Cheap Bulgarian Properties for Sale in the Stara Zagora region
- property for sale
Large Newly
Renovated House Split into Two Apartments (Now rented)
I saw this advertised on
another website and recognised it as the house next door but one to me.
So I made an enquiry about the property and discovered that it was
actually the agent's family that owned it.
Initially it was for sale
for 15,000 E but they agreed to sell for 13,500 E plus commission.
Given that it is a large property, although in need of much work, I
felt this was a fair price.
The ground floor has a
conservatory type entrance hall, leading into a large central hall ,
where I would put a bathroom and then there is a kitchen and dining
area with indoor sink and a further bedroom. I will likely make this
into a large one bedroom apartment.
Enclosed, but separate
stairs lead to the second storey, which is only at shell stage. There
is no wiring or plumbing but it has a similar layout to downstairs and
again will make a nice, large one bedroom apartment.
The stairs continue to a
large loft space, possibly suitable for a second bedroom, or maybe just
storage. Not sure yet.
There is a large plot of around 1000 sqm
with a nice
traditional mud brick barn. It is a corner plot.
February
2008: Deal
completed and I have keys. A lot of furniture and stuff left so someone
coming to help clear this out next week. Will then get quote to turn
into 2 one bedroom apartments.
March
2008: Got an
idea of costs to make this into two one bed apartments with bathroom on
each floor. I am going to use individual tradesmen with someone
employed as project manager and so far costs are coming in much cheaper
than using full building company.
May
2008: EVN
(electric company) have now been and fitted electric meter to outside
of house in line with new regulations that will come in and in time all
houses will have their meters switched to outside. Paying to have this
down now means no need to alter electrics in the future.
July
2008: Have just
been round house with electrician and work will start on this property
within a month or so.
December
2008: Well
work has progressed rapidly on this property. The roof has been
completely redone, it has all been re-wired, plumbing all in for two
bathrooms and kitchens, plaster boarded everywhere, painted peach
outside with tiles along bottom, painted inside, railings on balconies,
all new PVC windows in.
June
2009: Just
waiting for builders to finish off bits of grouting and painting and
little bits on roof. And for some reason the brand new electric meter
that I paid 250 levs for has been taken by EVN, the electric company.
July
2009: Eventually
just told the builders to go and I would sort out the bits and pieces
left to do. Was getting nowhere. They kept saying they had finished and
wanted rest of the money owed but had actually done very little - still
bits of painting and plastering to do, small things to fix. The window
people did come back to fit the mosquito nets that had been paid for
but managed to break a window in the process so now trying to get that
replaced.
Went to EVN to ask why the
electric meter had disappeared and discovered that there is 110 levs
outstanding on the electric and not been paid since 2003. This is the
old owner's bill. Having faced this problem before I had specifically
requested my lawyer at the time to ensure she was given the latest
invoices for water and electric and they were both paid uptodate. EVN
have taken the meter and cut off the electric supply until this bill is
paid and in Bulgaria, debts such as utility bills and mortgages pass
with the house - so BE CAREFUL! The electric and water board do not
bother to chase up these Bulgarian owners for the money and let bills
go unpaid for years and years. It is only when the new owner, usually
British, comes along and tries to get a new account number etc, that
they demand payment for the last 5 years. Too much hassle apparently to
chase people up, they just wait for the new owners to come to them. Oh,
and also discovered that I should not have paid 250 levs for each new
electric meter. This appears to have been a con, even though I visited
EVN before hand and was told by them to ring a certain guy to change
the meters and pay him.
And same thing with the
water - around 250 levs outstanding on the water bill from last owner
plus there had been a leak during winter and so total of around 600
levs owed in water.
But garden slowly being
sorted and landscaped.
August
2009: Outstanding
electric bill paid and reconnection charge and EVN came next day and
now have working electric. Eventually managed to get builder and window
company back to look to replace glass they had broken when here
previously.
September
2009: New
water meter fitted so hopefully will be no more astronomical bills. All
mud brick walls repaired. Rockery boundary built and just needs general
tidying up of plot. Kitchens now fitted and just tiling to do.
October
2009: Garden
sorted with grass seed sown and starting to grow in most places,
rockery/bush area at far end and rose bushes down fence.
Summer 2010: Garden strimmed and
mowed, weeding done.....Few edging tiles had come lose on roof so these
were fixed back on.
May/June 2011: Once again
garden sorted, few repairs to mud brick walls........