The Houses for Sale on This Site & Prices

How I Source Houses For Sale & Commission Agreements

I basically work as an independent middle man (well woman). I have built up some good, trusted contacts over the last year or so and continue to do so. Through these contacts I receive offers for sale and can source particular property for clients.

In the Stara Zagora region I work mainly with one agency to source and sell property here - my boyfriend's agency in Stara Zagora. Nearly all the houses for sale in the Stara Zagora region and Kazanlak area I have seen personally.

I also receive a number of offers through friends here and from Bulgarians wanting to sell their houses and land in the area. For these properties I include my commission, the seller's fee and the commission I have agreed to pay the person introducing me to the seller, in the price stated on the website, unless mentioned otherwise.

Similarly, I receive offers for houses for sale from British and these are listed under Private Sales. I discuss with the seller the commission aspect prior to listing the property. Sometimes to make an offer more attractive, they will agree to pay my commission from the selling price, or maybe split the commission half and half with the Buyer, or sometimes the commission is on top of the selling price and included in the price listed on the website.

Houses For Sale at Different Prices on Different Sites

Sometimes I get queries from people that have seen a property I am listing for sale on another website for cheaper, or sometimes for much more. I know of at least one property I had for sale, that was listed on BulgarianProperties for nearly 2,500 Euros more than I have it for sale for. Another was listed at 30,000 Euros more than I have it listed at

Price differences on different websites are down to a number of reasons. Sometimes of course, purely greed by agency but there are other factors you should consider before jumping to conclusions.

If there have been no enquiries recently for a particular house it is possible that the seller has since reduced the price. It is simply not practical or possible to constantly contact sellers to enquire about their property.  It is also possible that the seller approached a number of different agencies, all advising differing prices and so the house is advertised on different agency sites for different prices.

I know of a house I had listed for sale for 250,000 E. We approached the owner as it has not sold in a year and we saw it advertised for much cheaper on another site and he agreed to reduce it to 150,000 !!!

Another small hotel is listed with us for one price and on another site for 40,000 E difference. We know the manager of the other agency and the seller had insisted on it being 40,000 E more expensive with one agent than the other just to see.....

And you only have to go through a local paper here to see the same property listed at varying prices with different Bulgarian agencies.

With many properties it can be difficult to keep them constantly updated with asking price. Often the owners are not easy to contact if they live in villages, if they do answer the phone, sometimes they want the price left as it is on one site and will try a different price on another.

All I can say is make an offer if you like the house. You have nothing to lose.

What's a 'fair' Commission

There are many threads on various forums about the amount of commission it is fair and reasonable for an agent to take on top of the selling price.  There are many angry threads about agencies receiving a house for sale for 10,000 levs from the Bulgarian Seller and listing it for 10,000 E's for the British buyer. On securing a possible sale they contract with the owner to buy the house through their agency at the lower price and then sell on to the buyer at much, much more. Rest assured that I do not do this. All properties on my site are for sale from the owner directly, all be it through various people.

However, often there are a number of people involved in a sale - the seller, the contact person who brought me the offer, or the other agent and all want their cut of the commission. This is why it is not as simple as adding on 500E commission or 3% - often this would leave me working for no more than 100E per deal. This is why some agents add what is called 'uplift' - a percentage on top of the price the seller wants. I do not agree with doubling the price, or an agent making several thousand from one deal, but do not think it is unreasonable to make 5%, or even up to 10% or 15% depending on the price of the property (lower property value, higher % as if property only 4000 to 5000 E then 500E is 10% +) given the considerations below. And adding an uplift the the price means that sometimes should the seller suddenly decide he wants slightly more for the property, or due to fluctuations in exchange rates, this difference can be swallowed into the 'uplift' and the prospective buyer does not have to be told that a property as increased in value as soon as they show interest.

Sourcing and selling houses takes a lot of time and work. And there are expenses involved. First you hear about a property for sale, you then have to contact the owner, often several telephone calls, then you have to arrange to visit the property and take photos - petrol costs and a few hours of our time, then spend time uploading the offer, checking paperwork with seller. Then when you have a prospective buyer this often involves answering several email enquiries, checking whether property still available and price (more telephone calls or sometimes a visit to actual seller), arranging a viewing trip for the client (hotels, airport pick ups, transfers, pick ups at this end from bus station - all done for free), then a couple of days driving client around to view properties, organising company set up etc and then eventually organising the purchase if it goes ahead. There are also bank fees and currency conversion rates to take into account when completing a sale and these can add up to 20 to 50 Euros.

A property is worth what you are willing to pay for it but of course do your research to ensure you are not completely ripped off. And if you see a property you like listed for much less on another website, just let me know and I will enquire with the seller. But please remember us agents are running a business and have to make some money!