Cheap Bulgarian Properties for Sale in the Stara Zagora region
- my property
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.