3 Bedroom Villa With Full Planning for Large Extension 

(For Sale - 15,000 E)

I had specifically gone out in March 2006 to view this villa as it was in the same village as two of my other properties and I wondered whether it would make a good place for me to call home. 

The villa was very sweet and already had internal plumbing and a small wet room. There were two decent sized rooms downstairs and 2 bedrooms upstairs, accessed by some steep external metal stairs and a lovely, wooden paneled tavern. The house was sat in a decent sized plot of land and the plot opposite it was for sale also. 

Approach to villa from main road through village.

Front of villa

Downstairs

Upstairs rooms and terrace

Tavern in basement

Views from rear of property towards Balkan mountains

Plot of 700sqm opposite the villa which could be used as a separate building plot.

I decided that as it was in the same village as my other two properties it would be silly to miss out on the opportunity to buy a third property close by. So I put in an offer just below the asking price and this was to include the plot in front which I could use for growing vegetables or a building plot later on. 

The offer was accepted.

February 2007: Plans drawn up for a lovely 3 bed villa with a large wooden balcony with great mountain views. Waiting for quote for extension and renovations.

March 2007: Friends currently living in ground floor of villa while they sort out renovations for their house in next door village.

May 2007: Applied for new Skitsa (plan) of villa so I can instruct architect to draw up building plans and apply for permissions.

June 2007: Architect instructed and have visited property for them to take measurements.

July 2007:  Got approval stamps for extension and work from water and electricity board. First set of plans done, but need to carefully consider position of internal stairs and roof height for extension so bathroom has enough room.

February 2008: Eventually after much hassling got quote for doing large extension and renovation of old part but builders are taking the p*** so will look for alternatives. I may decide to leave this renovation for now and spend money doing up two new houses next door that I have just bought.

November 2008: Had some minor repairs done on villa to put in new boiler, plumbing for washing machine, minor roof repairs and replace some old taps. Electrics were checked to make sure safe and working. 

December 2008: Kitchen was re-tiled and plastered and whole of downstairs painted and property was lived in for 2 or 3 months.

July 2009: Some plaster and paint work done at front of villa. The plot is being cleared and the villa has been cleaned.

July 2010: After winter, as tenants had left water on and then left property, toilet pipe cracked. This has now been fixed. Garden tidied some what.

May/June 2011: At some point over winter, one of the large fir trees had been chopped off at the top by the electric board. We were just in the process of assessing this when the neighbour appeared with his chain saw to chop it up, and while he was there he decided to chop down two other smaller trees. This actually opened up the front somewhat so looks much better. Villa given a quick sweep out and checked.

September 2011: We were hoping to repair the few edging boards that have come lose under the eaves but unfortunately our ladder was not quite long enough. However, we did cut down all the little saplings that had grown and chopped down a few dead trees and gave the plot a general tidy. You can now see the full size of the plot much better. There are many fruit trees and a row of grape vines. 

The villa requires small roof repairs. Some of the tiles along the very edge of the roof have slipped on one side, however does not leak at all, as just on the overhang.

Rear of villa from plot     Side view

I have decided to put this villa up for sale so I can concentrate on the two other houses I have renovated in the village.  The villa is for sale with the 1000sqm plot it sits on for offers of around 15,000 Euros (£13,000). I am going to keep the additional plot in front as our neighbour has asked to use this to grow corn on. I am not in any desperate need or hurry to sell this villa and would prefer it went to the 'right' people. After all we will be neighbours so would be good to get to know any future owner first. 

I have had a lot of interest in this villa, however people do seem to think that they are going to be getting a rather more luxurious property than what it actually is. At the end of the day the villa is perfectly habitable and has been used by friends and tenants as a base for 2 or 3 months at a time while they find their own house or do renovations. But it is not modernised to UK standards. It has a small wet room and external stairs to the second storey and only a basic kitchen. It is safe and secure with fitted decorative grills over all windows and doors but the windows are the original wooden frame ones, not nice new PVC ones.

The stairs to the second floor (2 rooms) are fairly steep and a bit rickety. Upstairs has only ever really been used for storage and anyone renting the property has lived downstairs, using it as a large one bed flat. The door to the two rooms upstairs could do with a little attention as well but there is a security gate on the entrance as well.

Here is a video of the property and plot:

The villa is concrete construction and in good condition. The windows all have secondary wooden glazing except for smaller windows in the bathroom and kitchen but the putty around the glass panes could do with being replaced in a number of the windows or could just put in new PVC windows. The floors are all concrete, although currently covered in lino. The tavern is all wood paneled and decorated traditionally and there is a small storage room with shelving at the rear of the tavern. The plot has grape vines, rose bushes, fruit trees and is fenced on all sides and is flat and mainly grass.

Here are scans of the plans:

Downstairs showing main entrance into hall and then off this is bedroom, shower room and lounge area which leads off into sun room with internal stairs down to taven and through to kitchen, stairs to second floor and covered patio area. Upstairs there is a large bathroom, 2 large bedrooms, and a large covered terrace area.

If you are looking for a property that is habitable fairly comfortably but offers much potential for expanding and putting your own mark on, then this is perfect. The village is fairly lively, there are 3 or 4 shops, a couple of bars and a local restaurant as well as a kindergarten, school, dairy and cheese factory. It is only 4km from Yagoda mineral spa resort with outdoor pools and baths and 20 minutes from Stara Zagora and 15 minutes from Kazanlak.

It is an ideal holiday property where you can comfortably live for a few weeks to a few months a year while you modernise and work on the villa. 

We live just over the road and so are happy to keep an eye on the place and can do some gardening if required.

FOR SALE: Offers around 15,000 Euros for villa, garden and all plans for planning permission. Would make an ideal property if someone wanted something liveable in while they did further work on the house or as a longer term investment with income potential from rental.