragged through the Bulgarian court system numerous times, had issues with other expats............all is explained below and on other pages of the website. However, on the upside I have a fabulous house for the fraction of the cost it would have been in the UK and elsewhere, a lovely seaside apartment, the weather is fantastic and enjoy summers pottering around in the garden, picking fresh fruit, growing vegetables.....

So briefly about me (more here but grab a beer or glass of wine first :)) - Like many people my search for property began on the internet. It was 2004 and I was looking to invest in Bulgarian property somewhere near a ski resort. I ended up putting a deposit down on an apartment in Bansko (despite never having been there). However the ink was barely dry on the contract when that all went pear shaped and there began a long battle with the developer and agency which resulted in me eventually pulling out of the purchase and taking the agency to court in the UK for misrepresentation. More on this on the 'About Me' page and also in full detail in my eBook - 'My Bulgarian Nightmare'.

But from the first trip over I loved Bulgaria - the way the goats and cows still wandered down the streets making their way home each evening, the curious locals willing to put on a full table spread at the drop of a hat for you, the fact that there was mountains and skiing, lakes and forests, beaches and everything in between in one (fairly small) country. I made several trips over to Bulgaria travelling around and viewing property. I viewed property with a number of different Bulgarian real estate agents - some good, some bad and some indifferent. I made my first purchase of a Bulgarian property in summer 2005 - a small cheap rural Bulgarian house with a good sized plot and lovely mountain views (now sold). Buying and selling Bulgarian property developed into a side line and then a full time business - sourcing and selling Bulgarian property to other British. And I bought several more Bulgarian properties. Early 2006 I decided to move over to Bulgaria with my long term partner (although in the end he never came) and designed and built a new house from scratch. That in itself turned into a complete nightmare cultimating in several court cases which dragged on for over 5 years and cost a fortune. I also renovated several more properties.

I have experienced Bulgaria first hand - the frustrations, the struggles, the ups, the downs...I have catalogued the last few years of renovations, court cases and other struggles on this site to hopefully help others looking at buying property in Bulgaria and keep the website regularly updated as the law changes, the property market changes and just about everyday life in Bulgaria.

After more than 3 years living in Bulgaria and building up a portfolio of 12 properties, I decided to downsize my Bulgarian portfolio and sell off a few houses and have purchased a couple of apartments on the Black Sea coast, one for our use only, a Sunny Beach apartment for rental and a speculative purchase of an apartment in Sozopol. I absolutely love my home in Bulgaria and am proud of the houses I have renovated but would like more time to enjoy my house and garden, concentrate on Bulgarian holiday lets and the charity I have set up to help Bulgarian dogs & cats. I can't see myself doing any more major renovation projects in the next few years, although am keeping one old place next door to my main house as a future project. I have now sold the 4 old un-renovated places I had (Red Brick House, Mud Brick House, Small Bungalow and 100 Year Old House) and the renovated villa I first lived and the other villa in our village.

If you want to talk to someone independent about buying in Bulgaria, discuss various areas, what your money will get you, your options then please drop me an email. I have much experience with problems with off plan developments, builders, the court system, renovating, renting out places etc. Contact me by email or skype but please note I cannot really help you decide whether to buy a cheap house you have seen on ebay, an old wreck somewhere up Varna way or do much about the fact you may have paid stupid amounts of money for an apartment in Bansko that is now worth next to nothing.

To be kept updated on available properties for sale and exchange, news about Bulgaria and other information that maybe of use to you when considering buying or selling, please consider filling in the form below to join my mailing list. I only send updates once a month if that, so you will not be inundated with lots of emails and advertisements.