Small Rural Detached Property

SOLD

After my disastrous adventure into buying off-plan through Bulgarian Dreams, I decided to take the plunge and buy a small rural house in need of renovation.

It is a rather sweet property with original architecture situated on the outskirts of a rural village just off the main road and close to the hills. The village is lively with many shops, a new restaurant etc and also a railroad station and bus station but have yet to spend much time there. It is close to the main road Sofia-Bourgas. There are good views to the Balkan and rivers, lakes and dams nearby. 

The house has a kitchen, hallway and lounge downstairs and a small bathroom that needs updating. Upstairs accessed by an external staircase there are 2 large bedrooms. There is already all the plumbing and electricity etc in place although needs rewiring, modernising and replastering.

Large plot of 1500m2 with fruit trees and a barn and an additional building which was a shop.

Here is a video clip showing the property in the state I bought it. 

UPDATE: This was originally going to be one of my first renovation projects and I came up with various ideas for modernising the house. After spending more time at the property I decided not to bother extending the property to make a larger kitchen but to leave the rooms as they were and try and put in a spiral stair case to access the second floor, which I thought was an excellent solution. However, when I met with an architect at the property he told me you need at least 2 to 3 metre square area to put in a spiral stair case and there is not room in the hall way so it was out the window with that idea.

I decided not to do anything with this house for now but will sit on it and see what happens with prices and likely sell this in the next couple of years.

February 2008: Visited the property as had not been round for a while. Still pretty much in the same condition and needs a fair amount of work. But it is a great plot with lovely views to the mountains behind.

July 2009: Went round to check on house. Discovered that a couple of slates have fallen off the roof at the rear and during the winter the rain has dripped in and caused a portion of the lat and plaster and mud ceiling to collapse.

The house will need re-rendering on the outside as some areas of the plaster has come off: Windows and doors need replacing.

September 2009: There is now a brand new tarmac road passing property and looks like they are re-surfacing all roads in the village. In the centre there is now a small super market and a DIY shop (very good one actually). And recently had a few drinks in restaurant in centre - nice place to sit in an evening.

View from close by

The property is generally dry and solid. It has concrete floors and apart from the render, the mud brick is in good condition. There is no damp or large cracks just the hole in the ceiling above.

October 2009: Roof tiles have now been replaced so no immediate leaks. And all broken windows covered with plastic and taped up.

April 2011: Offer made on house

July 2011: Spent 3 or 4 hours tidying house, sweeping out cobwebs (saw the largest spider in the world!), covered the few holes in the windows with plastic and chopped down the trees and shrubs around the front of the house and cleared a pathway through to the additional building. Even after all the rain we have had recently house was still dry inside. 

September 2011: Sale completed

Here is a video of the property taken recently: