Why investing properties in Bulgaria

Investing in golf properties in Bulgaria haven't been a likely opportunity for UK investors in the past, but things has changed so we provide an overview of Bulgaria and its culture.

Why invest in properties in Bulgaria?

Bulgaria is a small country rich in ancient culture, scenic beauty and endless charm.

The country is situated in south-eastern Europe and it occupies the central part of the Balkan Peninsula. Its northern border with Romania passes along the Danube and its eastern border is the Black Sea.

One of Bulgaria’s biggest assets about investing in properties is its tourism trade, with stunning coastlines, great golf courses and an incredible mountain range, making the country extremely popular all year round.

Bulgaria also has around 600 natural mineral springs, and the baths and health spas are frequented by locals and scores of international tourists. Although the facilities need to be updated, the spring water in Bulgaria is rich in minerals and flows freely from a natural source.

Bulgaria is a country steeped in history and contains nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, like the ancient city of Nesebar, which is an eclectic mix of cultures, including Thracian, Greek and Roman, as well as being one of the most important centres of sea-borne trade in the Black Sea.

What is the weather in Bulgaria?

As Bulgaria has such a contrasting landscape, from the snow-capped peaks of the Balkan Mountains, to the sunny Black sea coast, the climate tends to be variable.

In general, the weather in Bulgaria is typically Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, particularly along the coast.

Dan Johnson, Managing Director, comments:

“Bulgaria has preserved its tradition and embraced modern times by brilliantly balancing ancient values with new ideas, making it a country that offers something for everyone.”

The potential of the rural houses market in Bulgaria

Why to buy a new apartment in the big city where the prices jumped so high? And why not to get a cottage with incredibly low price for house? Let`s say that they are really cheap but their biggest advantage is the wealth of choice. The fantastic opportunity to get two story house - renovated in old Bulgarian style, build with natural materials in the heart of wild and phenomenal nature for price of £5000 worth to be reconsidered.

But why to buy a rural house in Bulgaria at all?

There are properties available as good and lovely as the villas in France, Spain and Portugal. Only the price is different and of course the culture. The choice is between luxury seaside villa homes and small rural cottages, between new build modern city apartments to plots of land - perfect for building your dream home.

Bulgaria seems to currently represent an excellent opportunity for investment in property market. And if you would like to use this home for a couple of years and to sell it later you will be surprised how much the price is changed sometimes doubled or tripled. And if the apartments in the sea resorts are perfect opportunity to get rental income in the summer or to use it for your family vacation, the rural cottages are opportunity to sell it years later on a doubled price.

Is only the nature beautiful in this country ? What is keeping the popularity of Bulgaria as a tourist hot spot and what is the reason to continues to grow, what makes this country more and more attractive? May be the people, the culture, the prices for food and stocks, the adventure and peaceful life- you have to find your opinion and to discover Bulgaria by yourself. One vacation for a week in a rural region, or a tourist trip to some of the Bulgarian tows and villages is more than enough to find out and to learn why so much people have decided to buy a house and to live in Bulgaria.

There are two more reasons why property values in Bulgaria are expected to continue increasing at a double digit rate are the mortgage lending potential and the increased foreign direct and indirect investment in real estate.

The mortgage lending potential has a long way to develop. In Bulgaria mortgage loans are currently the fast growing banking sector and the interest rates are profitable and real.

And the increase in foreign investment is set to continue because of Bulgaria' s EU membership and the economical stability.
These are just a few factors for the Bulgarian property market but the reason capable to convince you in the advantages of buying property in Bulgaria is only your experiences in this country. Will you like Bulgaria enough to buy a home ?

BalPex - the bulgarian expo for properties in Bulgaria -opens this week

For a few days the capital of Bulgaria will gather the real estate agencies and Investors in The Bulgarian property market for South-eastern Europe. from 18 April to 20 April in the big expo center are expected some of the biggest real estate agencies and promising investors in the region. This year i the third Balkan exposition for properties -Balkan Property Exhibition -BalPex and the second conference for the experts in Real Estate Market.

The companies which will take part in the expo are about 150. Investors, consultants, architects, brokers, publishers and financial institutions will show the newest property and investment opportunities in Bulgaria and South Europe. The new tendencies in the property market will be available for every visitor, interested in the news about possibilities for buying Bulgarian properties.
The organizers of Balkan Property Exhibition expect more companies and delegates from international companies compared to the last year expo.
The companies and investors will discuss the financial expectations for the next year and the effect of the last year crisis in the Balkan property market. Interesting will be the presented solutions for upcoming structural changes in the region, needed for process of growth.

Interesting fact is the absence of real estate offers at the expo for the rural property market, which was the most wanted among the foreigners in the past years.

The third international exposition for real estate and investment projects in the Balkans will take place in over 4000 sq.m. and will present the biggest commercial, vacantional and industrial projects in Bulgaria. Not only real estate agencies and investment companies will take part in this year BalPex. The visitors will be surprised with companies for real estate managment, financial institutions, banks, law- solicitors , building contractors, media consultants, publishers and so on.
In this year's BalPEx will be presented a wide selection of residential properties in the biggest cities - Varna, Sofia, Plovdiv, Bourgas and many other cities. Interesting vacantional property projects in mountaine and seaside resorts like Bansko, Pamporovo, Borovets, Kavarna, Sunny beach and many more.

Expectations are for large number of business properties and commercial offers like the new shopping Malls in the whole country. Two extraordinary industrial parks will be exposed, one of which is the largest in the Balkans.
The visitors will have the chance for seeing the latest investment projects and property opportunities in Bulgaria and to have a free consultation with some of the most popular real estate experts and financial institutions in Bulgaria. Credit experts will consult the buyers and brokers from real estate agencies will offer the best properties available. The expo will be interesting and for the owners, willing to sell their properties .

Opportunities for rural tourism in Bulgaria

One of the latest opportunities for tourists in Bulgaria is Rural tourism and many of the UK visitors find very attractive to buy one of the cheapest properties in this magnificent places.

Opportunities for rural tourism are offered in a number of villages situated in environmentally clean regions. Usually this small hotels and private homes, are in the mountain regions, near reservats and national nature parks, like in the Rhodopes, Pirin, Rila and Balkan ranges with well preserved old crafts, architecture and rich Bulgarian traditions and folklore. There is a large choice of guest-houses, (from one-star- to 4 star hotels). Many of the offerers include home made traditional meals, eco-tourism in reserved nature parks. This is one of the cheapest way for visiting Bulgaria and the easy way for acquaintance the Bulgarian culture and to feel the Bulgarian hospitality.

You will be surprised from the prices of food and drinks, cheep is also transport, attractions, clothes and many more stocks. But choosing the rural tourism for different kind of vacation, you will find that some of the smallest private houses offering this service will offer you all this thing for free - as a part of the Bulgarian hospitality or as a part of the price -type all inclusive. In the mountines of Bulgaria you cam find properties for less than 5 000 Euro . The small hotels in countryside areas offers a price for one bed room for 5 to 6 Euro per night.

This vacantion will be more pleasant for you than the luxury resorts with expensive prices and aggressive salesmen. Probably you will enjoy this peace and beautiful nature and will want to buy a home for the future vacations or for permanent living.

The price for two floors house in Bulgaria`s countryside is starting from £5000 or even cheaper in some regions like Vidin and Dobrich . Some of the properties are in calm villages - located in a beautiful area close to the sea coast, with a very good road connections. Very close to the local regional center houses or villas are not so cheap, but compares to other countries in Europe are several times lower. The prices of Bulgarian Properties are still increasing and are attractive for all foreign investors and property buyers.

UK customers stoped to invest in Bulgarian resorts

British home buyers have disappeared from Bansko, a leading Bulgarian ski resort and until recently a hot spot for people seeking moderately priced holiday properties.

Since the global credit crunch took hold, purchases by UK investors of Bulgarian properties priced between EUR 45,000 and EUR 90,000 (GBP33,500 - GBP 67,000) have fallen sharply, according to Sofia-based estate agents.

Hugh Fraser, of Sofia-based LS Property, said: "Our research suggests that only about 30 apartments were sold in Bansko last month and the buyers were Russians and Greeks." This compares with sales two years ago of more than 500 properties a month to UK and Irish buyers.

Such a steep decline suggests Bulgaria's holiday home boom, which has focused on Bansko and Sunny Beach, the leading resort on the Black Sea coast, may be over.

Property developers have been offering discounts of 8-12 per cent in buildings nearing completion in Bansko. Meanwhile, prices for new apartments in Sunny Beach have fallen by 7-8 per cent.

"Attitudes have changed. With house prices stagnating, it is much harder for UK customers to release equity to buy a second home," said Rossen Dimov, managing director of Rockarch Estates, a London-based agency selling Bulgarian properties.

Mihail Chobanov, chief executive of Bulgarian Properties, one of the country's biggest estate agencies, believes that about 50 per cent of UK investors who took a punt on the Bulgarian market four years ago are now trying to sell their properties. "Speculative buyers want to cash out and move on," he said.

While tightening credit conditions have given the market a decisive downward push, Bulgaria's appeal for UK investors was already starting to fade.

Rapid development at Bansko and Sunny Beach resulted in an over-supply of lower-priced apartments, putting a severe strain on local infrastructure. An estimated 85 per cent of UK investors bought properties off-plan without having visited Bulgaria.

On arrival in the country many were disappointed by mediocre construction quality and local developers' lack of concern for the environment.

Rental incomes on the Black Sea coast have been lower than expected, according to investors. "Estate agents talked about a six-month season and yearly returns of 6-8 per cent. The reality is more like three months and under 3 per cent," said David, a Dubai-based IT worker who bought at Sunny Beach two years ago. He declined to give his full name.

Two years ago 90 per cent of Rockarch's customers were UK investors, including a sizeable number of expatriates living in the Gulf states. Mr Dimov said the client mix changed last summer, with cash-rich Russians replacing buyers from the UK.

"In the past six months 60 per cent of sales were to Russians, 10 per cent to Greeks and Poles and only 30 per cent to the British," Mr Dimov said.

Julia Titova, of Best Real Estate, a Moscow-based estate agent, said Bulgaria had overtaken Montenegro and Spain as the most popular foreign country for Russians wanting to buy a holiday home.

"Bulgaria is seen as an excellent place for family holidays," Ms Titova said. "It is nearer than the Mediterranean and it is more affordable than the Russian Black Sea resorts."

Information By Kerin Hope and Theodor Troev
Financial Times

Bulgaria property investments with record growth for 2007

Bulgaria property investment has proven to be the country's economic driver with a record-breaking turnover of €11.36 billion in 2007.

As the world's strongest property market in 2007, Bulgaria property investment has made a huge €2.36 billion increase on 2006 figures, and is successfully keeping up the momentum for 2008.

Many local and international property experts predicted the year's increase to reach 25% to 30% however by September the market had actually risen by 32% with many major cities, such as Sofia, already recorded impressive growth this year.

The huge property price rise has been largely attributed to a good mortgage market, high annual revenue of properties and the weak impact of the world financial crisis in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian financial market has not been impacted by US sub-prime crisis due to no cross-border banking, with consumer borrowing continuing at a steady growth rate.

UK property investors, who accounted for 40% of all Bulgaria property investment in 2007, followed closely by Russia occupying 38% of the market have played a primary role in maintaining excellent market conditions, whilst further strengthening the country's financial stability and adding to the robust appeal for Bulgaria property investment.

Nikolin Gavrailov President of the Bulgarian Entrepreneurial Chamber in Building reported the turnover for the construction industry as €5.6 million adding, "The (previous) lack of modern apartments, retail, and administrative buildings caused the construction boom. The investment growth in tourism, production, and the need for modern infrastructure also stimulated construction. Construction sector growth is expected to be between 12% and 16% year on year until 2010."

Alongside such strong growth in Bulgaria property investment, the economy has experienced sustained growth with The Economist forecasting a consistent 6.4% GDP growth year on year. Bulgarian emigrant workers are investing back into the country in particular retail and housing sectors, also boosting the Bulgarian economy.

According to preliminary figures from the World Bank, remittances from Bulgarians working abroad will amount to €1.26 billion in 2007. However, the Bulgarian National Bank have stated the actual figure to be closer to €2 billion or 7% of the gross domestic product.

In a bid to ensure a consistent flow of foreign direct investment (FDI), the Bulgarian government has made bold changes to the Bulgarian tax system. The new system will mean that both income and corporate tax will be charged at a very low 10%. This new flat rate applies to all workers, investors, and companies regardless of income or profit values, making Bulgaria a very tax efficient place to relocate or invest in.

From July 2008, budget airline Wizz Air will be the first operator to offer cheap internal travel from the capital city to the coast of Bulgaria. The low cost airline will operate four domestic flights per week between Sofia and Varna, and will expand flight frequency to the UK, Italy, Germany Spain, and Turkey.

Despite such rapid price growth, Bulgarian property investment remains very competitive and highly profitable in comparison with other European markets, giving the country a long-term profitable investment edge.

Information by : Obelisk

Bulgaria Named Fastest Riser on World's Property Market

Property prices in Bulgaria rose faster than anywhere else in the world in 2007, according to a survey by a leading British estate agency.

The European Union's newest member topped the latest Knight Frank Global Price Index with an annualised property price growth of 30.6 %. Bulgaria ranked three percentage points above the south-east Asian economic powerhouse of Singapore.

"Despite numerous concerns over the level of oversupply in a number of locations within Bulgaria - notably the winter ski resort of Bansko and selected coastal resort locations - Bulgaria has supplanted the previously top performing Baltic hotspot at the top of the Knight Frank league," the report declared.

Last year, the highest ranking country was Latvia, which saw property price growth of 56.9%. However, this dropped in 2007 to 10.9%, on concerns about overpricing in the Latvian capital, Riga.

Source by "Sofia News Agency"

Sofia starts work on Big Air snowboard World Cup event for Christmas

Sofia's city hall began working on the ramp for next week's Big Air snowboard World Cup event in the downtown of the Bulgarian capital.

The ramp in the Battenberg Square in Sofia downtown will be 100 by 32 by 20 meters and will weigh 600 tonnes, together with the snow, when complete.

The location of the event has heated spirits in Sofia, with councillors from two rightist parties asking that the event be moved to another location, where it would not disrupt traffic on one of the city's key boulevards.

Despite the city hall dismissed the fears of more congestion in the city, saying construction works will not have a major impact on traffic through downtown, nor can it move the timing of the event, scheduled for December 22.

"We can't move the event, so it is not around Christmas, as politicians have asked us. The international calendar of events has been announced long ago and we have to stick to it," the chairman of Bulgaria's ski federation Tseko Minev said.
"The TV time for it has been booked already. It's an honour for us to be the host of such an event, together with such big European capitals as Moscow, Berlin or Copenhagen," he added.
The snowboard lovers will be entertained in Sofia for live show or they could see the show on BNT.
Source ; www.novinite.com

Risks for the owners of properties in Bulgaria

Dozens of people become victim of the so called real estate mafia in Bulgaria every year, losing their properties in their desperate need to get money cash as soon as possible. But the results are shocking - the owners pawn flats or houses, whose value is set at hundreds of thousands Euro to receive some half of this sum immediately. Besides such "services" are at a high rate of interests.

Of course, everybody, who takes such a risk, hopes he is to get his property back right after he pays off his debts. But often that is not the case... At least not in Bulgaria...

Police probes proved that some owners of pawnbroker's have up to 15 properties registered in their names. Contracts however show that these flats have actually been pawned and according to the law they should not be transferred to the "brokers".

Suspicious foreign jobbing-houses, taxi drivers, change bureaus or Bulgarian nationals, who work abroad often play the roles of such "brokers". They even use forged documents to sell to ordinary people mortgaged properties.

Only 500 out of about 1400 jobbing-houses are legally working. The rest perform such activities without paying any taxes or insurances to their employees.

In most of the cases, police authorities and prosecutors could do nothing to help the situation when a fraud is uncovered as the cheats enforce their rights through misleading contracts, signed by the victims themselves. There follow endless lawsuits, which take no effect. Meanwhile the properties are sold to one or more other buyers.

The scheme that works flawlessly on this "market" is as follows: a cheat takes on a flat in a big residential building in the capital city of Sofia and pays in advance the rent for the next few months without signing a contract, which contains his personal data. In a while, an advertisement is published in the press, saying the flat concerned is for sale as the price is extremely low. The sell of course is to be carried out without the help of an estate agent. The false "owner" receives 10% of the property's value as a deposit from each of the candidate-buyers and nobody is able to find him anymore.

The other way of committing such frauds is to take on a real estate property, prepay the rent for the following few months without signing any official papers, taking the notarial act from the owner, making a copy, which is later used for "letting out" the house to other people.

Every year Bulgarian authorities are being tipped off on more than 20 cases of frauds related to sales and purchases of real estate properties, Economy police Inspector Gratsiela Petrunova announced recently.

"There are several organized rings that commit such crimes in the country," the official added.

Economy police experts found out that notaries are often involved in such crime schemes.

The criminals usually get the personal data of the potential victims in advance, authorities reported.
by "Darik Radio", Nikolay Hristov

Bulgaria has to renovate all ski facilities in Vitosha said Mark Girardelli before the start of the official season

Mark Girardelli was charmed and in the same time disappointed from ski lifts in Vitosha. The visit of the ski legend in Vitosha is right before to attend to the opening of the ski-season in the most famous Bulgarian ski -resort Bansko. The official start is on 17. December. This morning he gave interview for BNT after short skiing in Vitosha . He was surprised how close is the Bulgarian capitol Sofia to the beautiful Vitosha mountain.
" There is no such opportunity in Europe and probably in the world - only few minutes away from the capital to have the excellent chance for ski sport." But the ski facilities are old and far from the modern opportunities in the other Bulgarian ski resorts - he added. The renovation has to be made as quick as possible, because is inadmissible a country like Bulgaria and a city like Sofia not to use this excellent chance.
"The girls have to be extremly caution with the new ski track in Bansko. " warn he for the upcoming ski race in Bansko for the European championship.
He also , praise the represent ski-alpine racer for Bulgaria Kilian Albreht, for his latest results . He`s strong races are in the difficult tracts the last two were in much easy but we have to be proud of the results and to expect to finish in the first 20 soon.

We hope the promises that made the new owner of “Vitosha ski” for the new ski season that all ski lifts on Vitosha will be available with one lift pass. This is practice in complimentary in all modern alpine resorts in the world and Bulgaria has to follow this example quick.
Mr. Emil Semov, vice president of “Vitosha Ski” promise also that the lift passes will be chip card and that all the 15 km of ski slopes in Vitosha will welcome ski lovers, nearby Sofia with complete comfort of all skiers.
The private company "Vitosha ski" will invest 50o 000 BGN by December next year and will maintain the facilities for next 25 years as a new owner of the ski facilities in Vitosha mountain for the sum for the sum of 8,3 Millions BGN .

As Bulgarians and ski -lovers we hope for perfectly maintained ski slopes for all the ski season this year.

Foreigners increasingly interested in BulgariForeigners increasingly interested in Bulgaria’s spa property destinationsa’s spa property destinations

The interest of foreign investors in the acquisition of property located in areas having mineral springs is growing, consultants from Home for You said.
Velingrad, which has already established itself as a spa destination, is growing in popularity. Research shows it is among the top destinations for both foreign and Bulgarian investors.
Agents said that Velingrad had the potential to develop into a European resort and into one of Bulgaria’s best spa resorts.
Foreigners also continue showing interest in vacation property in Bulgaria’s coastal resorts. Mountain vacation property also registers interest, which tends to be strongest towards rural developments.
Italian, Spanish, Austrian and German investors are showing increasing interest in property acquisition in Bulgaria. Scandinavian investors are also growingly attracted to property in the country.

Information Source: Sofia Echo

Property market developments in Bbulgaria unpredictable in first half of 2007

Predictions made for property market developments in the first half of the year failed coming true. The market saw dynamic developments and turned to be one of the fastest evolving segments. Price hike went beyond expectations, making agents unable to predict future growth. In the first half of the year, one and two-bedroom apartments registered the biggest price increase. The growth, however, is specific for each district and average estimations cannot be made. New construction is responsible for the varying trends, especially in Sofia. If a district sees a number of new two-bedroom apartments, owners of older such property try to sell it at prices similar to the ones for newly built apartments. Bulgaria’s bigger cities saw residential property price increase of seven to eight per cent. In general, property located close to the city’s centre gained more in value.

Information Source: Sofia Echo

Pomorie municipality in Bulgaria to develop eco and golf projects

Pomorie municipality plans to carry out a number of eco projects aimed at transforming it into one of the first Bulgarian green regions. The projects will increase the municipality's energy efficiency and improve the road and electricity distribution infrastructure in the region, Pomorie mayor Petar Zlatanov said. One of the major projects envisions the construction of a golf course Black Sea Golf and Country Club. It has already received a first class investment certificate. The investment exceeds 194 million euro. The golf course will cover an area of 1918 decares near the village of Kableshkovo. It will have an entertainment complex functioning year-round. A four or five-star hotel, golf academy, tennis academy and swimming pools, villas and apartments are also included in the project. Work on the project is expected to start by the end of 2007. The complex will provide 800 to 1000 work places. Pomorie municipality currently seeks a public-private partnerships to finance the port in the town. Sunset Resort vacation complex features among the other investment projects in Pomorie. It will have 2700 beds and a five-star hotel complex. Pomorie also will work on several eco projects among which local dump renovation and reconstruction which will be transformed into park.

Information Source: Sofia Echo

Property investment returns rate ranks Bulgaria second in Europe

Bulgaria ranks second in Europe on the returns rate of property investment over the past 12 months, research of British consultancy company Assetz shows.
According to the company’s index, drafted each annual quarter, Bulgaria’s property investment returns reached 71 per cent over the past 12 months.
Poland ranked first with 100 per cent returns.
Assetz warned potential investors that the rate in Bulgaria was expected to decrease significantly.
Regions featuring over supply like Sunny Beach coastal resort and Bansko winter resort already experience problems with their rental markets.
Bulgaria is the only European country listed in the ranking, for which Assetz expects such decrease in returns.
Poland will also experience decrease, though it will be smaller compared to predictions for Bulgaria.

Information Source: Sofia Echo

Real estate fund to invest 200 million euro in Bulgaria's Varna

Investment fund Orchid Development Group will invest nearly 200 million euro in three projects in Varna by the end of 2007.
The fund received a first class investment certificate for its Grand Mall project in Varna.
The other two projects focus on the construction of an office building with a total area of 25 000 sq m and a complex of mixed type having residential part, offices and trade centre. Its gross built-up area will total 60 000 sq m.
Grand Mall will be located near the bus station in Varna. The company bought the terrain in 2006 for 12.7 million euro. Its gross built-up area is 150 000 sq m. Orchid said that this would be the largest complex of mixed type in Varna and among the largest ones in Bulgaria.
Construction works are to be completed by 2009.
Orchid has invested more than 100 million euro in Bulgaria. It owns and manages several Black Sea hotels and currently works on two residential projects in Varna and Sofia.
The company's chief executive Ofer Miretzky said that the investment was worth it because the company bought the terrains three years ago at lower prices.

Information Source: Sofia Echo

Polish company to invest 90milion leva in mall construction in Bulgaria's Varna

Polish company Globe Trade Centre (GTC) will provide funding for nearly 95 per cent of the construction of Gallery Varna mall.
Investment will total 89 million leva.
This is the fourth mall project to be launched in the coastal city of Varna since the beginning of 2007.
The project is still awaiting construction permit. Construction works will be finalised by the end of 2009.
Annual rental income is expected to reach 9.5 million leva.
This is the first GTC project in Bulgaria. The company already has several trade centres in Romania. It plans to construct two more trade centres in other big Bulgarian cities.
GTC announced that in 2006, it acquired a 4500 sq m plot in Sofia, worth 1.55 million euro.

Information Source: Sofia Echo

Industrial property market in Bulgaria underdeveloped - report

Industrial property market in Bulgaria is poorly developed as property supply meets 60 per cent of demand.
Most warehouses, production facilities and logistics centres offered on the market are old and in bad condition while prices fail complying with market criteria, Pari daily reported.
Monthly warehouse rent in Sofia vary between 3.5 euro and 4.5 euro per sq m and sales prices between 450 euro and 500 euro per sq m.
The report said that a good opportunity for long-term renting is municipal property due to low prices. Such properties require sufficient amount of initial investment in repair works and reconstruction as the buildings are usually old and in bad condition.

Information Source: Sofia Echo

Bulgaria with “Phenomenal” Position in Property Market Popularity Ranking

Bulgaria continues to be a magnet for UK property buyers, as a new report by the Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP) has revealed.

Describing the position of Bulgaria as "phenomenal" the AIPP table that ranks the popularity of foreign property markets had the Eastern European country at third with 7.7 per cent of the market.
This placed it just behind perennial favourites like Spain and France, which remained as the two top markets.
And Quest Bulgaria's latest issue shows that four in five of overseas property investors are from the UK, as reported by Real Estate TV, which revealed that the market is particularly popular with Britons but not elsewhere in Europe.
The surge in demand has led to warnings that investors expecting profits from buying and selling property should cool their expectations, as the Bulgarian real estate market faces oversupply, dampening future price rises.
Spain, where properties have become more affordable due to a recent crash in the market, and America, where a weak dollar is still making real estate a relatively cheap investment, are set to become more popular in the short term.

Information Source: News.bg

Price of residential construction projects in Bulgaria to increase

The price of residential construction projects will increase on the average by 2 to 3 euro per sq m this autumn.

Design and planning of office property will cost 20 to 30 per cent more than work on residential projects, chamber of architects representative Dimitar Mladenov said.

Mladenov took part in a discussion on the problems of the architecture and construction sectors.

New ways to calculate the cost of planning and design services will be introduced in September. Changes are needed to guarantee price uniformity and quality of the product.

In the autumn, the chamber will also publish a list of all companies operating in the sector. Bulgarian design and architecture companies will be able in this way to accept projects from abroad.

Information Source: Sofia Echo

Bulgaria maintauns leading position in property market attractiveness ranking

Bulgaria's capital of Sofia ranks third in property market attractiveness according to recent research of Global Property Guide (GPG).

The ranking included 12 European capitals and placed Bratislava and Istanbul at the first two positions.

GPG compared several factors including prices per sq m, annual rental income, taxes, transaction costs, GDP and legislation in the country.

EU membership requirements activated a number of reforms in Bulgaria, research said. The annual gross rental income in Sofia is 10.6 per cent on average.

Average residential prices are still low amounting to 1042 euro per sq m and the taxes on rental income are within the European levels.

Transaction costs remain too high with average levels between 24.8 per cent and 26.6 per cent.

Slovakia turns out to be the most attractive place for property investment due to its GDP growth of 8.7 per cent in 2006, high rental income and low transaction costs.

Legislation changes in Turkey in the end of 2005 made it easier to purchase real estate in the country. Rental income ranging between six and 7.6 per cent and steady economic growth placed Turkey second among most attractive places for property investment.

The ranking goes further to include Romania, Hungary, Moldova and Ukraine.

In comparison, Baltic countries registered rental income decrease. Apartment prices in those countries are already reaching the levels in Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm.

Information Source: Sofia Echo